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14 hours ago, Ryan4VT said:

Abingdon is way bigger and probably has 3x the resources that GC has...

Talent was something else I mentioned, musta missed that. 

 

My point is, winning by 50 doesn't look bad when every kid plays and you aren't trying to embarrass an overmatched teenager. Winning by 50 with your three best players on the court late in the 4th looks bad. 

What possible reason is there for playing your starters an entire game like this and not rotating the bench players into the game except for chasing the scoring record? That whole game shape reason is ridiculous, it's not like GC has rested their kids at all, ergo letting them rest a bit late in the season probably isn't the worst thing anyway. If GC chooses to do that for MM, okay, but don't pretend you aren't. 

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24 minutes ago, BigWinners said:

Talent was something else I mentioned, musta missed that. 

 

My point is, winning by 50 doesn't look bad when every kid plays and you aren't trying to embarrass an overmatched teenager. Winning by 50 with your three best players on the court late in the 4th looks bad. 

What possible reason is there for playing your starters an entire game like this and not rotating the bench players into the game except for chasing the scoring record? That whole game shape reason is ridiculous, it's not like GC has rested their kids at all, ergo letting them rest a bit late in the season probably isn't the worst thing anyway. If GC chooses to do that for MM, okay, but don't pretend you aren't. 

As a Richlands fan, I wish we would have left our football starters in games WAY longer than we ever did. John Luke and Howie played the quarter equalivent of 5.5 games their senior years. Then they got to the playoffs and had to play full games and they started cramping and pressure got to them. They weren’t prepared in any way to play 4 quarters with the Intensity it takes to win a title, and it’s becsuse Mance has/had mercy. 

 

I don't know what GC is doing, but if they are letting them play into the 4th to prepare them for Radford, Mavahi, DR, Lee, Graham, etc...then I’m cool with it. This is a special group not just for GC, but for the entire area. 

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10 minutes ago, Ryan4VT said:

As a Richlands fan, I wish we would have left our football starters in games WAY longer than we ever did. John Luke and Howie played the quarter equalivent of 5.5 games their senior years. Then they got to the playoffs and had to play full games and they started cramping and pressure got to them. They weren’t prepared in any way to play 4 quarters with the Intensity it takes to win a title, and it’s becsuse Mance has/had mercy. 

 

I don't know what GC is doing, but if they are letting them play into the 4th to prepare them for Radford, Mavahi, DR, Lee, Graham, etc...then I’m cool with it. This is a special group not just for GC, but for the entire area. 

 

How is this a special group? I don't see that. It's great for GC sure, but I don't see how it's any more special than Union football this year or Richlands in 2015.

 

GC has played starters deep in every single game. Letting the bench kids who have worked hard and done what they've needed to do get some run on the court in one game up 50 isn't gonna throw off anyone's conditioning, if anything it will help by letting these three who have played serious minutes going back to the summer rest their legs. 

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28 minutes ago, BigWinners said:

 

How is this a special group? I don't see that. It's great for GC sure, but I don't see how it's any more special than Union football this year or Richlands in 2015.

 

GC has played starters deep in every single game. Letting the bench kids who have worked hard and done what they've needed to do get some run on the court in one game up 50 isn't gonna throw off anyone's conditioning, if anything it will help by letting these three who have played serious minutes going back to the summer rest their legs. 

Because historically, SWVA produces championship caliber teams in football pretty frequently. In boys basketball, there are FAR fewer examples of a far-SWVA team, especially at the 2A level, being this talented. They have 2 kids on that roster that are going to sign LOI's to play at D1 colleges. That's 2 out of what, 11 or 12 players? To inflate that to a 50 person football team, that would be like Union having 7-9 D1 players on this year's team, or the same for Richlands. This GC team is easily one of the most special SWVA basketball teams to ever come out of the area. 

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54 minutes ago, Ryan4VT said:

Because historically, SWVA produces championship caliber teams in football pretty frequently. In boys basketball, there are FAR fewer examples of a far-SWVA team, especially at the 2A level, being this talented. They have 2 kids on that roster that are going to sign LOI's to play at D1 colleges. That's 2 out of what, 11 or 12 players? To inflate that to a 50 person football team, that would be like Union having 7-9 D1 players on this year's team, or the same for Richlands. This GC team is easily one of the most special SWVA basketball teams to ever come out of the area. 

