SUMMER WORKOUTS
MHS’s Adrian: We plan on winning whole thing
Yester liking the chemistry for Mohigans
BY KRISTIN KURELIC
The Dominion Post
Nathan Adrian shakes his head in disgust when he thinks about how last season ended for the Morgantown High boys’ basketball team.
“We shouldn’t have lost last year and we’re not going to this year,” he said.
After a promising 17-5 regular season and a 75-55 thrashing of Brooke in the first round of sectionals, the Mohigans tripped at the wrong time. A 51-41 loss to Wheeling Park sent them traveling to Fairmont Senior for regionals, where they fell, 54-51.
This year, MHS is unwilling to accept anything less than a state title.
“Obviously, we plan on winning the whole thing and we plan on doing everything we can to get there,” Adrian said.
With four starters back for their senior season, including WVU commitment Adrian, MHS head coach Tom Yester thinks the Mohigans already have the most important component of a championship team.
“I definitely think that this group is going to be another good chemistry group,” he said. “We always tell them, ‘You play with each other and for each other.’ That sounds quaint or what have you, but that’s really what it’s about. You have to have the camaraderie.”
Senior Nick Colasante said the Mohigans will lean on their experience. They will go with a revamped version of the same uptempo offense they are already running.
“We already have chemistry. We should all be prepared and know what we’re doing, but we’re still going to need help from the underclassmen,” he said. “But everything should be fine tuned and should look pretty well.”
He said MHS will try to fast-break whenever possible and will incorporate some new options for scorers Adrian and senior Dean Marshall.
Yester, though, added that the biggest difference this year will be the support crew.
Last year, while Adrian averaged 19.5 points per game, Marshall threw in 9.5 and Colasante chipped in 5.8. Austin Agnew added 5.
“I think we want to be a little more complete. I think you’re going to see Dean Marshall and Nick Colasante take a little bit more responsibility for scoring the ball because people are certainly going to look to Nathan to try to stop him,” Yester said. “I think you’re going to see Agnew face the basket and make people play him a little better, he’s a little stronger.”
Yester added that he will get a new contribution from his most improved player, Dan Eby, and when quarterback Mark Johnson finishes the football season, he will be the basketball team’s “X-factor.”
Yester said he hopes his team has learned from last year, made adjustments and come together for a title run.
“That’s the key. You’ve gotta get seven or eight guys that are ready to win. And they’ll have to sacrifice,” he said. “These guys, they play every day. They’re working. They want it.”

Ron Rittenhouse/The Dominion Post
The Mohigans’ Nathan Adrian averaged 19.5 points last season.