Graham v. Gate City (Feb 21)

[Marlin35 3]

 

 

And lastly......HOLY COW what an environment tonight at GC! The Devils Den was absolutely rocking. Both student sections showed up big and made for a great atmosphere.

 

HOLY COW is right!! Awesome atmosphere tonight. Gate City always fills seats, but it was great hearing them get loud! Grahams fans definitely did their part too

[1inStripes 932]

Great atmosphere and very entertaining game.  3 for GC done a pretty good job on 12 tonight but that kid can play.  He was very fun to watch for Graham.  52 getting in foul trouble really hurt the GMen offensively as they didnt seem to try to post 10 up near as much as they would 52.  It was a fun game to watch really good teams attack the basket for most of the night.  Both teams got careless at times and made the other pay for it.

 

I sat a few rows up behind the Gmen bench and enjoyed speaking with a teacher from Graham.  A fellow that sat next to me in the first half I couldnt help but get a little tickled after each dunk and three by McClung or Ervin he would say overrated to.  As I said earlier, kudos to Graham busing students down to support their classmates.  

[RiverRat24 274]

I thought GC played better defense tonight than they did against Union last week... Stepped it up a bit after the first qtr. They also rebounded the ball better as well. Martin is a great player...I thought GC played him pretty well. He's gonna get his points no matter what. A few sloppy passes by GC in the 3rd qtr that led to back to back 3s by #24 cut the lead to 9 and swung momentum big time in Graham's favor. But McClung and Ervin would answer quickly to slow the bleeding. The GMen fought a full 4 qtrs....And I fully expected that.

 

McClung had some big time rim shakers tonight....He played a great game. And Ervin had a really good game as well. However, I think Collier had the biggest game of anyone. He picked up the slack from a lack of production from Dean and the other guys and rebounded the ball really well.

[E.Z.DOES.IT 15]

Next years Regional final will be between Gate City and Graham. Mark it down!

[pdfan 101]

I feel the regional championship will be at UVAW on Sat. DR is very athletic but I don't think they have enough fire power to stay with GC. Chatham is very quick but doesn't have alot of size, they've beat DR once this year and their coaches have done a great job in turning around a program that was down for years but I don't think they have anything for the Richlands bunch. This could be Swva's year to bring home a title even though RE Lee or Amelia may have something to say about that.

[Great City 210]

EZ.............I agree. Two young teams battled last night. Believe the reserves Scotty played the most last night were two freshman and a sophomore. Both should be scary good next year.

 

Collier had a great game....despite getting in foul trouble early. He missed 2-3 easy put backs, but Graham had a little to do with that.

 

The pressure rattled the freshman Dean. Especially during the 3rd quarter. Just some growing pains.

 

Congrats to Ervin. Got his 1,000 point as a sophomore.

 

Seems that drawing a charge is a lost art. We did take a couple of charges last night, but it seemed that many times when we had good position, we would move and try to block a shot. #52 is good, but if we would have stood our ground earlier, he would have fouled out quickly.

 

Was surprised that we had a little problem at times with Graham's press. We had handled pressure well all year. No doubt Scotty will work on that this week.

 

However.......at the end of the day we played a great game against a great team and get to play again.

[Great City 210]

Bristol paper reported that Mac was 11-17 from the field, 13-15 from the line, had three 2-handed dunks, and no less than a half-dozen assists and at least 3 steals.

 

"The hype about him is all real," Carlock Said. "He is very, very skilled."

[Degenerate 6]

Gate City impressed me last night. They played extremely well, only had 4 scorers but we all know that can change. Very impressed by their defense and rebounding effort. This team will be extremely hard to beat going forward. 

[Marlin35 3]

 

Seems that drawing a charge is a lost art. We did take a couple of charges last night, but it seemed that many times when we had good position, we would move and try to block a shot. #52 is good, but if we would have stood our ground earlier, he would have fouled out quickly.

 

I think the problem with the "art of drawing a charge" is how inconsistent it's called. it would be hard to count on that call no matter how well a defender is set. Anyone that saw the blocking foul called on Drew when Mitchell dunked over him in the union game would have to agree with that.

[Dick_Vitale 342]

I think the problem with the "art of drawing a charge" is how inconsistent it's called. it would be hard to count on that call no matter how well a defender is set. Anyone that saw the blocking foul called on Drew when Mitchell dunked over him in the union game would have to agree with that.

What is the criteria for taking a charge by rule book? I always see on TV and things and it is a tough call to make it seems. College being the one place it is called more frequently. I cant see the things needed for it to be a charge or not. 

[BigWinners 1,643]

EZ.............I agree. Two young teams battled last night. Believe the reserves Scotty played the most last night were two freshman and a sophomore. Both should be scary good next year.

 

Collier had a great game....despite getting in foul trouble early. He missed 2-3 easy put backs, but Graham had a little to do with that.

 

The pressure rattled the freshman Dean. Especially during the 3rd quarter. Just some growing pains.

 

Congrats to Ervin. Got his 1,000 point as a sophomore.

 

Seems that drawing a charge is a lost art. We did take a couple of charges last night, but it seemed that many times when we had good position, we would move and try to block a shot. #52 is good, but if we would have stood our ground earlier, he would have fouled out quickly.

 

Was surprised that we had a little problem at times with Graham's press. We had handled pressure well all year. No doubt Scotty will work on that this week.

 

However.......at the end of the day we played a great game against a great team and get to play again.

3/4 SWVA teams are young. Union only starts one senior as well.

[Degenerate 6]

I think the problem with the "art of drawing a charge" is how inconsistent it's called. it would be hard to count on that call no matter how well a defender is set. Anyone that saw the blocking foul called on Drew when Mitchell dunked over him in the union game would have to agree with that.

