Capital Cougars' season preview

CHARLESTON - Capital has the opportunity to make some noise in Class AAA's South Region during the 2026-27 season. With four starters back, another young lady back to full health, and a schedule meant to push the girls to improve, Cougars' head coach JD Lambert and company could have a date with the Vandalia Health Center in Charleston at the end of the season. Cougar fans and the rest of the state will learn which version of the Cougars they will have in the first four games of the season. Capital plays reigning Class AAAA state champion Parkersburg High, Class AAAA runner-up Parkersburg South and Class AAA tournament participant Princeton in three of its first four games. Here are a few of the girls who would like to play in college or coach Lambert believes could play in college.    Johnson-Rush was known as a streaky shooter through her first three years of high school ball. Not anymore. Through a off-season of work, J-R has discovered that with the proper footwork, she can score at all three levels. She can post up, catch and finish, or get a bucket around the basket. In addition, she has matured into a vocal leader and has worked on her ball handling. She has the makeup to be a 2 at the next level. She is a great slasher, solid in iso, and she can cause mismatches on the block. Surprisingly, her footwork on her set shot needs a little work, she isn't fully gathering herself before she goes up for a shot. However, she will be able to play at the next level.       B-L is a classic 3-and-D player. All. The. Way. B-L loves to shoot the basketball, but she loves to defend even more. With her long limbs, she can excel in a 2-3 zone, 1-3-1, man-to-man, and likely flourish in a diamond press as the rover. She showed exactly how everything could come together last season in a win over Wheeling Park. B-L drained six treys as she played stifling defense in the Cougars' win over the Patriots.     B-L could run NCAA Division I track. And, I wouldn't be upset about it. She has the best lateral speed on the team and it helps her in several ways. First and foremost, she can get downhill in a hurry. Second, when she plays off two feet, her offensive skill set around the post can cause problems for potential mismatches. Her best quality? She is a one-man press break. In three years, B-L has not been trapped by a Mountain State Athletic Conference schedule one time. The only thing I would like to see from her is to be more controlled when she goes to the basket. Her speed is definitely an asset but if her legs move before her brain catches up, it can lead to injuries.     Carter is strong. Very strong. And, you can see it in the way she uses her strength on the court. She sets devastating picks and screens. She rebounds well. She grabs most of her points around the basket. She has a great basketball mind. I would love to see her become a better passer, because it isn't out of the realm of possibility that Capital could run some offense through the five, this season.     Robinson has shown bursts of a vision of the future. She is a scrappy scorer, who will be an excellent leader for the Cougars come her junior and senior year. This season will be about learning the Cougars style and what Lambert expects out of his guards. What can she do on the basketball court? She can get to the rim and knock down an open jumper, on top of her ball handling abilities. I would like to see her work on her mid-range game in traffic. She's going to need to continue to be a scrappy scorer with floaters and teardrops, if she wants to play at the next level.

CHARLESTON - Capital has the opportunity to make some noise in Class AAA's South Region during the 2026-27 season. With four starters back, another young lady back to full health, and a schedule meant to push the girls to improve, Cougars' head coach JD Lambert and company could have a date with the Vandalia Health Center in Charleston at the end of the season. Cougar fans and the rest of the state will learn which version of the Cougars they will have in the first four games of the season. Capital plays reigning Class AAAA state champion Parkersburg High, Class AAAA runner-up Parkersburg South and Class AAA tournament participant Princeton in three of its first four games. Here are a few of the girls who would like to play in college or coach Lambert believes could play in college.