By Don Owen
NKyTribune reporter
Campbell County High School graduate Matt Wilson has emerged as an impact Division I college basketball player for the United States Military Academy at West Point.
The 6-foot-9 Wilson averages 13.7 points and 7.6 rebounds for Army, which is currently 5-2. The Alexandria native is shooting 60.8 percent from the field and has scored in double figures six times this season.
A strong rebounder and defender, Wilson has twice collected double-doubles this season. The sophomore scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in an 88-78 win over Columbia on Nov. 21, and followed that with a 16-point, 12-rebound performance during a 77-71 loss at Niagara on Monday night.
As a freshman last season, Wilson averaged 9.2 points and 4.9 rebounds as the Black Knights posted a 13-19 overall record. He connected on a team-leading 64 percent of his shots from the field, going 121-for-189 from the floor. Wilson also finished 15th in the Patriot League with 4.9 rebounds per game last season.
Wilson recorded double-figure scoring on 16 different occasions as a freshman, with a career-best 20 points in games against Fairfield and St. Bonaventure. He was also named the Patriot League Rookie of the Week three times last season.
Army, which is coached by Jimmy Allen, was picked to finish seventh in the Patriot League preseason poll.
At Campbell County, Wilson totaled more than 1,000 career points and rebounds, and he was named the 10th Region Player of the Year as a senior. He also was a finalist for Mr. Basketball in Kentucky in 2016 and named to the Kentucky All-Star Team.
SNAPP STARTING AT URBANA: Former Newport High School basketball standout Ethan Snapp is a starting guard for Urbana University and averages 9.9 points per contest for the Blue Knights.
During a 93-79 loss at Wheeling Jesuit on Saturday afternoon, Snapp scored 14 points and dished out three assists. Urbana dropped to 0-7 this season, while unbeaten Wheeling Jesuit improved to 7-0.
A year ago, Snapp averaged 5.1 points per game and was second on the team in 3-pointers made with 29. He scored in double figures six times as a freshman, with a season-high 15 points on three different occasions.
While at Newport, Snapp scored more than 1,700 career points. He averaged 19.0 points and 6.1 assists per game as a senior. Snapp was also a three-time Northern Kentucky Boys Basketball Coaches Association all-star selection and led Newport to three appearances in the 9th Region Tournament.
OHMER HONORED BY C-USA: After his clutch shooting lifted Western Kentucky to two victories in the Battle 4 Atlantis, Western Kentucky guard Jake Ohmer has been named Conference USA’s Freshman of the Week.
Ohmer is WKU’s first Freshman of the Week honoree since Justin Johnson earned the nod Dec. 15, 2014.
Ohmer, from Taylor Mill and a Scott High School graduate, averaged 11 points per game and netted 8-of-11 3-pointers (72.7 percent) during three games in the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas last week.
Ohmer’s biggest shot was a 3-pointer with 4.5 seconds left to give WKU a 63-61 victory over SMU. He also scored 15 points and went 3-for-3 from long range in the Hilltoppers’ 77-73 upset of then-No. 18 Purdue.
Contact Don Owen at don@nkytrib.com