GC hasn't won anything yet. If they do, you may have a point but if they don't? Other far SWVA teams have won state basketball titles, maybe not with the media attention but they won. 

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How is GC basketball different than ‘15 Richlands football or this years’ union football team, in terms of being “special”? 

Mac is viral. He brings a video crew to every game as well as having ballislife live stream some of their games. He has 250k Instagram followers. He has celebrities and professional players following him and commenting on his posts. It’s pretty simple why this team is special. 

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1 hour ago, EH31 said:

How is GC basketball different than ‘15 Richlands football or this years’ union football team, in terms of being “special”? 

Mac is viral. He brings a video crew to every game as well as having ballislife live stream some of their games. He has 250k Instagram followers. He has celebrities and professional players following him and commenting on his posts. It’s pretty simple why this team is special. 

Gate City just plays a different game than everyone else in SWVA not named “Oak Hill Academy”.  I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a team, other than some of the vintage Grundy wrestling teams, be that much more dominant in relation to all its peers on a high school level in SWVA.  They aren’t unbeatable; no team really is.  But having 2 solid D1 prospects doesn’t hurt.

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1 hour ago, EH31 said:

How is GC basketball different than ‘15 Richlands football or this years’ union football team, in terms of being “special”? 

Mac is viral. He brings a video crew to every game as well as having ballislife live stream some of their games. He has 250k Instagram followers. He has celebrities and professional players following him and commenting on his posts. It’s pretty simple why this team is special. 

That's hype. Deserved or not, that means nothing to most of SWVA. It's very special for GC, but I still don't see how a GC team is special to any other school. Its great for a local kid to shine like this, but a big part of that is basketball culture and the internet. You guys can keep saying special and I think we have different definitions. It's a circus for sure and it's brought in a lot of revenue at the gate, but I don't see how any particular team can be special to an entire area. Some of those dominant PV teams in football had two NFL players on the same team and a handful of D1 athletes and won four titles in six years, but I didn't view them as transcendent for the entire area. I feel same for this GC team and they don't have the hardware yet anyway. 

 

 

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What would happen if MM got hurt late in a ball game with GC being up by 40?

Some kid could undercut him because he was tired of getting his ass beat so bad.

I would like to see him get the scoring record but I sure would not like to see him get hurt late in a blowout..

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11 hours ago, BigWinners said:

That's hype. Deserved or not, that means nothing to most of SWVA. 

I'm going to go ahead and stop you right there. EVERY GYM IS FILLED WHEN THEY COME TO TOWN. Hate Gate City all you want but you can't deny this team is special. 

The ARBY'S was filled to capacity on multiple occasions, one day at 9am because of this team. And it wasn't just GC fans or fans of the team they were facing either. I was one of the few from Richlands shut out on the first day and outside Viking Hall along side me were people in Chillhowie, Union, Grundy, George Wythe and Lebanon attire, just to name a few...

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Obviously I am a GC fan, so might be just a tad biased. :)

Fairly obvious (to me) that this is a special team. How many other teams in far SWVA can you say the following about? To get a decent seat at a home game, you have to be in the gym between 4:30 - 5:00. Probably earlier for the rest of the home games. You also have to be early at away games if you want a seat. All schools where we play are benefiting from the huge crowds. Home games are projected on a wall in the cafeteria. GC shut down The Arby's. The next two home games (Ridgeview and Daniel Boone) will be broadcast live on FB. GC has two legitimate D1 prospects. GC has a kid with a real shot (pun intended) at becoming Virginia's all time leading scorer. Same kid could also set the single season scoring record.....moving ahead of some guy named Iverson. GC has provided national attention to basketball in far SWVA. (Wonder how many underclassman from other teams have received exposure from the success GC is having this year?)  

NOT saying GC will win a state championship. Just saying that this team has probably the best shot of any team to ever come out of far SWVA. (Radford has a shot this year as a 2A team, but I really do not consider them FAR SWVA.) IF you think this team has the best chance of any 2A team to ever come from far SWVA to win a state championship, doesn't that automatically make them "special"?

Honestly.......if we play our "A" game, do not believe there is a FAR SWVA team that can play with us, and do not believe there is a 2A team in VA that we cannot beat. How often can you say that about a 2A team from far SWVA?

 If we do not play our A game, GC is very beatable. We NEED to be hitting 3s to play our best game. We have had games where we make 14-16 of them, and then have games where we make 4. We are also a turned ankle or stomach bug away from making an early exit from postseason. Teams with a dominant post player are going to cause us problems. All year we have played to our level of competition. That worries me some. The GC team that took the floor at The Arby's and against Cleveland, is not the same GC team I have watched just going through the motions at other games.

