Milan doesnt beat Muncie Central and no one knows who Bobby Plump is if they dont play the game. The kids opportunities to play of a state title game are limited to begin with. Taking the game away from them isnt the right call IMO no matter how people feel about the JM program. Go and try to win. You may make something unforgettable happen.
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.
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.
Tough way for the season to end. From the GW onward, something happened within that team that I can't put a finger on. No idea what but something. You could see it in how they played on the floor. Was still a fun ride. Hate it for Kolier and Levi for it to end like this. It's baseball season now.
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.
Martinsville beat Dan River tonight 58-41. The terrible bunch play Radford Thursday at 6. Hope we can keep it within 20 points. One thing about the Dogs this year, we're short but we make up for it by being really slow.
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?
Floyd was definitely not the team to beat in 2C. They went to the wire twice with a very mediocre Radford team. they only one the so-called TRD Tourney because the best Carroll player got hurt right before the half. I imagine they got out out coached again.
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?
Man the entire West is just so mediocre this year. Not one very good team out of the entire half of the state.
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.
Floyd County goes down to Chatham 74-66 after leading by 11 to start the 4th quarter. Chatham shot the lights out in the 4th.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I’ll agree with you but I don’t exactly remember him staying in the paint and rarely playing help defense and when he has the only guard I’ve seen that doesn’t seem to be bothered by Garrett’s size is Ethan Collins and that’s why I feel like Collins is the best player in the region. Not trying to knock Garrett at all he is a great player with a tremendous amount of athleticism and is probably tied for second with Reece in the region. But unfortunately since it’s politics he will get it because he is the most talented senior in the region while Collins is a junior and Reece is a sophomore
No disagreement from me if Collins got POY. Both are worthy in my opinion and again, a strong case can be made for both imo. As for Reece, I feel he's the best in the region. Just my opinion though.
Every time I have watched them he stays outside the paint. Only time I have seen him in the paint is if he is driving.
I'm not talking about offense. I'm talking about defense and that's the part that is often overlooked when we evaluate players. It's why Michael Jordan is the best to ever play the game with Labron James not topping Jordan because with them being close offensively dominant, Jordan was also among the greatest to ever play the game defensively.
Shouldn’t that also correlate to him getting more than 7rpg
No, it should not necessarily. A changed shot is a changed shot and it's one of those stats that's tough to evaluate. It's like a defensive end in football that gets tons of pressure on the QB and because of his pressure, the opposite defensive end might have just as many sacks or even more because the QB is forced to his side of the field to avoid pressure.
It's not just changed shots, it's the presence in the lane before a changed shot that forces a guard to pull up for a 10 footer instead of driving the lane. It's a gigantic factor. In the 3 times I watched GC, I see Garrett changing tons of shots at the 3 to 5 foot mark under the basket, and the shooter misses and the GC defender on the other side of the basket gets that rebound on the miss. A lot of that is due to Garrett's mobility. He can quickly "front" or approach defensively from under the basket and up to the foul line and change shots and he does it regularly. Just my opinions.
LeBron James in his career has averaged about 7.4 rebounds per game but is historically among the best at changing shots, forcing the defender to miss or tske an awkward shot.
I agree with all the above except Union is also on upset alert. I don't even know if Central and Lebanon are upsets. If one or both wins, I would call it a win over a somewhat closely matched opponent. On an average day, I don't think Union, Lebanon, Graham, and Central are outside 6 points to 7 points of each other, and 6 to 7 points in basketball isn't much. It's not enough for team A to beat team B 90 percent of the time. The margin or chances are more narrow than that.
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Region 2D Predictions? Boys
in SWVA Basketball
Posted
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/