×

Hilltoppers in good hands with Howlett

West Liberty men led by MHS grad

Photo courtesy of West Liberty Ben Howlett has led the West Liberty men’s basketball team to a 26-3 record and an appearance in the Division II NCAA Tournament. The Hilltoppers begin tourney play at 7:30 p.m. Saturday against Shippensburg in Petersburg, Va.

WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. — West Liberty is having another successful men’s basketball campaign this season, but with a different man in charge.

Marietta High graduate Ben Howlett has guided the Hilltoppers to a 26-3 record in his first season taking over for longtime coach Jim Crutchfield, who helped build a basketball dynasty at West Liberty. After six years as Crutchfield’s assistant, Howlett was hired as the head man in the offseason and hoped to live up to the program’s sky-high expectations.

“You wouldn’t believe the amount of pressure,” the 31-year-old Howlett said of replacing Crutchfield. “He’s the winningest coach in basketball. Number one, over everybody — Coach K, Roy Williams.

“Twenty wins at West Liberty is a bad season. The expectations are high, so there was a lot of pressure starting out. But once I got into practice, it kind of went away. I relaxed and started having more fun.”

If you’re not familiar with West Liberty’s legacy, just look at the numbers — in Howlett’s six years as the Hilltoppers’ assistant from 2011 to 2017, the program posted a 184-21 record and qualified for the Division II NCAA Tournament in every season.

“We’re the winningest program in the country, regardless of division, over the past 10 years,” said Howlett. “They’re definitely used to winning here.”

So far, Howlett, who was named the Mountain East Conference Coach of the Year, has continued the winning tradition. The Hilltoppers won their first 18 games of the season, and though they lost three of their next 11 games, they’re set to make a run at the national title starting Saturday in Petersburg, Va. West Lib tips off at 7:30 p.m. against Shippensburg at Virginia State in a first round tilt.

“I like what our seed is and the position we’re in,” Howlett said. “Last season, we played our crosstown rival Wheeling Jesuit in the first round. It’s nice to play somebody different.”

Jesuit bested WLU in the first round last year, 96-95, in Crutchfield’s final game with the Hilltoppers. Soon after, Howlett got the opportunity he’d dreamed of.

“I love the game and I’m fortunate enough to do this for a living,” Howlett said. “I’m very blessed.”

Before coaching at West Liberty, Howlett enjoyed an impressive playing career for the Hilltoppers in which he scored 1,663 points from 2005 to 2009. And before that, he was a star for the Marietta Tigers under head coach Ron Warner.

“Marietta is home to me,” Howlett said. “I played for coach Warner who still runs some of my basketball camps. I talk to him weekly and bounce ideas off of him.

“I always enjoy going back there, but I don’t get there as much as I’d like to. My parents still live in Marietta. I’m a fisherman and I like to go home during the summer and fish.”

Howlett recalled his playing days at Marietta and how he spent most of time away from the hardwood with a basketball still in his hands.

“I think I was tagged as a guy who didn’t play D and just shot the ball every time I touched it,” Howlett laughed. “I was an uptempo type of player.

“The only thing I thought about was basketball. Snowing, raining, whatever — didn’t matter. I was outside in my driveway playing. I’d shoot four to five-hundred shots a day.”

Howlett isn’t the only Washington County native making an impact at West Liberty, though. Former Warren High sharpshooter Evan French is playing significant minutes for the Hilltoppers, averaging 8.4 points and 2.7 rebounds per game while shooting 43 percent from 3 and 49 percent from the floor. Howlett said he “solely” recruited French out of high school and has enjoyed having his presence on the team.

“He’s an incredibly funny kid,” the coach said. “He has an attitude toward things where he doesn’t even have to say anything and he still makes me laugh.

“Him and I are extremely close. He does everything the right way — he’s never got a B, never missed a practice. He’s exactly the type of kid we want. If he’s not in the classroom, he’s in the gym.”

French played sparingly as a freshman and sophomore before tearing his ACL and missing all of last season. Now a redshirt junior, French has cashed in on his opportunity to play more. Howlett is excited to have another year with the ex-Warrior.

“He’s filled his role really well this year,” Howlett said. “He’s shooting a great percentage from 3.”

West Liberty’s top scorer has been former St. Clairsville football and basketball standout Dan Monteroso, who averages 20.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.

The Hilltoppers have been so tough to stop due in large part to their unique play-style.

“We play an uptempo, face-guarding, trapping, chasing style of basketball,” Howlett explained.

West Lib also has Dalton Bolon (17.1), James Griffin (12.2) and Jordan Watson (11.4) who are scoring in double figures. It’s a loaded lineup that’s helped immensely in Howlett’s transition to head coach.

“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind,” Howlett said. “We had a couple guys transfer out. I found out I lost my senior point guard (Brady Arnold) before the season when he was diagnosed with cancer.”

Despite the adversity, Howlett and his players have put together another great season, one they hope doesn’t end anytime soon.

“I couldn’t be more proud of a group of guys,” Howlett said.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.15/week.

Subscribe Today