By BRIAN WOODSON
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
LINDSIDE — Zach Hatfield was missing something last basketball season.
It’s safe to say it’s been found.
Hatfield is averaging 16 points per game for the James Monroe boys basketball team, having led the Mavericks to a 7-4 start to the season.
Not bad considering James Monroe won a total of four games in the previous two campaigns.
“Last year wasn’t a good year at all and I lost my shot last year,” said Hatfield, whose Mavericks were 3-19 last season and 1-13 the year prior to that one. “All summer and up until basketball season started this year I was working on my shot and everything else and I finally got it back this year.”
It showed last week, as the James Monroe senior scored 46 points in two games, including 25 in a 66-50 win over Class AAA Nicholas County, and 21 more in a 67-61 loss to Summers County.
“I was able to hit my shots in both those games,” Hatfield said. “The plays were working out good, but I was just hitting those nights. The team was able to run the plays good and when the coach called on me I was able to hit the shots.”
That consistent effort was enough to earn Hatfield the Pocahontas Coal Association/Bluefield Daily Telegraph Player of the Week Award.
“It feels good to get it, especially the last couple of years in basketball and how our seasons have went,” Hatfield said. “The way our team has played this year and being able to be a part of that and win the player of the week, that means a lot.”
James Monroe, which plays again on Friday at Greenbrier West, started the season with four straight wins, and that record improved to 5-0 when a loss to Shady Spring turned into a win following a forfeit.
They have lost four of six since then, but life is much better for James Monroe boys basketball.
“It is just intensity-wise, especially from our coaches,” Hatfield said. “We have got two young coaches that can relate a lot better to us and the intensity level is a lot higher and they expect a lot from us.”
That includes first-year head coach Jonathan McPherson and assistant Michael Hines, who are excited for the turnaround, but far from satisfied.
“We are definitely pleased with the good start that we are having, but we are not content,” McPherson said. “We still want to keep winning ball games and make sure we compete in every one that we play in.
“Most of the (games) have been close, some nights you are going to shoot better than others and some nights things will go your way more than others. What we are trying to do is just go out and try to compete and regardless of the score, just always make sure we are playing our hardest.”
Hatfield, who is complemented by Mark Dixon, Wesley Jones, Brad Jackson and many more, has been a big reason for that turnaround, but he’s quick to deflect the credit elsewhere.
“I am pleased with how I have been playing this year and this team, but I wouldn’t be able to have 16 a game if it wasn’t for the team ball we have been playing,” said the 5-foot-11 Hatfield. “The team ball has been a lot better this year than last year and that has helped out a lot.
“I have had more 3s this year than I have in the past couple, but my shot has just gotten back.”
That’s because Hatfield spent the entire offseason preparing for his final season of high school basketball.
“He has definitely had a good start so far individually,” McPherson said. “He is really quick and a good shooter, he worked really hard in the offseason and it has paid off.
“He is averaging about 16 a game right now. He has definitely been not only a leader so far in the scoring column, but he’s been a leader on the floor as well.”
After two season with four wins, the new-found basketball success has made hoops fun again at a school where football is king.
Just not to Hatfield, who gave up baseball to focus on his sport of choice.
“Football is a big sport here, but it ain’t mine,” said Hatfield, with a smile “It has never been my sport.”
Basketball is. Hatfield, who plans to attend college and prepare for a career in physical therapy, would like to play at the next level.
For now, he’s only concerned about the Mavericks, and continuing the good times on the court.
“That is basically what it is. Good team ball and intensity,” Hatfield said. “From day one, both of the coaches have preached intensity and defense and we have been able to do that, plus play together as a whole team, as coach says we play together as a fist.
“We have been able to play like that and it has all come together and we have been able to have a really good season so far with a lot more wins to come.”
McPherson expects Hatfield to have plenty to do with whatever success lies ahead.
“He is capable of running the point, he can cause matchup problems as quick as he is,” said McPherson, whose wife, Malory, is the head coach of the Lady Mavericks. “When he scoring those points and he is really hitting that helps our offense out a lot and it opens up other things so he has been doing that all year.
