Sports in The Dominion Post

This article appeared in the Dominion Post Newspaper on February 5, 2003.
Law filling big role for MHS

His 18 points top Mohigans' 60-39 victory

Bob Gay/The Dominion Post

Morgantown's Matt Simpson (45) wins a fight for a rebound with Preston's Josh Boone.

BY JUSTIN JACKSON

The Dominion Post

Morgantown High forward Kameron Law was simply a spectator on the bench last year, as the Mohigans ran off a 22-4 record and a earned a berth in the state semifinals.

Law's role has changed this season, as it has for many of his teammates.

"Last year, I was nothing but a big cheerleader," Law said.

This year?

"I'm playing a bigger role this year," he said.

At 6-foot-7, it's more like Law is becoming the big man on campus.

Law scored 18 points Tuesday night to lead the eighth-ranked Mohigans to a 60-39 victory over Preston High, at the MHS gymnasium.

It was the 10th consecutive victory for the Mohigans (11-2), a feat in itself considering last year's team was expected to do nothing, advanced to the state's Final Four, then graduated four starters.

Certainly this MHS team couldn't have expected to make another run at a state tournament berth.

"We're 11-2 right now," Law said. "Honestly, I expected to be more around 8-5 at this point, because I thought we had a lot of rough edges to smooth out at the beginning of the season."

After MHS started the season 1-2, Law and junior sharpshooter Tyler Benson started scoring, along with Seth Fogarty, the lone returning starter from last season.

"It's been a big adjustment for both myself and Tyler," Law said. "Last year, nothing was expected of us. Now coach is always telling the both of us that we need to shoot more."

Law leads the team at 13.5 points and is rapidly becoming another example of the changing role of today's big men on the basketball court. No longer are power forwards and centers relegated to playing down low, looking for rebounds.

Kevin Pittsnogle, of Martinsburg, and Mark Patton, of Cabell Midland, proved that last year as two towers who loved to shoot the 3-pointer.

In that same mold is Law, who is second on the team with 13 3-pointers, although he didn't attempt any against the Knights (2-11).

"I grew up normally being in the low post," Law said. "Maybe I would shoot a 15-foot jumpshot. In middle school, if we were up big late in the game, I would shoot a 3-pointer.

"I've worked a lot on my outside shot and the roles are changing for the big guys down low. Watching (Pittsnogle and Patton) really opened up my eyes to what big guys can do now."

MHS coach Tom Yester likes the options Law presents.

"You can post him up or put him out on the wing," Yester said. "He can handle the ball well for his size. Tonight, we knew Preston didn't have any big guys, except for (Grant) Westbrook, so we put Kameron down low."

Fogarty finished with 14 points, 10 coming in the second half, and Benson scored 10 points and had two 3-pointers. Geremy Rodamer contributed 10 assists.

"There's a lot of great leaders on this team, and that's what made last year's team special, too," Law said. "We've got some new faces, but everybody has worked hard. Everybody is filling their role on the team."

And who knows, maybe the Mohigans can pull off the big surprise for a second consecutive year.

"I think we can," Law said. "I wasn't worried about states to start the year, but I really think we have a good chance right now."

Box score

MORGANTOWN 60, PRESTON 39

PRESTON (2-11, 2-8 NCAC)

Burnside 1 1-2 3, Westbrook 6 1-2 13, Walls 0 2-3 2, Boone 3 0-4 7, Metheny 2 4-7 8, Waybright 2 0-1 4, Martin 0 1-2 1, Johnson 0 0-0 0, Blake 0 1-3 1, Kelly 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 10-24 39.

MORGANTOWN (11-2, 8-1 NCAC)

Dalton 0 0-0 0, Fogarty 7 0-0 14, Minutelli 0 0-0 0, Murray 0 0-0 0, Rodamer 0 2-4 2, Simpson 3 0-1 6, Williams 1 0-0 3, Benson 4 0-0 10, Holt 0 0-0 0, Law 7 4-5 18, Torsney 3 1-2 7, Kerns 0 0-0 0, Jones 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 7-12 60.

Preston 7 11 8 13 -- 39

Morgantown 13 17 9 21 -- 60

3-point goals--Preston 1 (Boone 1), Morgantown 3 (Benson 2, Williams 1). Rebounds--Preston 29 (Westbrook 8), Morgantown 39 (Fogarty, Benson, Torsney 6). Junior varsity--Morgantown 66, Preston 37.