Maroons67 pointed out my biggest worry......an injury late in the game. Again....Scotty & the team are in a no-win situation. You have a kid with a real shot at setting two VHSL Records,  gyms full of people who came to see the kid play (see The Arby's), and the job of preparing your team for a state championship run......versus.....running up the score, and an injury late in the game. Truthfully, injuries can happen at any point during the game. Should Scotty take Mac/Zac/Dean out of the game in the second quarter if GC is up by 30 and not play them again unless the score gets closer? That would provide the most injury protection, but not sure that would be doing what is best for the team. (BTW.....where were all you people in football season when we were getting our behinds handed to us? Don't remember a lot of people coming out of the woodwork saying teams should take it easy on us. Just saying. :) )

Some of those old PV football teams were special. Ryan pointed out the big difference. Is fairly common for far SWVA to produce championship caliber football teams. Far SWVA has 2A State Champions in baseball, girls basketball, girls tennis, boys tennis, softball, etc.... How long has it been since far SWVA has produced a 2A State Champion in basketball? Go look it up. I'll wait.

(again......NOT saying GC WILL win a state championship. just trying to point out how "special" it is that GC is legitimately in the mix for a state championship.)

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The one quibble I would have is that the Graham G-Men won “the” state championship in 1955.  When you use “best chance of any 2A team ever”, it’s hard to use that turn of phrase when teams have done it before (just not in most of our lifetimes).  

 

I know, technically, there was no distinction like the A-6A splits we have now back in 1955, but I read your post to mean modern 2A teams.

 

That’s my only hair to split.  Great post otherwise!

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13 hours ago, BigWinners said:

That's hype. Deserved or not, that means nothing to most of SWVA. It's very special for GC, but I still don't see how a GC team is special to any other school. Its great for a local kid to shine like this, but a big part of that is basketball culture and the internet. You guys can keep saying special and I think we have different definitions. It's a circus for sure and it's brought in a lot of revenue at the gate, but I don't see how any particular team can be special to an entire area. Some of those dominant PV teams in football had two NFL players on the same team and a handful of D1 athletes and won four titles in six years, but I didn't view them as transcendent for the entire area. I feel same for this GC team and they don't have the hardware yet anyway. 

 

 

I think part of the excitement about McClung is we're just not used to seeing good basketball in SWVA.  It's been 30 years since Calvin Talford was the local must-see player.  Castlewood never won a title but fans still talk about him to this day.

On the other hand, we've been very spoiled with great football players like Thomas Jones, Julies Jones, Edd Clark, Ahmad Bradshaw, Justin Hamilton, Boo Sensabaugh, Chad Beasley, Jake Houseright, Austin Fuller, Tom Turner, Travis Turner, Tim Beamer,  Darryal Wison, Steve Knight, Mike Compton, Steven Peoples, James Mitchell, Taymon Cooke et al.  

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56 minutes ago, Liam McPoyle said:

I think part of the excitement about McClung is we're just not used to seeing good basketball in SWVA.  It's been 30 years since Calvin Talford was the local must-see player.  Castlewood never won a title but fans still talk about him to this day.

SWVA has always had good basketball teams, just not state championship winning teams. Haysi, J.I. Burton, Council, Twin Springs, Pound, J.J. Kelly, Lebanon, Abingdon, Gate City and I'm sure I've left off several other programs that fielded very competitive teams. 

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40 minutes ago, Widespread_Panic said:

SWVA has always had good basketball teams, just not state championship winning teams. Haysi, J.I. Burton, Council, Twin Springs, Pound, J.J. Kelly, Lebanon, Abingdon, Gate City and I'm sure I've left off several other programs that fielded very competitive teams. 

I should have said 'we're not used to seeing a lot of great basketball in SWVA"   Obviously you could add schools like George Wythe, Radford, and Galax to the list of successful programs.  But I do think the overall quality of boys basketball in SWVA is down relative to the rest of Virginia.

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14 minutes ago, Liam McPoyle said:

I should have said 'we're not used to seeing a lot of great basketball in SWVA"   Obviously you could add schools like George Wythe, Radford, and Galax to the list of successful programs.  But I do think the overall quality of boys basketball in SWVA is down relative to the rest of Virginia.

