Known for its defense in recent years, the Poca girls basketball program continues to make strides offensively, and those improvements are expected to place the Dots among top regional contenders.
With coach Kenny Sayre entering his fifth year at the helm, Poca makes its name defensively, but with experience and productive summer competition, the Dots appear poised to add an equally impressive offensive wrinkle. During the 2015-16 season, Poca limited opponents to 44 points per game, but mustered an average of just 47. This year, with increased offensive production, more wins could follow.
"I've finally got a little bit of rhythm going," Sayre said. "Me and my assistant coaches were talking, our motion offense - you can just see it flowing better this year. We're starting to move better.
"You can just tell we're getting a lot better offensively. That motion offense is hard to get. You have to read the defense with everything. They're just seeing the floor a lot, lot better this year."
The three-week out-of-season coaching period provides plenty of opportunity to fine-tune the offense, Sayre said. The Dots expect to play as many as 20 games against competition including South Charleston, Cabell Midland, Wayne, Roane County, Clay County, 2016 Class A state champion Gilmer County and Teays Valley Christian.
Senior guard Casey Skeens, who has verbally committed to Eastern Michigan University for softball, returns to lead Poca's offense after finishing with a team-high 14 points and three assists per game in her junior campaign. Skeens certainly demonstrated her prowess and knowledge of the motion offense, but the increased experience and ability from others will give all the Dots a boost, Sayre said.
"If you get five people who know how to run motion, it's a whole lot better," he said. "I think we got stagnant last year just sitting there watching Casey dribble, dribble, dribble and then try to do something with it. Her movement is the key on that motion offense. I can see it already in the summer. We're so much farther ahead this summer than we were last summer."
Senior Sarah Fisher and junior Aubrey Chandler also figure among top returners. The Dots will need all their players again contributing at career levels for Poca to emerge atop of Class AA's Region 4, though, Sayre said.
"Wayne, I think, is going to be the team to beat next year in our section, our region," he said. "They've got everybody back and they're really, really good."
With the defense expected again in top form, the Dots understand now's the time to perfect the other half of their game.
"We're playing a lot better offensively, we really are," Sayre said. "It's just getting everybody in the gym and shooting a bit. I can see it. We're just moving the ball so much better. We're able to score a lot more now.
"Who really cares about winning and losing in the summertime? It's just about trying to get better and trying to get your team better. That's the main thing."