Kegley signs to continue basketball career at Rio Grande

From the moment one sees a player, there are moments where one absorbs a player’s abilities and knows that, from the get-go, that individual has what it takes to be a college athlete.

West senior guard Will Kegley is that type of athlete.

But Kegley was not only an obvious college-bound player, he worked hard to make the most of his final year at Portsmouth West High School.

And as a result, it was a memorable one that won’t soon be forgotten.

Putting the bow on top of a senior season, a final year that saw many firsts since or first times ever in terms of accomplishments, the 6-3 Kegley will take his 22.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.6 steals and 2.8 assists per game to Rio Grande, where Kegley will spend the next four seasons of his college career.

“It means a lot,” Kegley said when asked about officially putting his decision to bed. “The decision was hard, figuring out what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go. It feels a lot better, just knowing that I’m committed and am able to focus on the things that I need to do heading into college.”

Considering opportunities from NCAA Division III Waynesburg (Pa.) as well as NCAA Division II Findlay, Kegley ultimately chose the Red Storm due to its close proximity to Washington and Nile Townships and the opportunity to make an impact on the program in a similar manner to what he did at West.

At Rio Grande, Kegley will be playing for Ron Miller, who will be in his first season as the head coach of the RedStorm after previously serving as Ohio Christian’s head coach from the 2022-23 to 2025-26 seasons.

“I like (Ron Miller),” Kegley said. “I believe that he’s a good guy, and he knows a great deal about the game of basketball. That’s not to say that the other coaches that offered me didn’t, but he is a great leader for a program that’s also only an hour away. That’s a short drive where I can come home on the weekends if I want or need to.”

Miller is certainly getting a local gem.

Individually, Kegley became the fourth player in West boys basketball history to eclipse the 1,000-point mark for his career, won the District 14 Coaches Association’s Division VI Player of the Year honor, was named as the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association’s (OPSMA) Division VI Player of the Year and was honored as a First-Team All-Ohio honoree in Division VI to cap off one of the best senior seasons any West player had ever enjoyed in any sport.

From a team perspective, Kegley led West to unprecedented heights, helping the Senators soar to a 19-win campaign, a three-way share of the SOC III Championship and a OHSAA Division VI District Championship — the first conference and district championship for the boys basketball program since 1985. Kegley then led the Senators’ boys basketball program to its first-ever regional final, helping West defeat Peebles by a 42-32 margin en route to doing so.

“I started playing when I was in kindergarten, but I didn’t know that I wanted to get serious with basketball until around fourth or fifth grade,” Kegley said. “Around that time, that’s when I knew I wanted to work for it.”