The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

College Sports

Related Photos

  • Mountain State’s Isaiah Hill (11) goes up for a dunk against Bluefield College last Saturday in Beckley. The Cougars will take on King College at 6 p.m. today in the Currence Classic at Bluefield State College. Chris Tilley

    msu
November 25, 2011

Fortune is smiling on King College

MSU faces former Woodrow star today at Currence Classic

By Dave Morrison Register-Herald Sports Writer

BECKLEY — Michael Fortune helped Woodrow Wilson win the state championship during his junior year at Woodrow Wilson.

Now the former Flying Eagle will try to knock off a Beckley team.

Fortune, the leading scorer at NCAA Division II King College, and his Tornado teammates will face Mountain State in the opening round of the Currence Classic at Bluefield State College today. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.

“We always liked Mike in high school and thought he was a good player,” MSU coach Bob Bolen said. “And he is showing he is an outstanding player. He’s shooting 45.5 percent from 3-point range and he is 21 of 22 at the (free throw) line.”

Fortune’s shooting prow-ess mirrors that of King overall.

The Tornado (4-1) are shooting a hefty 40.4 percent from 3-point range and two other players — Logan Lyle and Brian Hewitt — are shooting at a higher percentage than Fortune from long distance.

“They are a tremendous 3-point shooting team,” Bolen said. “To shoot 40 percent as a team is tremendous.”

Fortune leads King in scoring at 16.8 points per game and is 15 of 33 from beyond the arc.

Lyle averages 15.6 (and is 17 of 33, 51.5 percent from long distance) and Hewitt averages 14.8 (16 of 34, 47.1 percent). Junior guard Eddie Piccinini averages 15.2 ppg.

Obviously, the Cougars’ defense will be pressed to extend the defense, whether that is the normal matchup man or bringing their dominant inside players like 7-foot-1 David Nyarsuk and 6-9 Isaiah Hill, as well as their size off the bench, in an effort to make the Tornado shoot over the long arms of the defenders.

Mountain State is led by point guard Mark Williams, who averages 15.1 points and 9.1 assists per game. Devon Peterson averages 14.6, Cam Miller 14.3, Nyarsuk 10.3 and 3.4 blocks per game and Hill 10 points and 11.8 rebounds per game.

“We have to attack their press,” Bolen said. “They get a lot of their threes (King averages 12.8 per game) in transition and we have to get back and defend the three. It’s easier said than done.”

Mountain State (5-3) has gotten outstanding post defense, averaging 9.6 blocks per game. They are also outrebounding opponents by nearly 13 a game.

“We’ve played a tremendous schedule and that doesn’t change this weekend,” Bolen said. “We know that every night is going to be a challenge. We have had some good practices and that should carry over to the games.”

Mountain State will face Tusculum at 4 p.m. Saturday in the second round of the Currence Classic.

Text Only
College Sports