BY KYLE LOVERN
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
NAUGATUCK, W.Va. — Coach Seth Ooten heads into his second season as head mentor of the Lady Panthers basketball program at Tug Valley High School.
Ooten, who was the assistant coach before taking over for Clyde Farley, saw some peaks and valleys last year as his team battled injuries and a tough schedule.
But things came together for the Lady Panthers as they won the Class A sectional tournament before bowing out in the regionals. TVHS defeated the the Tolsia Lady Rebels, 42-39, in the Class A, Region 4, Section 2 championship game on the Rebels’ home floor in Wayne County.
Ooten feels that experience will help for a better regular season this year. He wants to use that late momentum in 2025 to build on. Both he and his roster learned a lot from last year’s hard schedule.
Tug Valley returns several key starters. The Lady Panthers return a pair of All-State Honorable Mention players from last year’s team in Bailee Hall and Haven Deskins.
Hall, who is also a standout softball player, is a junior forward. She averaged a double-double at 13.6 points and 11.5 rebounds per game last season. Hall also led the team with three steals per contest.
Senior Haven Deskins, a guard, averaged 11 points, four rebounds and four assists per game and was the team’s top three-point shooter.
Also back for Tug Valley is senior guard Kenzie Browning. She is expected to provide some needed extra scoring for TVHS this season.
Tug Valley also brings back other key players from last year’s team, including sophomores Katelynn Richardson and Riley Porter and junior Mindi Dearnell.
Belfry High School transfer Kylie DeBoard, a sophomore, has also joined the Lady Panther squad. She is expected to run the point guard position. DeBoard saw plenty of varsity action for Belfry last year as a freshman.
“We really have three point guards,” Ooten said of his roster. “We can run out offense through any of the five positions. That is definitely an advantage.”
Ooten has players that he calls “hybrids” that can play any position on the floor.
The young coach said having several ball handlers and talented low post players who are athletic can help beat the press, and the added depth helps with foul trouble or injuries. Last season TVHS finished with just eight available players. This year, he hopes to play some JV games so the younger players can gain some experience.
“Last year we just tried to stay afloat,” Ooten said.
Rounding out the Tug Valley roster are junior Kailey Richardson; sophomores Alexis Messer, Maria Pilkins and Chloe Dyer; and freshmen Katie Hall, Makayle Bryant and Lily Mounts.
Several players are also pressing for playing time, according to Ooten. “Our practices are competitive, but that is a good thing,” he stressed. “We don’t want to take any nights off. We can push ourselves, especially with this tough schedule,” Ooten added. Tug Valley plays a lot of competitive road games too. “I think it makes you better prepared down the road.”
Ooten expects his squad will be ready by tournament time in late February and early March.
“Our team mentality is to win. This team will do what it takes to win. They are a special group.”
Look for Tug Valley’s Lady Panthers to make even more noise in the postseason in 2025.
Team morale will be helped with the addition of new home and away uniforms, something Ooten said was really needed for the program.
Christa Hall, Makayla May and Whitney Ooten once again assist Ooten.
Tug Valley Lady Panthers Roster
- Sr. Kenzie Browning #12
- Jr. Haven Deskins #13
- Jr. Bailee Hall #00
- Jr. Mindi Dearnell #33
- Jr. Kailey Richardson #10
- So. Katelynn Richardson #14
- So. Kylie DeBoard. #21
- So. Riley Porter. #22
- So. Alexis Messer. #5
- So. Maria Pilkins. #23
- So. Chloe Dyer. #53
- Fr. Katie Hall. #3
- Fr. Lily Mounts. #24
- Fr. Makayle Bryant #32