Morgantown Mohigans' season preview

MORGANTOWN - The Morgantown Mohigans girls' basketball team had an great summer. How good was it? Outstanding. They beat two of the Maxprep's Top 100 teams in their summer scrimmages in Mount Notre Dame (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio). Many of the girls off last year's state semifinalist team improved in many different aspects of their games. These improvements and victories left Mohigans' head coach John Fowkes excited to begin the regular season. Here are the girls who want to play in college and who will have a big impact on the outcome of the 2026-27 campaign:    Deuesenberry will be trouble for teams. A lot of trouble. OVAC. MSAC. EPAC. NCAA Division II and I, eventually. Her blend of strength and athleticism makes her a terror on the court. Her strength allows her to dominate an opposing guard with her fast hands and the ability to body up anyone at the 1 through 3 spot. She can shoot the lights out of the gym. Combine her gifts with the team that Morgantown has put around her, and there are going to be a lot of nights where she will overwhelm an opponent when her abilities are combined with her teammates. The Mohigans can run a veritable buffet of offenses this year, and whether she shoots the ball or not, teams MUST account for where this young lady is on the court at all times. In addition to all of her other gifts, her off-ball movement is fantastic. If I had to pick another dark horse contender for the Mary O Award besides Bibs Felton, Deunsenberry could become said player by the end of the year.     Ancell puts in the work. My goodness. And, boy does it show. The improvements this long and lanky combo guard has made from her freshman year into her sophomore year are quite obvious. As if Morgantown's offense wasn't scary enough, Ancell has transformed herself from a 3-and-D threat into drive to the rim and knock down a bucket right at the can threat. Yes. Defenses can no longer sit back and dare her to shoot the 3-ball. They will have to come ready with a man-to-man look with a quick defender who can keep her feet in front of Ancell. Do not be shocked to see her name on the all-state list at the end of the season.     The feisty Messerly would do best on a team that likes to get out in transition. She can just knock down shot after shot after shot. She does not need much space at all. She's always in the three-point stance when she receives the ball. Her shot comes out quickly and on target. Her strength allows her to do so many things on the basketball court. Her weight-room strength gives her the advantage when she's trying to rip the ball out of an opponent's hand to begin a transition attempt for the Mohigans.     I like Young, a lot. Her basketball IQ is on full display every time she is on the court. She knows when and how to move to help her teammates get an open shot. She's not afraid to set a screen if it means her teammate can shoot. Her handles are solid for a post player, and she has some nice post moves to go to. Her shot confidence has reached the point where she isn't afraid to shoot over double teams or on the move because it usually goes in. I would like to see her fight more for her position on the block and call for the ball when she wants it on mismatches. She's going to be able to body up a lot of defenders and her footwork can get her the shots she wants in the paint. I can envision this Young lady (no pun intended) as an enforcer for a high Division II-low Division I school.     Clinton may be the best on-ball defender in the state. And, that's saying something, but she's proven it against the likes of some pretty great athletes. According to her head coach John Fowkes, "We put her on a team's best scorer and she shuts em down." For example, last year at The Battle for the Springhouse, she forced Greenbrier East's [player_tooltip player_id='656290' first='Ava' last='Workman'] to work for her shots. If you don't know about Workman, she is a dynamo on the offensive end, speedy, accurate, and tough. Clinton put a body on her and made her uncomfortable, forcing her to go deep into her bag for her baskets. Coaches will want to pay attention to Morgantown's match ups against Parkersburg South ([player_tooltip player_id='1812335' first='Lindsey' last='Logston'], Quin Bolyard) Parkersburg ([player_tooltip player_id='722020' first='Frances' last='Guice']), George Washington (Rayanna Breckenridge, [player_tooltip player_id='718028' first='Jeriyah' last='Pryor']), Keyser (Bibs Felton), Nitro ([player_tooltip player_id='728687' first='Mika' last='Adams']) as she will likely have the assignment of guarding kids bound for a NCAA Division I, II, or III school.

MORGANTOWN - The Morgantown Mohigans girls' basketball team had an great summer. How good was it? Outstanding. They beat two of the Maxprep's Top 100 teams in their summer scrimmages in Mount Notre Dame (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio). Many of the girls off last year's state semifinalist team improved in many different aspects of their games. These improvements and victories left Mohigans' head coach John Fowkes excited to begin the regular season. Here are the girls who want to play in college and who will have a big impact on the outcome of the 2026-27 campaign: