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Not from either school so here is my take on the issue. I watched both Vermillion and McCamis play in high school and college. They are older now but still act the way they did at 17/18 years old. They are both hot tempered and throw fits when things don't go their way. In my opinion, McCamis is worse at this than Vermillion. That being said, I honestly don't know if there is any truth to the allegations for either telling their player to take someone out or elbow someone intentionally. I am old school so I do understand statements like "if you are gonna foul, make it count" or "if you foul on a break, make sure they don't get the shot off". Most coaches will use those phrases because you hate to see a cheap foul from behind and the player still hits the shot. SWVA games over the last few years have gotten very physical. I think this comes from teams trying to mimic the bigger and more athletic schools on the eastern side of the state. There seems to be more man 2 man defense and the offense is being pushed to play faster and faster. When the game was slower, teams played more zone and the offense was more of a half court style. While I can't deny that the coaches and schools have some responsibility in this matter, I think there is also another huge factor at play, the officials. Current officiating is the worst I have witnessed and I have been around basketball since the late 1980's. With the move of girls basketball to the winter along with implementing a third official for varsity games, the officiating pool is terribly watered down. Now, when everyone is having a quad on a Tuesday, you need 5 refs (2 JV/3 Varsity) at each site. Officials main goal now is to get through the night as quick as possible, take their check, and laugh at the bitching fans as they sprint off the floor. Officials do not want to call a lot of fouls so they let hand checks and bumps go. Next, you don't call over the back and illegal screens. Then, players begin to get chippy and start shoving and throwing elbows. That's when the fans and coaches start raising hell and people start making accusations on here. Kids have shoved players in the back on a fast break for as long as I have been watching, it's not new because someone did it to McClung. Kid's have been throwing elbows for as long as the other players have been hacking or reaching around from behind, not just Dean. Players will talk trash, they will taunt, and they will make mistakes. These players are still kids and they react to situations with emotion. I am not a big fan of either of these fan bases because I am also a part of another fan base, but I understand why they get so fired up about their players. If you really want to fix these issues then start with the officials. They believe that you can't call everything or you will be there all night. What they aren't willing to do is test that theory. Maybe if you call the hand checks and bumps on defense early the kids back off a little and play with their feet and not their bodies. Maybe if you call every over the back and moving screen, the kids will learn better fundamentals. Maybe if you started giving technicals quick for any chatter from a team's 8-9 assistant coaches they will either sit in the stands or shut up. Just my thoughts.

I saw the video of Dean today and his cheap shot. Should have been ejected from the game in my opinion.

Yes I agree, like I stated it's hard for kids to understand the difference between a good clean foul, and a cheap intentional foul. The pushing of McClung was not a good foul and it looks awful, the foul on Lester was awful and in my opinion was just an all out cheap shot, no matter if Dean had been pestered all night long, that's not how you react, and this was early in the game. I've also seen a video of a kid from Central during the regular season game be shoved into the mat under the goal, and no foul was called and nothing said......

So multiple people are saying that is what happened, but nobody knows for sure? And isn’t every teams plan to be more physical than their opponents? You say not a chance Scotty “assuming he is the coach” didn’t ask the player to do something? Is where I get confused, and where I see one it being one sided. It’s like “the pot calling the kettle black”. If gate city says he would never do that and the other coach would. Where is the evidence that backs up both claims? All I see is people getting on here like parents,children,coaches,news media etc....stating opinions not facts on any of the topics that are on this site. You said it correctly when you said that players lose their cool. happens on both sides but seems more from parents, coaches, players, students that like to start rumors,which is the case that I’m trying wrap my head around with the locker room, halftime aledged statement. Not one person has came forward and said I heard/not heard the gate city coach say get him off you, whatever it takes. And not one person has came forward and said/not said I heard central coach say undercut him or something in that nature. I would say let the 2 teams play without the fans and there would be a really good game, and the winning team would say both teams played hard and congrats to them. But I have talked to different people over the years from abingdon, John battle, east side, graham, and so on. They don’t like going to gate city to play and They said it’s not that they are playing them because, who didnt want to see the Mac and Irvin show. It’s the disrespect that was shown to them not from the team but fans and a couple of the coaches, but that is their opinion and they have that right. But when someone says they heard something from this person and this person heard from another source, next thing you know by the time you heard it the story has changed 184858583726263300 times and it boils down to they don’t really know. Not on either side of their conflict just outside looking in. Thoughts?

That’s a fine and a suspension in any league but the Mountain 7.

Not contradicting stories just 2 different years. Lets just say I had a closer to seat to the action than most people in this chat. 2017-2018 the year McClung was at his peak, I heard first hand with my own 2 ears as the players were going to the lockerroom McCamis look at one of his kids and tell them not to let McClung dunk again and to put him on the floor(take his legs out) before they let him dunk on them again. Once again I know a handful of Central players personally and have hungout with some of them off the floor and they're a cool people. I feel their coach is the reason for the way they play and if they had a coach that was actually concerned about making them better and trying to help each kid individually and then as a team they would be dangerous. Whenever Wise decides to take a serious look in the mirror and do away with that whole coaching staff then only then will they succeed.

It’s hard not to rely on the opinions of others when they say they go to a gate city basketball game and the home school fans and parents are sitting on both sides of the gym. That is a mess in its self and i have been told this from multiple different schools. So it is hard not to think it happens. So it will be a while before I come to any games down that way. Sounds like the parents and the fans control the teams, and that is just my thought.

First, if you call every over the back you are wrong every time. It isnt in the book. I dont make it to many basketball games but I agree the move of girls basketball to the fall has not helped our area as far as how many officials are needed in our area. We fight that battle in every sport. Its hard to recruit new folks into the fold who want to do a job that doesnt earn a lot of money for the time given, and especially in basketball, receives a ton of ridicule. That being said, if you call every single foul by the book, our teams are going to get killed when they go to state also. As bad as it may sound, in years past I know we have been regarded as being much tighter on play than officiating across that state. Things are far from perfect, and I always hope we will get better as an association each year in every sport. To do so, it will take more people wanting to come out and do the job while also spending time and money to get better in their spare time also.

Really? I thought the first push alone was terrible. I agree. Should have been ejected on the spot.

The video you are referring to of Mac getting fouled. The first push didn’t look that bad but the second push was uncalled for by the player.

Players don't get fined in HS sports.

I find it very hard to believe that any coach has instructed a player or players to take a kid out or try and hurt him. From an inside source McCamis has never told his players to take a kid out or hurt anyone, but has told them if they are going to commit a foul on a layup, make a good foul and not let them convert in a 3 point play, which to me is common sense in basketball. Although some kids do not understand the difference in a good clean foul and an intentional foul! Great City said it best, the referees need to take control of the game from the start. It never seems to happen in a high intense ball game. Central is 0-18, but from the past games it is always a big game, with emotions running high. I think if the Referees that ref this game would grow a set of #$@!!, and not put up with the coaches jawing back and forth and give them a technical and sit them both down, it could calm it down some. Referees now let the assistants come on the court and talk to them, and question calls and the truth is the Referees do not even have to answer to the assistants, and should tell them to sit down and if they have a question the head coach should come talk to the Referees. Just my opinion......

Reading this southwest Virgina Jerry springer nonsense and Trying to put together why in the world is going on so here is my opinion. Contradicting stories from one side! One says that happened in the locker room before the game, you say that happened at halftime. Did anybody hear the alleged statement? Was anyone there? How does the opposing team hear something in a locker room of their opponents? Wasn’t at either game but how do some of you know that the coach didn’t ask the player to throw an elbow? Or be rough to get them to back off? I’m gonna go out on a limb and say of course the coach isn’t going to say that because if he does admit to it he would probably get fired,sued,and wouldn’t be allowed to work in another school anywhere and they would be working at a fast food joint. If the player did do it at his own free will, why is it just a half game suspension? From what I hear the other player is out for the season. Why isn’t the other player out for the season? If it was intentional? Just trying to put a messed up puzzle together. Does it go back farther than what people think? Is everyones statement on this forum hear say, opinions, facts? If they are facts we all would like to see the evidence to back up these claims. Does anyone have any answers? They would be greatly appreciated for everyone involved

A half lol. Probably will take 20 shots the second half to not hurt his average...that will surely teach him a lesson. Not sure how any GC fan can watch this and still claim moral high ground on McAmis. Two sides of the same coin.

You can't convince me that the referee standing there with a plain view of it didn't see it happen and just swallowed his whistle. Could of cost a kid to be seriously injured....

And I thought I was bad...😬

Nothing happened with racist twitter accounts, nothing happened when McClung was intentionally fouled, nothing happened when Central was going to let anyone dressed in all white in free when Union had 3-4 black starters, nothing will happen now. Sick place, sick people I blame the communities for continuing to support these antics. Stand up, don’t be a lemming!

Not so fast my friend......... What some people on this board may have forgotten is that BEFORE the game in question had even started, the Central coaches were talking to the team in the locker room. Part of their game plan was to "take Mac out" if he tried to dunk on them. I was at that game. Was told that information before the game started. Tensions were obviously high. Then............you saw what happened when Mac went up to shoot. You are living in a fantasy world if you believe "that" coach's attitude/beliefs do not extend to his team. Not sure the Central - GC relationship in basketball will ever get better as long as McAmis is on the bench. I also know our fan base.....we can be kind of.........uh.........fanatical at times. Hate it for the Central kids. They have potential, but the coach dampens it. It is not just GC that has issues with that particular Central team. It seems when that team gets down in a game, questionable tactics pop up. That deterioration of behavior is directly caused by the coaching staff. Hope Richlands does not get to experience it first hand.

Ole Duncan picking bones with everyone.

Funny how central fans forget that your coach started this aggression with gate city by trying to take out mcclung 2 years ago.

In what world is Zeke Newton a rough looking dude?