Indians' Nick Stalnaker Named to Class AA All-State Second Team; Bifano Earns Honorable Mention Nod
By Jeff Toquinto on April 02, 2020 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
The 2019-20 Bridgeport High School boys’ basketball season isn’t officially over, but for perhaps the first time ever the Class AA All-State team has been announced prior to its completion.
When the Coronavirus pandemic delayed the end of the year for boys’ basketball, the Class AAA and Class A field for the state tournament 
was set. The ‘AA’ contest for the boys were yet to be played when the WVSSAC followed the lead of sporting events nationwide and halted everything.
was set. The ‘AA’ contest for the boys were yet to be played when the WVSSAC followed the lead of sporting events nationwide and halted everything.
Despite the season not officially concluded, two players from the Indians did enough work to get recognition for their work. Senior Nick Stalnaker and junior Jack Bifano were recognized by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association with the release of the Class AA All-State team.
Stalnaker was named to the second team in the voting by the WVSWA that includes ballots from writers across the state as well as coaches. Bifano earned honorable mention recognition for the Tribe.
Heading into the year, if Bridgeport was to be successful a lot of the weight would need to be carried by Stalnaker. He didn’t disappoint.
Stalnaker was a big reason the Indians finished the year 17-7, survived a triple overtime game with Lincoln to advance in the postseason and had the Indians a step away from the state tournament. The Tribe will visit Lewis County in the regional for a shot at a trip to Charleston if the season resumes.
“I thought he was great. I thought he had a great year and what makes it more impressive is we had so much inexperience and he had to adjust to a new staff and system,” said Marshall. “You look around at the top eight on our team from last year and Nick and Jack were the only ones with significant minutes, and Jack missed a lot of last year with an injury.
“He was the only one with a large dose of minutes and that’s a tough situation,” Marshall said. “Instead of struggling, he did a little big of everything for us. What he did was remarkable, particularly with leadership, embracing a new staff and system and being a great locker room guy.”
He was great on the court too. He led the team with an average of 18.2 points per game and a team-high 27 3-point field goals. Stalnaker also hit on 81 percent of his free throws by canning 121-of-150 attempts.
Bifano was also solid this year. Playing the season healthy, the 6’5 junior delivered for the Tribe providing the Indians with an affective one-two punch.
“Jack’s been a blessing for this team who is a tremendous athlete that loves basketball and works at it,” said Marshall. “He was our biggest, strongest guy. He could take it out on the perimeter too.
“As the year went on, the way he and Nick pulled together and shared a lot of the load on the scoring front,” Marshall continued. “Our best games saw him and Nick having big games and you can see a lot of potential there. I’ve texted him recently about his growth as a player because you can see he’s the type of player that can easily grow into the leader each team needs.”
Bifano was the only other BHS player in double figures this year. He averaged 11.2 points per game. He was also deadly from the foul line by hitting on 87 percent (46-of-53) of his tries.
Below are the entire all-state squads.
First Team
Obinna Anochili-Killen, Chapmanville, Sr. (Captain)
Braeden Crews, Bluefield, Sr.
David Early, Logan, Sr.
Jaelin Johnson, Fairmont Senior, Jr.
Luke LeRose, Shady Spring, Sr.
Bryson Lucas, Robert C Byrd, Jr.
Isaac McKneely, Poca, Soph.
Tommy Williams, Shady Spring, Sr.
Second Team
Drew Hatfield, Mingo Central, Sr. (Captain)
Jansen Knotts, Frankfort, Sr.
Sean Martin, Bluefield, Sr.
Khori Miles, Robert C Byrd, Sr.
Brayden Miller, Roane County, Jr.
Gunner Murphy, North Marion, Sr.
Nick Stalnaker, Bridgeport, Sr.
Jadyn Stewart, Braxton County, Sr.
Third Team
Austin Ball, Man, Soph.
Gavin Barkley, Berkeley Springs, Soph.
Jared Cannady, Independence, Sr.
Jon Hamilton, Scott, Sr.
Kolton Painter, Nitro, Soph.
Shad Sauvage, James Monroe, Soph.
Andrew Shull, Chapmanville, Sr. (Captain)
Zach Taylor, Oak Glen, Sr.
Honorable Mention
Gavin Asterino, East Fairmont; Jagger Bell, Scott; Jack Bifano, Bridgeport; Ethan Blackburn, Westside; David Blanco, Frankfort; John Blankenship, Lincoln County; Caleb Blevins, Man; Grant Bonner, Herbert Hoover; Nick Bryant, Wayne; Hunter Bush, Point Pleasant; Braden Chapman, Shady Spring; Praise Chukwudozie, North Marion; Jacob Clark, Oak Glen; Brody Danberry, Sissonville; Jack Faulkner, Grafton; Christian Frye, Winfield; Kyle Gannon, Lewis County; Elijah Gillette, Weir; Mitchell Hainer, Logan; Jahiem House, Bluefield; Gavin Kennedy, Robert C Byrd; Ryan Leep, Lincoln; Jason Manns, Oak Hill; Jesiah Matlick, Philip Barbour; Michael McKinney, Independence; Peyton Meadows, PikeView; Hunter Morris, Winfield; Philip Mullins, Chapmanville; Kaulin Parris, Bluefield; Jacob Perdue, Oak Hill; Colten Pritt, Clay County; Daniel Reed, Westside; Noah Rittinger, Poca; Shawn See, Keyser; Ryan Shoemaker, Keyser; Zach Snyder, Lincoln; Kolby Stiltner, Wayne; Kobey Taylor-Williams, PikeView; Tyler Toler, Braxton County; Joseph Udoh, Sissonville; A J Williams, Liberty (Raleigh).
Editor's Note: Photo of Nick Stalnaker, top, and Jack Bifano, bottom, by Ben Queen Photography.
