BHS Boys Basketball Team Looking to Get Into a Normal Routine; Preston Game Postponed
By Chris Johnson on January 07, 2025
Through six games, the Bridgeport High School boys basketball team has a record of 5-1, is ranked No. 2 in the latest Class AAA coaches poll and has already shown signs of being the type of team capable of going on a deep postseason run.
Not bad for a team that hasn’t had what anybody would consider a normal week yet or been able to take advantage of a normal routine.
Four key players – Jack Spatafore, Carter Zuliani, Gavin Williams and Donovan Williams – were busy helping the football team win the Class AAA state championship. They missed the basketball season opener on Dec. 12, won the state football title on Dec. 14 and then participated in full basketball practice for the first time on Dec. 16.
That same week of Dec. 16, the Indians played arch rivals Robert C. Byrd and Fairmont Senior as well as top-ranked Nitro (the only loss of the season thus far). The following week saw the start of Christmas break for the school complete with a holiday tournament.
With the calendar flipping over to 2025, Mother Nature has gotten involved postponing a game at Lincoln last Friday and a game scheduled for today at Preston.
“I think any team can benefit from being in a routine,” said BHS coach Dave Marshall, who at this point likely just wants his team to get back on the court, no matter what time of day it is.
The Indians last played on Dec. 28, when they defeated Greater Beckley Christian, 69-49 and Marshall liked what he saw from his team that day in a 20-point victory against a very good team.
Phoenix Sickles did a little bit of everything in the victory, leading the Indians with 17 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. Fellow senior Landon Sanders added 12 points, three rebounds and three assists.
“It’s so much fun to watch Phoenix play when he slows down and sees the floor like he did there in that stretch in the second quarter,” Marshall said following the GBC victory. “He plays so hard and then there was a stretch late in the third quarter where Landon slowed down and saw the floor better and had four or five straight possessions where he was making something happen.
“They don’t have a selfish bone in either of them and when you have two senior leaders playing like that, it’s fun to watch them learning to play as fast as they can with still being in control.”
Three other players reached double digits in the win against GBC with Gavin Williams and Jack Spatafore each scoring 11 and Anderson McDougal fishing with 10 points.
Through six games, Sickles is averaging 15 points per game along with seven rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.
Sanders and McDougal are both averaging 12.7 points per game.
The Indians are scheduled to return to action on Thursday at Wheeling Park.
Last Friday’s postponed game against Lincoln has been rescheduled for Feb. 1 in Shinnston. No makeup date for today’s Preston game has been announced yet.
Editor's Note: Top photo of Sickles and bottom photo of Sanders by Joe LaRocca.
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