BandanaVTDavis4321

Auburn and GW are really good teams.

Martinsville will be a toss up I think. Martinsville is very athletic and Va High doesn't see the amount of athleticism week in and week out in Region D other than Graham. But, Va High is also just simply good. Va High has not only really quick guys and athletic guys, but they move the ball well and are well coached, but they aren't going to simply out athlete Martinsville like they've been able to do for much of Region D other than Graham. I just give the nudge to them for not having to go on the road. Gretna is very athletic and Graham is athletic, but I think Graham's youth and playing on the road that far from home in a gym they've never seen against a team that has all the momentum in winning their first region title (I think it's Gretna's first region title) and that will be too much to overcome in my opinion.

I'll go Gretna by 12 points and VA High by 2 points and Gretna beating VA High by 5 points and then losing by 52 points to John Marshall

There's no rule prohibiting the AAU coach from coaching the HS team, but yes........it doesn't look good. There's no rule prohibiting the players at JM mainly attending Richmond Community School, but again.....it doesn't look good. The fact that things "don't look to good" is the fault of the VHSL not doing anything about it and more Class 2 AD's not lobbying the VHSL to do something about it. JM is technically breaking no rules, at least not openly or something that is overwhelmingly clear cut. I do blame JM for not playing up in competition. That is lame. They do have the ability to play up if they petitioned the VHSL. They VHSL would be more than happy to take this ball of wax out of it's ear and the VHSL knows fans would complain less if JM played at higher classification and if JM requested that, I am sure the VHSL would allow it. But, JM isn't requesting it. If you have a guy who is the AAU Coach and Coaches High School Ball, he would more than likely argue that he loves basketball and likes being around the game and is competitive (and is he by the way) but he should have the same spirit of competitive nature and play up. That's the part that surprises me some. Overall, I like watching JM play. They are fun to watch and I think their Coach is doing a great job overall and does good things for the kids and he has built that program. Only complaints I have is him not wanting to play at a higher level of competition and the VHSL not putting more rules in place regarding AAU coaching and HS coaching in the same area/region. You open yourself up to a ton of complaints and issues when this is allowed to happen, especially when the AAU/HS Coach is in a locale that has open enrollment. It's the perfect scenario for the situation at present for JM to happen, but again..........it's not JM's fault.

I watched the VH vs Graham game. Back and forth. What you can make of this game in my opinion is the ability of VH to close the distance or widen the distance at the end of the quarters. At end of first, big three point to get it within 4 when they were down 7. A team that has just a touch of momentum or a "good break" in football and basketball at the end of quarters or halves often is a precursor to what will happen late in the game. I've seen this a hundred plus times. It doesn't always hold true, but it does far more than most of the time. In the college or NFL football, watch how many times the team that scores right before the half in a very close game ends the game in similar fashion. Same in basketball. A team down 10 with 40 seconds left that incredibly cuts it to 4, or a team only up 2 or 3 points for most of the half then goes on a little run in the last 30 seconds and ends the half up 7. It's amazing how games often end for whatever reason, the same way. With that written, VH got a lot of calls man. No, the refs did NOT cheat, but it die seem that VH got a huge chuck of 50-50 cause, especially in the first 4 minutes of the game. The shot at the end was a late clock start. The clock started late. Ball did leave hands before the expiration, but the clock started late. Still, it was Virginia High's ability to finish each quarter and in the end, VH's ability to steal the in bounds pass. VH continued to seemingly do great things in the final few seconds of each quarter. All 4 left are close. Any of the 4 can win it, even the road teams.

I do think it could be the difference if the two are very closely matched up talent wise. Not so much the bus ride as this is no factor in my opinion for today's 16 and 17 year old kids. They are chilling, listening to music, enjoying it. But, playing in a foreign gym, an unknown, simply not playing in your home gym can be the difference in 2, 3, or 4 points in my opinion.

