West Liberty, W.Va. – The West Liberty University men's basketball team and head coach
Ben Howlett have announced the addition of three players set to join the hilltop in 2024-25 as Machi Chester (Washington D.C.), JP Dragas (Madison, Ohio), and Kameron Tinsley (Roanoke, Va.) have each signed their National Letters of Intent.
Machi Chester | 6-3 | Guard | Washington D.C. | Rock Creek Christian School (Md.)
Chester is a 6-3 guard out of Washington D.C. and Rock Creek Christian School in Maryland. Last season he played high school basketball at Gwynn Park in Prince Georges County where he averaged 13.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game. He played a key role in the Yellow Jackets winning the 2020 Maryland Private School state championship and has been named Second Team All-Prince Georges County. He is the son of Marcus Chester and Courtney Daniel.
Coach Howlett's Thoughts…
"Machi brings great size for his position and has played at a very high level for a few years on powerful teams. He can score in bunches and has the ability to be a great floor player. He will be a great asset to our team both on and off the floor."
JP Dragas | 6-1 | Guard | Madison, Ohio | Madison High School
Dragas is a 6-1 guard out of Madison, Ohio, and Madison High School. He etched his name into the Blue Streaks' record books as a junior as he became the school's all-time scoring leader and broke the record for most points in a single game at MHS. Last season he averaged 27.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game en route to being named First Team All-State in Ohio's Division II as well as the district and conference player of the year. He is the son of John and Tammy Dragas.
Coach Howlett's Thoughts…
"JP is another guard who can do a little bit of everything. He has a high IQ and will be great in our full court pressure. He has the potential to be one of Ohio's top scorers this year. Topper nation will love JP."
Kameron Tinsley | 6-7 | Forward | Roanoke, Va. | Cave Spring High School
Tinsley is a 6-7 forward out of Roanoke, Virginia, and Cave Spring High School. He has been instrumental in the Knights' success over the past four years as the team has posted a 52-7 record, including a VHSL Class 3 State Championship in 2022 and a VHSL Class 3 State Semifinal appearance in 2023. This past season he was named First Team All-District and Second Team All-Region while averaging 11.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. Tinsley was also a 42.3 percent shooter from beyond the arc as a junior. He is the son of Brandon Tinsley and Lauren Aubrie.
Coach Howlett's Thoughts…
"Kam has a very good skill set to go along with his great size and length, and has the ability to step out on the perimeter and shoot 3's. We expect him to be an immediate impact for next year's team."