That and every call in SWVA period. Not a single referee is worth a damn in this state. Very inconsistent, trying to take the game in their own hands at times it seems. That play that was shortly before the "block" that was called on Drew where Mac dribbled the ball behind his back that was called a travel was hilariously awful. It's as if these ref's haven't seen anything of that caliber before so it must be a foul, right?

[Great City 210]

Marlin..............good point. Had not thought about that. 

 

Dick..........no idea. Assume it could be looked up someplace. 

 

In my mind it has always been about who established position first, and who initiated the contact. If a defender establishes position, the offensive player has the chance to avoid contact, and contact is made..........charge. If not, block. (obviously severity of contact would come into play). 

 

I was not really talking about the fine line between a block and a charge. Those can be hard calls to make. Was more talking about how it seems that defenders, who have good position, will choose to step to the side and then try to block a shot. 

[Great City 210]

I thought those two back court calls against Graham last night were bad calls. The second one might have been one of the worst calls I have seen all year. 

[Degenerate 6]

Marlin..............good point. Had not thought about that. 

 

Dick..........no idea. Assume it could be looked up someplace. 

 

In my mind it has always been about who established position first, and who initiated the contact. If a defender establishes position, the offensive player has the chance to avoid contact, and contact is made..........charge. If not, block. (obviously severity of contact would come into play). 

 

I was not really talking about the fine line between a block and a charge. Those can be hard calls to make. Was more talking about how it seems that defenders, who have good position, will choose to step to the side and then try to block a shot. 

That was the clearest example of a charge I have ever seen in any level of basketball. Drew was set up waiting to take that charge for at least 4 seconds as Mitchell crossed half court.

[Degenerate 6]

I thought those two back court calls against Graham last night were bad calls. The second one might have been one of the worst calls I have seen all year. 

Yeah that was simply awful as well. I understand in the heat of the moment things might not be as clear, but that's your job. You watch the players feet to make sure they don't go past the line, and that kid did not. How do out of bounds rules work in the VHSL, I'm curious as to if it's the ball is out of play OR if the player goes out of play. Last night Zac jumped for a ball that went way out of bounds but caught it and landed in bounds. 

 

Another thing, can we please get a freakin shot clock...

[Great City 210]

I was on the other end of the gym from where Zac went after that ball. Could not see Zac's feet. 

 

The location of the ball in the air should not matter. If Zac's feet were in bounds when he jumped for the ball, and in bounds when he landed, he should have been OK. (assuming neither Zac or the ball touched anything out of bounds)

[Degenerate 6]

I was on the other end of the gym from where Zac went after that ball. Could not see Zac's feet. 

 

The location of the ball in the air should not matter. If Zac's feet were in bounds when he jumped for the ball, and in bounds when he landed, he should have been OK. (assuming neither Zac or the ball touched anything out of bounds)

I know if the ball bounces off the rim and goes over the backboard (in the air) it's typically called out. I'm just curious as to if that's the same case if the ball gets knocked into the air anywhere else like that. But he was 100% in.

[Great City 210]

Generally those balls that go over the backboard hit something.......other than the front of the backboard. Hitting something would cause the ball to be called out. 

 

Not sure what happens if the ball just goes straight up over the backboard, does not hit anything, and lands in play. Will have to pay more attention.

 

I have always thought it had to hit something to be called out, but I am wrong a lot. 

[futbolking 766]

Gate City impressed me last night. They played extremely well, only had 4 scorers but we all know that can change. Very impressed by their defense and rebounding effort. This team will be extremely hard to beat going forward. 

Gate City has a very good team.  Good luck going forward.  Hope you guys win it all.

[Degenerate 6]

Gate City has a very good team.  Good luck going forward.  Hope you guys win it all.

You guys have a good team as well, I think we all would be lying if we said we weren't nervous in the first quarter of that game. Also, as if it hasn't been mentioned yet, your all's fan base/student section is incredible.

[1inStripes 932]

Yeah that was simply awful as well. I understand in the heat of the moment things might not be as clear, but that's your job. You watch the players feet to make sure they don't go past the line, and that kid did not. How do out of bounds rules work in the VHSL, I'm curious as to if it's the ball is out of play OR if the player goes out of play. Last night Zac jumped for a ball that went way out of bounds but caught it and landed in bounds. 

 

Another thing, can we please get a freakin shot clock...

 

 

Im going to disagree with you both there from what I saw.  I thought both Graham players were yet to have their feet on the offensive side of the court when they received the pass.  The second one I thought was clearer than the first even as the ball was thrown when the player was still quite a distance behind the half court line rushing to get to it and caught it before landing on the correct side.

 

I couldnt see the call that was ruled out with against GC you speak of as I was blocked by the Graham student section.  If you say he clearly came down in bounds I wonder if his last step when jumping was taken with a foot on the line trying to secure the ball as he was coming down the baseline to it.

 

As for a shot clock, I doubt we ever see it in HS ball.

[Great City 210]

All the GC fans around me thought both back court calls were terrible. I thought it was obvious that both Graham players had clearly established their position in the front court before touching the ball. Guess that just goes to show how hard the job is for the refs. We can't agree on the call after having 23 hours to think about it. :)

[1inStripes 932]

The Graham teacher who sat behind me questioned the first one, and I will admit I didnt get as good of a view of it as the second one, but he agreed on the second one as well.  I dont remember Carlock reacting as strongly to the second one as some others around that time of the game.

[Great City 210]

I thought Carlock lost it on the second one. My lip reading skills are not good, but believe he described the call as f'ing terrible. hahahahaha

 

At the end of the day, does not matter. Again....just shows how hard it is to ref a game.