As for Graham and GC. Credit to Todd Baker. He pulled off some high level stuff in my opinion. Used his athleticism as much as possible to counter GC's size and strength, but also saved his athleticism and the press until the 4th quarter because Graham has a limited number of guys that play, so didn't want to gas them. That was like landing an airplane or balancing a tightrope based on the timing, when to do, how to do it with the guys he had, etc. Wizardry was pulled in GC last night by Graham's head man.

So Gretna will host the VA-Graham loser while Martinsville will travel to the VA-Graham winner. This thing could turn. For example, all 4 teams are so close that lets say Graham loses to Virginia High. It's a situation where Graham could turn around and beat Gretna and Martinsville could turn around and beat VH on the road. All 4 teams are close, very close.

Same as Graham and VH. It's their region title. Radford and Floyd are eliminated. For the Graham-VH winner or loser, it sounds like it's about the same. Seems like all 4 teams left are very close and anything goes. I guess I would rather play at home instead of away, so the region title games do matter because that home court advantage might be the tiny difference in 4 pretty darn evenly matched teams it seems.

Good choice. Central Location and also, it is sometimes NOT always about the kids. Sure, the game should be mostly about the kids, but......parents, fans, alums, administrators put in whole lot of work to make things happen as well and these people drive to the game, pay the hotel bill, pay the boosters, etc. I'm certain the overwhelming majority of kids in WV would want to play at WVU, but again, in some instances, it's not just all about the kids and when money, finances, travel, support, planning, logistics come into play, it absolutely starts to bring those that are not kids into play.

I agree and disagree on this. I agree if it's a first time event for the opponent or JM or a championship appearance where the team hasn't been there for many years such as Martinsville (possibly) this year. But in Radford's case, Cormany had kind of been there and done that. Had many deep runs and some titles. I think there is harm is not giving kids a chance to play, but there is also a lesson learned. Is the harm to the kids that don't play the game against JM greater than the continuous harm and unfairness that the VHSL is allowing annually with the JM situation? That's the discussion that isn't 100% clear. Many could see that both ways. One could argue there is actually a lesson learned for the kids that don't play JM. I can see both sides of this. As for Milan and Muncie Central. I got to hear Ray Craft from Milan speak in the 90's while at the Univ of Texas. Incredible thing. Milan, the true story was much different than the movie. Sure, Milan was an underdog purely based on school size, but......most people don't know that Milan High went to the state semifinals in 1953, the year before they shocked Muncie Central in the state title game and Milan returned ALL 5 starters from the 1953 team to prepare for the 1954 championship season. Milan also had 2 kids Plump (Chitwood in the movie) and Ray Craft both play major Div 1 basketball and not just play, they started. Milan also had a third player play what would be Div 1AA ball back in the day, so yes, small school, major underdog against Muncie, but also much better prepared than the movie let on for 1954. The difference in John Marshall versus a Gate City in 2024 compared to Muncie Central vs Milan in 1954 is FAR greater in talent disparity. Milan only had like 160 kids in the school in 1954 compared to Muncie's 2,000 plus, but....the 5 guys they had on the floor weren't chumps. They could play, including 40% of the starters playing major Div 1 basketball. It was actually Ray Craft who led Milan in scoring in the title game with 14 points. Of course Chitwood (Plump) his the job. Here is the actual real footage, real video clip of the final shot and actually audio recording of the Indiana High School Play by Play Guy that was broadcast that day not just across Indiana, but all across the Midwest nearly 70 years ago to the day. The real actual shot-video of Plump below https://www.thestarpress.com/story/sports/high-school/2020/02/21/ihsaa-basketball-1954-ihsaa-state-championship-milan-muncie-central-restored/4822153002/