That’s undeniable from a historical perspective.  And when you consider that Virginia is an extremely poor producer of collegiate men’s basketball talent in relation to other states, the contrast is more stark.

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This GC team is very special and I do hope they can win it all. Good luck! The only team that could possibly give them a problem is Radford.

Radford's defense is the best defense they will encounter (if they meet each other) this year. Their defense is smothering and can be very

frustrating to the opposing team. Radford will contest every shot taken by the opposition. Again GOOD LUCK!

 

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5 hours ago, Liam McPoyle said:

I think part of the excitement about McClung is we're just not used to seeing good basketball in SWVA.  It's been 30 years since Calvin Talford was the local must-see player.  Castlewood never won a title but fans still talk about him to this day.

On the other hand, we've been very spoiled with great football players like Thomas Jones, Julies Jones, Edd Clark, Ahmad Bradshaw, Justin Hamilton, Boo Sensabaugh, Chad Beasley, Jake Houseright, Austin Fuller, Tom Turner, Travis Turner, Tim Beamer,  Darryal Wison, Steve Knight, Mike Compton, Steven Peoples, James Mitchell, Taymon Cooke et al.  

 

I think that's what kind of sticks in my crawl. A basketball team with no state titles is getting all this excitement, all this hype, and good for them. But this area has produced some very, very good football teams that never received this kind of attention. I think the era has some to do with it, the internet age, with all the GIFs and tweets, has built up a palpable excitement for basketball in SWVA like it's never seen but that same kind of excitement is not there for the great football teams of the past 10-15 years. I feel like we've been spoiled to an extent by the great football and we've come to expect it and maybe we don't treat it with enough respect. Because a team gets tested more locally in the regular season, they aren't viewed as dominant despite having just as much total success. 

But that phrase 'special to the area' just hit me wrong I guess. I'm not stupid, JFC, I realize a team bringing such a crowd at every game is not the norm. A local kid getting views from NBA players is great and new and special for him and the program. I also feel like some are not giving enough credit to some local basketball teams that were very, very good. Those Council teams, Pound has some great teams, Twin Springs, Haysi, Norton, etc.. have all produced some high level basketball teams. And PV did win a state title as a Div. II team, the precursor for modern 2A. So it's not exactly unheard of.

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Speaking of special teams this side of Roanoke, the mid nineties had council and twin springs battling for 3 straight year's and sold out pretty much every time they played.  Each team had multiple college players with 1 D1 player each.  Council played Oak Hills gold team in the VA High tournament championship and lost by only 9 points after being tied at the half and within 4 late in the 4th.  Stacy Ervin, cousin of Zac Ervin, was the reigning career point leader until the kid from Floyd Co. Broke his record recently. Then council won state in 2001 with D1 player Brad Nuckles who is also in the top 10 for single season and career points.  GC is having a special year but by no means are they the only special small team to come through here.

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On 2/5/2018 at 8:57 AM, swva_havok_fan said:

Won't hear me complain one bit tomorrow night.  An L is an L whether it's by 2 points or 60 as may very well be the case tomorrow night.

I just wonder if this exact same scenario won't play itself out come baseball season, just in reverse, because everyone will be whining about Abingdon running up the score in baseball.

Gate City is having a fantastic basketball season.  Kudos to them and I certainly hope the make a serious run at the 2A state title.  Live it up GC, Enjoy the ride cause baseball and football season is coming.  Just remember, what comes around, goes around. 

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18 minutes ago, Falcon Mania said:

Gate City is having a fantastic basketball season.  Kudos to them and I certainly hope the make a serious run at the 2A state title.  Live it up GC, Enjoy the ride cause baseball and football season is coming.  Just remember, what comes around, goes around. 

.......or maybe it has already come around?

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6 hours ago, Leatherhead Larry said:

I hope you Abingdon fans are feeling better now since Scotty decided not to hang 100 on you tonight. He took your posts to heart and let off the gas. 

What were all the technical fouls on Abingdon for?  And had one player ejected?

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Abingdon coach had been asking for a technical all night. Should have gotten one much sooner. Just running his mouth to the officials. I was fairly close to him. Could hear some of the stuff he was saying. Pretty much blaming the officials for their poor showing.

The player only got in the game near the end. He committed a hard foul, and ended up on top of the GC player. Heck of a tackle actually. Was called for the foul. Apparently he did not approve. First technical was for running his mouth. Bumping an official got him the second technical.

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