WHEELING - When you walk into Central Catholic High School, aka Wheeling Central, you'll see Miss Beatty's World History Classes' Wall of Fame pinned up near the main office.
Included are pictures of famous figures from President Jimmy Carter and astronaut John Glenn to announcer Dick Vitale.
In these parts, however, it's hard to find anyone as popular or respected as Chase Harler, who easily moves through the halls wearing his school sweater and maroon striped tie.
Way back in August of 2014, he committed to play basketball for WVU and coach Bob Huggins. He's now signed. And this season he's led the No. 1 Class A Maroon Knights to a 10-0 record, averaging 24 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
Yet there's more to his story than that. He's also a 4.0 grade-point average student. And as Harler sat in his school's media room, surrounded by televisions with touch screens, you couldn't help but consider it most appropriate.
Because Chase Harler has truly touched his school and community.
It was just the other day when Harler was featured on the sports front of the Wheeling News-Register. He was pictured with 8-year-old Blake Swanson, who is afflicted with spina bifida. The basketball player was taking part in a Miracle League event for the Elm Grove YMCA when he met up with Swanson. Soon the pair became buddies.
"Blake came up to me and I felt bad for him," Harler said. "But not after meeting him because he enjoys himself and has a positive attitude. It was a pretty cool experience."
"Chase is one of the most down-to-earth kids you'll find," said Wheeling Central coach Mel Stephens. "If you didn't know his resume you'd never guess he's as good as he is."
Harler, though, is good at basketball. As in very. He began playing ball in the fourth grade and noticed an aptitude in the sixth. He grew five inches in height in eighth grade.
"I dunked that year," he said. "I was like, 'Maybe this can happen.'"
The growth continued to his current 6-foot-3, 190 pounds. Harler not only played ball, including AAU, but worked on jumping and trained at a local gym with Brett Clough, who also works with the football team.
Yet there's something a little different to this Harler-WVU story. Call it destiny if you will. But the guard experienced somewhat of an epiphany.
"I actually live in Moundsville," Harler said. "And [former WVU guard] Bob Hummell lives five blocks away from me.
"Well, I was in the sixth grade and didn't know who [Hummell] was. My dad [John] and I were taking a walk. Then my dad told me who [Hummell] was. My dad grew up watching him. He was a big fan.
"Well, this house was for sale and no one was living in it. Yet the gate was open. We went into the back yard where there was a hoop. It had been cut down so the hoop was smaller.
"I remember saying this: 'If I make this shot, I'm going to play at WVU.' I really did say that. The rim was extra small and I was deep. I took the shot and made it."
Now Harler is planning on making it in Morgantown, a la Hummell, who averaged double digits for three seasons (1966-70). Hummell's height and weight at the time? Six-3 and 190 pounds.
Harler smiled.
"Haven't shot there since."
Harler is proud to be taking his talents to Morgantown.
"I think it's pretty cool," he said. "I've bled blue and gold since kindergarten. ... It's every kid's dream to play for a big college team. Mine was to play for WVU.
"I set the goal, not knowing if I could achieve it. But my freshman year I remember thinking, 'Maybe this is possible.' "
As Harler tells it, he went on an unofficial visit when WVU hosted Iowa State.
"I was like, 'Wow, I really, really want to play here.' I remember staying up late that night and thinking I wanted to commit myself to it."
He did. And succeeded with the help of his father, an insurance man, and mother Tammy, a dentist.
"I kind of made it a personal thing because I'm from West Virginia and I know how big it is to represent the state," Harler said.
The question is, can Harler hang at the Big 12 level? Can he go into the rugged "Press Virginia" system built by Huggins and contribute?
"Yeah," Harler said flatly. "I have enough confidence in my defense. I think the biggest thing is playing full-court defense for 40 minutes and still having the legs to shoot. But being well conditioned will allow that to happen."
The Mountaineers certainly need shooters. Harler is hitting at 53 percent from the floor and 40 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. He says his range is from 5 feet behind the college arc.
"I'll have the ability to spread the floor," Harler said. "They'll have to respect my jump shot. That will leave the lane open for people to drive. I really think I can step in and make shots for them early.
"I have confidence in my shot. The offense they run is more freelance. I feel with my basketball IQ and savviness I can contribute."
He does not believe he'll be redshirted.
There is so much to Harler's story it's tough to fit into one column. His favorite player? Steph Curry? Nope. Nik Stauskas of the Philadelphia 76ers. How did he get to Wheeling Central? He went to St. Francis Xavier in Moundsville until there weren't enough kids for a 7th-8th-grade basketball team and transferred out.
What other schools offered scholarships? Marshall, Winthrop, Elon and James Madison put offers on the table. North Carolina State and Virginia expressed late interest.
"I completely closed my recruitment though," Harler said. "I've always wanted to go to WVU. They offered and I committed 15 seconds later."
Oh yeah. Ask Harler about his religion. Roman Catholic?
"Presbyterian," he said with a smile. "But I like the whole faith aspect of this school. My character was built from it. The Catholic school system has definitely played a part in who I am."
And, if so, has done a good job indeed.