By GEORGE THWAITES
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
BRADSHAW — Thanks to Winter Storm Jonas, last week provided an extremely short window of opportunity to assess the Pocahontas Coal Association/Bluefield Daily Telegraph Player of the Week.
Fortunately for us, River View's Tyree Baker helped do some of the thinking for us.
Baker's 36-point performance in last week's 81-71 in over Lincoln County was adequate to tip the scales in favor of the 5-foot-9 senior guard's second appointment to the weekly award in as many years.
It's not like it was an isolated occurrence. Baker scored 38 points on the Friday before that. He fired up 44 points in Tuesday's disappointing 80-78 loss to Mount View.
"He's been double teamed the last two games and he still finds a way to score," said Raiders head coach Roger Hale.
"He's not being selfish in his shot selection. He just wants to will us to win. He does whatever it takes ... shoot, score, rebound or pass. He's going to do whatever it takes for us to win."
Even when you're on the floor, it's difficult not to just stand around and watch a kid like that do his thing. But Hale notes Baker always keeps his teammates involved and engaged.
"He's looking for them when they make backdoor cuts. He makes good passes, too," Hale said.
While Bake admits he hasn't mastered the Jason Williams Elbow Pass, he tries to keep it fun while keeping it serious. After all, he's a natural point guard.
"I love to make a quick move and dish it to a teammate for an easy bucket. I love that. I love assists," said Baker, who averages 29.8 points per game, along with five assists and six rebounds.
"Sometimes I'll come down and do an assist through the let. Then I'll fake it and keep it. That really gets the crowd into it. And I love when they get into it," he said.
The Raiders (8-3) have developed a thriving fan following in football country, a transformation that occurred after Baker arrived as a freshman. He'll be the first to tell you: it isn't all him. He's got teammates, including some that he personally invited to try out for the team.
"River View is a football school, but now it's a basketball school. Before ... they had nothing to cheer for," Baker said.
"I'm living life. I'm going out and having fun. That's all I'm doing ... putting some smiles on people's faces. I love the crowd. They scream for me and my team," he said.
Among Baker's biggest fans are youngsters: 8-, 9- and 10-year-olds who flock to see their hero after and between basketball games. Hale said Baker treats these kids like they were family. He takes his local celebrity seriously .. particularly when it comes to the little ones.
"I was once that little kid who was looking up to people, but they never gave me any time. They would always do what they do," Baker said. "I want to be a good role model."
Last year Baker's scoring average hovered around 25 ppg — which is not shabby. He set his sights higher. His increased output is partly due to his awareness that this season is his last go with River View basketball. Also, that this is a season which, for him, almost didn't happen.
While playing at the slot for the River View football team, he dislocated his left elbow during the team's first live scrimmage of the 2015 season.
"I was out for 12 weeks with a cast on my arm. I was scared I wouldn't get to play basketball," the right-handed Baker said. "The first thing I did when the cast came off was go out and play basketball. It hurt, but I played."
It took intensive physical therapy before he could fully extend his left arm without pain. As a result of all the rehabbing and additional weight room work, he believes that his left hand is now stronger than ever.
With River View's "32 Minutes of Havoc" defensive philosophy, there are a lot of guards on the floor at any given time. Baker is one of them, but is capable of doing a lot of things average point guards can't do. In fact, most opponents assign small forward to guard him.
"With the personnel we've got, he's got a big body and he rebounds well. He doesn't shy from contact," Hale said. "Last year, he went up a big 6-foot-10 man. Tyree played center that game and played real well. Every time the big man put the ball on the floor, Tyree would steal it from him."
Baker has played some minutes as a 2, 3 and 4 this season, but so far, not at 5. He really is a 1, Hale said, noting that several colleges are heavily recruiting Baker as a point guard. He thinks his star guard will end up landing a full-ride scholarship.
Baker looks forward to going to college. He aspires to become a physical therapist, but not because of his experience as an athlete. One of his younger cousins was seriously injured in an automobile accident. Baker attended physical therapy sessions with the youngster and his mother and was amazed by how much the sessions helped.
"That's what I want to do for people," he said.
Despite already having been to last year's banquet, Baker was disarmingly excited about winning Player of the Week a second time. It is, he said, a great honor.
"I really appreciate y'all noticing. It means more than some people might think. I love doing this. I love getting it," he said. "I'm just going to keep pushing this season. If I could win Player of the Year, I'd be the first person from down here to do it."

Player of Week Honorable Mention

Boys - Week 7
Ballard Christian: Blake Bowles scored 29 points in a 70-52 win over Pipestem Christian. Patrick Mullins scored 26 points that game.
Bland County: Jacob Cross scored 11 points in a 62-56 loss to Rural Retreat. Dylan Townley scored 10 that game.
Bluefield: Jeremy Thompson scored 22 points in a 74-58 loss to Fairmont Senior. Mookie Collier scored 15 against Fairmont and Donta Hopkins added 12 points.
Graham: Thomas Clarke scored 15 points in a 72-62 win over Richlands. Roman Workman scored 12 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in that game and Garrett Dalton scored 12 points. Chandler Cooper scored 11 points and had two assists.
Grundy: Ethan Duty scored 28 points in a loss to Honaker. Christian Jackson scored 17 points and handed out five assists and Dylan Wolford had 14 points, six assists and five steals.
Honaker: Tanner Robinette had 27 points, 16 rebounds, seven blocks and four dunks in an 84-67 win over Grundy. Hartley Hilton scored 22 points, six rebounds and five steals, Brett Boyd scored 15 points and Blake Stinson delivered nine assists.
Narrows: Chase Lawson had 14 points and 10 rebounds in a 57-42 loss to Auburn. Brady Patteson hit four 3-pointers and finished with 16 points that game.
Pipestem Christian: Jacob Rutherford scored 23 points, four rebounds and four assists in a 68-33 win over Appalachian Christian and scored 10 in a loss to Ballard Christian. Jayson Steele scored 21 points and had six rebounds and seven assists against Appalachian and had nine points and four assists against Ballard. Colton Lane scored 10 points and had six rebounds against Appalachian and 14 points and 22 rebounds against Ballard.
Richlands: Luke Phillips scored 28 points in a 72-62 loss to Graham. Cody Fuller and Taylor Horn scored nine points apiece.
River View: Brian Mitchell scored 15 points in an 81-71 win over Lincoln County.

2015-16 Boys Basketball Winners
Week 1: Daniel Boothe, Mercer Christian
Week 2: Hunter Hill, PikeView
Week 3: Jeremy Thompson, Bluefield
Week 4: Tanner Robinette, Honaker
Week 5: Roman Workman, Graham
Week 6: Luke Phillips, Richlands
Week 7: Tyree Baker, River View