JM won't have anybody do that unless it's a team that plays them 2 times in a row (goes to two state title games) in a row and loses to them and then on year 3, that team is like, "enough is enough." As long as it's one team here or another team there from the West that makes it every year, it ain't happening. For example, if Gretna won the West, you can be assured they are playing for that title game. Their coach would rationalize it as, "this our is one time chance for our kids and win or lose, they made it to the title game and will remember it forever and our seniors." Martinsviille in Region C if they win the west? New Coach for them and Martinsville has been out of the picture for years and wants to get back to old form and has I think 4 or 5 seniors on the team. Do you think he's setting this out? Not hardly. Same for Union, Graham, Virginia High, and now GC doesn't have Scotty V anymore. GC ain't setting it out either. Only way to stop this is with luck. Martinsville or Radford, GC, Union, Graham somebody become dominant in the West and make the title game 2 years in a row and get beat, then if this same teams makes it again on year 3...........then there's a chance in year 3 for them to set it out, otherwise it's not happening.

Dude, not trying to be rude, but I can put my finger on it and it happened from game one in my opinion. It's called strength of schedule.

Aren't you the one that said on here a couple of days ago that Martinsville was terrible this year and you didn't know how they won 15 games this year? So, you sounded serious 2 days ago, but now are passing it off as a joke. Which is it?

I think they were because Nobody Else was. Radford isn't very good, but neither is Martinsville and Glenvar ain't great. Floyd beat Radford and Glenvar twice and Blacksburg once. By default, there really isn't anybody left to pick other than Floyd in Region C. Nobody is that good. Unless you want to argue Chatham or Gretna? Martinsville fans have came on here and one states, "this team is terrible." Who else is left to pick?

It's freakin unbelievable man. There is just know way in 50 years this will happen again. I know 50 years is long time and sounds like hyperbole and it probably is, but what's happening this year just hasn't happened in like.......ever. There is literally not one elite or stand out team. A couple seem "better" than others, but there's just nothing that jumps out AT ALL in the west. And Good Lord, for this once in a generation type year to happen in the John Marshall Era. We might be talking about a win in the vicinity of 60 points by John Marshall in the state title game. I would take 50 points and JM if someone offered it.

OMG! The parity just doesn't end. Floyd was supposed to be the best team in 2C. Said this earlier man, a team like Lebanon could play for a state title. I know Lebanon is now done with the loss to Union, but even a team like Lebanon was that close to playing for a state title because C is equally as bad or worse than 2D, and 2D is just parity all over. Floyd actually beat Blacksburg once and beat Carroll County once and Blacksburg beat Auburn twice. That score (Floyd loss) is unbelievable.

Final. GC 70 Marion 65 I have no idea who wins with Graham and GC. It's at GC so got to favor the home team, but the Graham team tonight.....keyword.....tonight looked 8 to 9 points better than the GC team I saw in the second half. Graham is way more athletic than GC, but GC will have the advantage with Garrett inside. For Graham, the key in my opinion is getting the point guard Ray to penetrate off the dribble and for GC, I know they like to put Garrett outside of the paint on many of their offensive possessions, but this is a game where I think GC should strongly consider putting him underneath the basket more on offense to use the height advantage against Graham.

GC looking to finish. 68-60 GC leads with 46 seconds left. Marion ball.

64-60 GC leads with about 50 seconds left. GC ball

Garrett starting to take over. Has scored like 8 out of the last 10 for GC. He just got a bucket and one (foul shot good) GC up 7 with about 2 minutes left. 64-57 GC leads.

Gate City up 4 with about 3 minutes left. Marion, this is my first time seeing them. I swear, it's like they have 5 guards on the floor or something. Unbelievable toughness

55-49 GC over Marion with just over 6 minutes left in the game. Marion just cut it to 3 before a GC three pointer. Marion is scrappy as hell. No other way I can describe them. Not big, but just quick and scrappy as all get out.

Virginia High 75, Ridgeview 54. Final Gate City up 7 pts over Marion to start the 4th qtr. 50-43

Final from Bluefield. Graham 71, Central-Wise 56. The Ray kid from Graham took the game over. He was the difference maker in the game with his ability to win off the dribble in one on one situations against man to man defense at the 5 second line and drive the lane either scoring or setting up shots for teammates. Heck of a performance by Ray.