“You almost expect it every game from him as good as he has been.”
That 7-4 start is a stark contrast two four wins over two seasons. Even though the Mavericks play in one of the toughest sections and regions in West Virginia, don’t count them out when the postseason arrives.
“I definitely think we can make some loud noise, our team has a lot of confidence this year and it shows so far,” Hatfield said. “We are 7-4 so far and it shows, but I really feel like we can make some noise down the line if we keep playing like we have been like a fist as coach calls it, we can make some noise.”
That noise will include Hatfield, who is making his noise as the ball swishes through the net.
“Individually, I just want to keep up the way I have been. It has been a really good year for me so far, but I wouldn’t be able to have this year if it wasn’t for the team so it goes back to the team too,” Hatfield said. “I like the way we have been playing as a team, I hope to keep this up and if I can keep it up it means our team can.
“As a team I would like to get to sectionals and I think we can win sectionals this year. I have got faith in our team. If we play like a fist, we are unstoppable, I think.”
—Contact Brian Woodson
at bwoodson@bdtonline.com

Honorable Mention
Bland County (2-0, record last week): Asher Dillow, 58 points, 32 vs. Narrows; Chase Hankins, 35 points, 23 vs. Montcalm, Darryl Clark, 25 points; John-Robert Miller, 10 points vs. Montcalm.
Bluefield (2-0): Anthony Eades, 51 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists; Lykel Collier, 27 points, 20 assists, inc. 20 points, 13 assists vs. PikeView; K.J. Manns, 32 points, 16 rebounds, 3 dunks vs. Oak Hill.
Council (0-2): Cameron Presley, 42 points.
Graham (1-1): Tony Hood, 30 points, 21, 5 3s vs. Richlands.
Grundy (1-0): Ben Rife, 31 points.
Honaker (0-1): Jeremiah Dye, 21 points, 9 rebounds; Casey Dye, 12 points.
Hurley (1-0): Tyler Cooper, 25 points; Dustin Waynick, 16 points.
James Monroe (1-1): Mark Dixon, 11 points vs. Summers County; E.T. Weiss, 6 points, 11 boards vs. Summers County.
Mercer Christian (1-1): James Beckner, 31 points; Caleb Janning, 32 points; Jonathan Easter, 28 points.
Montcalm (0-1): Matthew Pennington, 21 points, 11 rebounds; Andrew Agee, 14 points; Michael Blackwell, 10 points; Jacob Howard, 9 points, 10 rebounds.
Mount View (0-1): Antoine Calloway, 18 points.
Narrows (0-1): Chandler Burton, 24 points; Cody Cumbee, 18 points, 8 rebounds.
PikeView (0-2): Will Webster, 53 points, 32 vs. Shady Spring; David Keen, 20 points; Zach VanBlaricom, 22 points.
Pipestem Christian (1-1): Austin Peyton, 41 points; Aleks Lane, 44 points; Dylan Kinzer, 23 points.
Princeton (1-0): Ryan Meadows, 12 pts, first game since Dec. 17; David Brewster, 12 points; Darnell Palmer, 11 points.
Richlands (0-1): Devon Johnson, 26 points; Ben Brown, 17 points, 10-13 FT.
Summers County (1-0): T.J. Smith, 16 points; Isaiah Brown, 15 points; Scott Hannah, 14 points; Josh Graham, 11 points, 12 rebounds.
Tazewell (0-2): Blake Hash, 21 points; Ryan Hankins, 19 points vs. Carroll County; Christian Lewis, 21 points vs. Galax.
Twin Valley (1-0): Daniel Hobbs, 18 points, 11 rebounds; Logan Cantrell, 14 points; Dalton Harris, 12 points, 5 assists.
Wyoming East (1-0): Josh Tunstalle, 16 points; Marcus Schofield, 12 points; Taylor Smith, 12 points; Luke Campbell, 11 points.
NOTE: Statistics were compiled from games reported to the Daily Telegraph. Coaches are urged to report all varsity games and to make recommendations for this award.