Jan. 12—MORGANTOWN — The Morgantown High boys basketball program has had numerous point guards in recent years who made their impact felt on both sides of the floor for 32 minutes a night.
With players like Sharron Young and Marty Johnson now both playing at the collegiate level, the opening at the point guard spot was something that needed to be filled entering the 2025-2026 season.
Look no further than junior Collin Ridgeway, who has stepped up to fill the role seamlessly for head coach Dave Tallman’s program.
“A major part of my game I focused on during the offseason was my physical strength, ” Ridgeway said. “Training five days a week was crucial to get me to where I wanted to be. I also wanted to improve my shooting, and I worked on that daily as well.”
After gaining vital experience as a sophomore last season, coming off the bench for MHS, Ridgeway has earned his starting spot as a junior and is helping his team win games in multiple ways.
“The experience I was able to get from prior seasons has been very important to my development, ” he said. “Not only getting used to playing at the varsity level, but learning what our standards are in the program and what it is I need to bring to the team on the floor. I’ve been able to learn from some elite guards over the years who have taught me how to become a better player.”
Through eight games, Ridgeway is averaging 8.3 points, 4.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per contest for the undefeated Mohigans (8-0), shooting nearly 45 % from the field. He led MHS with 16 points in a massive 68-66 overtime win against Parkersburg South last week.
“Coming into the season, one of my goals was to consistently perform at an all-state level, ” he said. “Also, doing whatever my team needs me to do to succeed. The main goal, though, is to win a state championship, and that won’t change.”
As a junior playing the point guard position, Ridgeway admits there’s a learning curve when it comes to being a leader on the team.
“It’s both rewarding and challenging as a junior to be a leader for my team, ” he said. “But this spot is what I’ve been working towards for years. My coaches and teammates have instilled the confidence in me to be a leader.”
Now, nearing the midway point of the regular season, Ridgeway says the Mohigans have what it takes to be a team to watch down the stretch.
“Our biggest thing is execution, ” he said. “If we do what we know how to do and reduce mental mistakes, we feel like we are capable of anything. When those errors are eliminated, we are a tough team to beat.”
