Fairmont Senior’s Zycheus Dobbs and Shady Spring’s Ammar Maxwell are no strangers when it comes to battling against each other on the biggest stage.

 

For the third consecutive year, the Polar Bears and the Tigers met for the Class AAA state championship at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center.

 

Fairmont Senior had won the previous two title games, Shady Spring took this year’s crown with a 58-55 win in overtime.

Both Dobbs and Maxwell played pivotal roles in getting their teams to that point.

 

Dobbs was named the tournament MVP, but it’s Maxwell who is the captain of the West Virginia Sports Writers Association’s all-state team.

 

Maxwell finished his Shady Spring career by averaging 21.2 points per game.

 

Dobbs, who departs as Fairmont Senior’s all-time leading scorer, put in 23.8 a night.

 

The Polar Bears and Tigers made up half of the eight-player all-state first team, with Fairmont Senior’s Andre Grant and Shady Spring’s Jack Williams also earning spots.

 

Grant, who probably saved his best performance for last with 28 points in the state championship game, put in 13.8 points a night and, along with Dobbs, set the tone for a stingy Fairmont Senior defense that allowed the fewest points per game in Class AAA.

 

Nitro, seeded third in the state tournament, also doubled up with Ashton Crouch and Ty Stephens after a 24-3 season.

Crouch put in 15.3 points and 7.3 rebounds a game and Stephens was the Wildcats’ top scorer with 15.4 points plus 2.5 assists and 1.8 steals a night.

 

Fourth-seeded East Fairmont is represented by Jackson Crouso.

 

The Bees made the semis on the back of Crouso’s 23.7 points a game; he scored 22 in East Fairmont’s dominant state quarterfinal win over Logan, the second state tournament victory in program history.

 

Weir’s Colin “G” Cross rounds out the group.

 

“G” was a unit for the Red Riders, averaging 26.9 points per game.

 

Shady Spring’s Gavin Davis captains the second team, which also includes Fairmont Senior’s Tre Cumberledge, Herbert Hoover’s Donovan Brown, Lewis County’s Ben Putnam, Liberty’s Conner Holden, Midland Trail’s Eli Campbell, Ripley’s Cade Goode and Sissonville’s Max Moore.

 

Wooden plaques in the shape of West Virginia that include the player's name, school, licensed WVSWA logo and year of the honoree are available to all-state first team, second team and honorable mentions and can be purchased from the Bear Wood Company through wvswa.org or Bearwoodcompany.com.

 

Editor's Note: Photo of Dobbs by Joe LaRocca.

 

Here is the Class AAA boys’ all-state basketball team released by the West Virginia Sportswriter’s Association on Thursday, March 28, 2024.

First Team

Zycheus Dobbs      Fairmont                  6-4            Sr.

Ammar Maxwell (Capt.)      Shady Spring          6-4            Sr.

Ashton Crouch      Nitro        6-5            Jr.

Jackson Crouso     East Fairmont        6-7            Sr.

Jack Williams         Shady Spring          6-3            Sr.

Andre Grant           Fairmont Senior    6-0            Sr.

Colin “G” Cross     Weir        5-10         Sr.

Ty Stephens            Nitro        6-0            So.

 

Second Team

Ben Putnam           Lewis County         6-6            Jr.

Cade Goode           Ripley      5-11         Sr.

Gavin Davis (Capt.)                6-0            Sr.

Tre Cumberledge Fairmont Senior    6-3            Jr.

Connor Holden     Liberty-Harrison   5-10         Sr.

Max Moore            Sissonville               5-11         Jr.

Eli Campbell           Midland Trail         6-0            Sr.

Donovan Brown    Herbert Hoover    5-9            Jr.

 

Honorable mention: Owen Adkins, Scott; Ashton Arthur, Independence; Payton Bailes, Midland Trail; Jalon Bailey, Shady Spring; Grant Barton, Point Pleasant; Cole Blankenship, Logan; T.D. Bodkins, Philip Barbour; Baustin Bower, Liberty-Harrison;  Logan Boyce, Robert C. Byrd; Julius Clancy, Logan; Drew Dillard, Winfield; Brayden Edgell, Lincoln; Jensen Fields, Hampshire; Jordan Gray, Hampshire; Dane Hatfield, Herbert Hoover; Brock Holland, Elkins; Derek Lowe, Nitro; Jacob Maier, Grafton; Isaac Meddings, Wayne; Caden Morris, North Marion; Sylas Nelson, Independence; Eli Smith, Lincoln County; Trey Stump, Nicholas County; David Thomas, PikeView; Jared Vestal, PikeView.