Depth, Balance Pave Way for Four BHS Players to Earn Class AAA All-Tournament Honors
By Chris Johnson on March 22, 2025
While defense will always be at the top of the list of what defined the 2024-25 Class AAA state champion Bridgeport boys basketball team, balance was also a key component.
Six BHS players ended the season averaging between 5.3 points and 12. 5 points per game. Landon Sanders led the way at 12.5, Phoenix Sickles was right behind at 12.3 and followed by Jack Spatafore at 10.0, Anderson McDougal at 9.9, Carter Zuliani at 8.2 and Gavin Williams at 5.3.
Through 27 games – and a 26-1 record – it didn’t matter who scored the most points. And it varied from game to game. One night somebody could scored 20, the next night four and it didn’t matter, the Indians kept rolling along.
And it’s not like an off night scoring meant an off night for that particular player as everyone who stepped on the court for the Indians was still going to do all the other things a basketball team needs to win a game.
“I’ve often said, the best player on the court isn’t always the one scoring the most points,” BHS coach Dave Marshall said. “I’ve got guys who can score. But this is such an unselfish group. They honestly don’t care who is scoring the points as long as somebody is. Everyone is still going to play defense and pass the ball and rebound and do all the little things.”
That depth and balance certainly was at the forefront in the three games at the state tournament.
Sickles, who was named the Class AAA tournament MVP by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association, is the perfect example of how the number of points scored isn’t the only factor in determining an MVP worthy three-game stretch.
He scored 20 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, had two assists and three blocked shots in a 55-32 opening round victory against Elkins. In the 46-30 semifinal win against Fairmont Senior, Sickles only scored four points but grabbed 11 rebounds and again blocked three shots while playing lockdown defense on the Polar Bears’ leading scorer Trea Cumberledge.
In the 62-40 title game victory against Nitro, Sickles had nine points, seven rebounds and two assists.
He was joined on the Class AAA all-tournament team by three more BHS players – Anderson McDougal, Carter Zuliani and Landon Sanders.
The postgame interview session after the Fairmont Senior and Nitro games featured four BHS players at the podium along with Marshall, a rarity that didn’t go unnoticed by the coach.
“I’ve been to quite a few of these and I know there aren’t four guys up here a lot,” he said. “I think that speaks to the depth and the balance we have. I know it’s rare to get four on the all-tournament team. We were just blessed to have this group.”
McDougal had 13 points, three rebounds, three assists and four steals against Elkins; 16 points, four rebounds and four assists against Fairmont Senior and two points, seven rebounds and three assists against Nitro.
Zuliani had three points, five rebounds and three blocks against Elkins; eight points, 15 rebounds and three blocks against Fairmont Senior and 13 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks against Nitro.
Sanders had 11 points and four assists against Elkins; 11 points against Fairmont Senior and 10 points against Nitro.
Joining the four BHS players on this year’s AAA all-tournament team were Cumberledge, Shady Spring’s Jalon Bailey, Nitro’s Collin Crouch and Nitro’s Ty Stephens.
The Class AA tournament MVP was Wheeling Central’s Eli Sancomb, who led the Maroon Knights to the championship over Williamstown. Sancomb averaged 24 points, 13.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.7 steals and 2.0 blocks over three games, the top averages in all five categories during the AA tournament.
Joining Sancomb on the all-tournament team were teammates Tyler Dean and Max Olejasz, Williamstown’s Cruz Isaly, Jayden Bryant and Parker Schramm along with Westside’s Kaiden Vance and Wyoming East’s Talan Muscari.
Spring Mills’ Caleb Thomas was named the Class AAAA tournament MVP, leading the Cardinals past George Washington in the title game. Thomas averaged 19 points, 12.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 3.0 blocks over the three-game stretch.
Joining him on the all-tournament team were teammates Akwasi Opoku-Achampong and Loakkhae Uth-Smith, George Washington’s Noah Lewis and Gale Lamb, Spring Valley’s duo of Clay Robertson and Harrison Riggs and rounding things out was Morgantown’s Waylon Colistra.
In Class A, Tug Valley won its second consecutive state title over Tucker County with tournament MVP Braydun Ferris leading the way. Ferris averaged 24.3 points, 7.0 assists and 2.7 steals in tthe three games in Charleston.
Joining Ferris on the all-tournament team were teammates Bryson Elia and Ashton Davis, Tucker County's Trevan Bonner and Garrett Wilfon, East Hardy's Evan Hamilton and Jordan Teets as well as Greater Beckley Christian's Drew Fitzwater.
Editor's Note: Top photo shows the Class AAA all-tournament team. Second photo is of Sickles with his MVP award with longtime WVSWA member Doug Huff. In bottom photo Huff is with Ferris and his Class A tournament MVP.
