Photo by Nick Henthorn Wheeling Central’s Max Olejasz, pictured during a public signing ceremony Thursday inside Wheeling Central High School. Olejasz put pen to paper to join the West Virginia University Mountaineers’ men's basketball program. Pictured front row from left is father Michael Olejasz, Max Olejasz, mother Roberta Olejasz, and head coach Mel Stephens. Pictured back row from left is coach Lance Bibey, coach Tyler Morando, and athletic director Seth Staskey.

WHEELING — It was a dream come true for Wheeling Central senior Max Olejasz on Thursday– one that he’d had since he was a little kid.

“It means a lot getting to go to a school that I’ve not just grown up watching, but actually been to games and pretty much grew up being a Mountaineer.”

Olejasz put pen to paper on Thursday, with a signing ceremony at Wheeling Central High School for the two-time state champion to join the West Virginia University Mountaineers’ men’s basketball program.

After cheering on the Mountaineers throughout his life, now Olejasz will have an opportunity to be on the other end of things.

“Ever since I was little, I’ve always loved WVU,” Olejasz said. “We used to travel and go watch them play in Thanksgiving tournaments. One of my fondest memories is, I was little, and I liked Gary Brown, so I made a number 14 jersey. I got all over the Jumbotron, so that was a pretty neat experience.”

“That’s the important thing– if he feels comfortable, then that’s what it’s all about, really,” Wheeling Central head coach Mel Stephens said of Olejasz’ decision. “I definitely wish him the best. I think his four years here, he improved every single year, and he deserves a shot to go to a D1 school and hopefully play some.”

The 6-foot-7 Olejasz wrapped up his Wheeling Central career this past season by helping the Maroon Knights to a second-straight state championship, starting on both state title squads, and making the WVSWA Class AA All-State First Team this year, averaging 15 points and six rebounds a game and reaching 1,000 career points in his final game inside the Central Catholic Athletic Center.

His favorite memory from his time at Central, though, came his junior season.

“Definitely last year,” Olejasz said, when asked about his favorite moment at Central. “After losing to Williamstown by one at their place and then getting to basically avenge that game and winning the state championship over them by a substantial margin, that was definitely a great feeling.”

Stephens said his WVU-bound senior grew leaps and bounds throughout his high school career.

“He’s definitely improved a ton,” Stephens said. “I mean, when he came in as a freshman, he had the skill, but he was a freshman, you know, and it takes time. I mean, that first year he’s playing against kids that are three, four years older than him, physically and everything else.

“But his body has grown, his maturity has grown. Him and Eli [Sancomb] both this year were superb leaders on our team. I mean, he was able to take younger guys and kind of show them the way. Even on the floor, telling guys where they needed to be and stuff like that. This year definitely was off the charts for him and what he did for us.”

“Getting to play in high school increased the physicality of the game and definitely made me grow up, especially starting as a freshman,” Olejasz said of his time at Wheeling Central. “I kind of just got thrown right into the fire, so I knew I had to step up and figure it out until I kind of grew into my body.”

Olejasz said he currently plans on majoring in business, and that he wasn’t considering any other schools– at least “not once WVU came knocking,” the senior said.

In addition to playing at Wheeling Central, Olejasz played travel ball for West Virginia Elite, and more recently with the Midwest Pumas.

“I just want to thank the coaches, not just the high school coaches, but also the ones who have coached me through AAU and all the trainers and everyone I’ve worked with,” Olejasz said.

WVU is heading into their second season under head coach Ross Hodge, and finished 21-14 last year.