Published: November 09, 2008 11:43 pm      

MSA has a chance at big-time win

Mountain State Academy’s Noah Cottrill has been dreaming of this game for years.

And it’s not confined to the night.

“It’s hard to concentrate during the day. I just sit there and think about this game,” Cottrill said Saturday, after Mountain State University’s game with his future team, West Virginia. “I’ve played this game over in my head a thousand times. I can’t wait. I just can’t wait.”

The wait — and the dreams — end Tuesday night when MSA (2-0) hosts Oak Hill Academy (4-0) at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center. Tip-off will be at 8 p.m., after Mountain State University hosts Virginia Intermont. Tickets are still available.

“You have a big game, the crowd is going to be behind us, and we have a chance to really establish ourselves,” Cottrill said. “I know people are coming from all over the state to watch this game. It’s a big, big game.”

Oak Hill is ranked No. 5 nationally, while the Falcons, a relative newcomer to the national scene, are ranked No. 33.

“We knew (Oak Hill Academy) was going to be a Top 5 program,” Cottrill said. “But we felt that we should have gotten into the Top 25. Playing against a great team like Oak Hill Academy gives us a chance to get there. It’s a big, big game for this early in the season.”

His coach, Rob Fulford, agreed.

“It’s a big night for basketball; it’s huge,” Fulford said. “We’ve gotten a lot of people interested, the place is probably going to be sold out. People want to see Noah because they know he has already said he’s going to West Virginia. And then Deniz (Kilicli) is drawing interest because he has verbally committed to WVU. It really doesn’t get any bigger than this, especially this early in the season.”

And Fulford said Cottrill will show up Tuesday.

“Noah is a gamer,” Fulford said. “He wants to play in this type of game, in this environment. He’s going to show up and he’s going to play well.”

Cottrill, who transferred to MSA from Poca, is averaging 23.5 points per game for MSA. Freshman Najee Whitehead is averaging 19.5. Kilicli got in foul trouble in the Falcons’ first game and was slightly injured in the second and has only scored seven points. Nebraska-bound Vander Joaquim is averaging 11 rebounds a game.

Aptly-named Tiny Gallon (6-foot-9, 320 pounds) is one of the leaders at OHA, along with Mo Mo Jones and Doron Lamb.

Oak Hill has beaten Covenant Christian (98-83), Winston-Salem Prep (85-71), Queen City Prep (75-63) and The Patterson School (116-84).

Oak Hill Academy has been a long-time regular in the Mountain State Coal Classic. And, the Warriors have never lost in the BRCCC, formerly the Raleigh County Armory.

“Well,” Cottrill said, grinning, “we’re going to have to see if we can’t change that.”

— E-mail: demorrison@

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