LongTimeSWVAFan

In all seriousness, I would vote for McAmis. He's done a great job molding a young squad while displaying great values both on and off the floor. TJ's team will play a game to make regionals this year and he's very young. Central is lucky to have a man like this leading the program.

Battle @ Union - This is a big one, heard the Jenkins kid for Union is out with some injury. Almost a must win for Battle after the Lebanon loss. The key is to avoid being 4/5 seed in conference tournament. The winner of this can go a long way in getting there. Central @ Ridgeview - The Warriors broke the seal and its time for TJ's boys to go on a run. They struggled for three quarters which should give cause for concern but emotion and energy are always present when Central plays. Ridgeview is going to have a hard time beating anybody not named Lee. The Counts kid isn't a bad player but he has little help. Lee @GC - Devils name the score and get ready for Friday's game vs Union. No need to rush Dean back for this one.

Scotty V's hardest job all season will be keeping his team motivated game-to-game. Basketball isn't great around here to begin with and GC is easily 30-40 points better than three teams in the district.

Gate City @ John Battle - This one could be decently competitive given the fact it's GC's third game in four days. Still think it's Devils by 15 + Lee @ Central - The streak for Central ends at 14 consecutive losses to district foes. Look out, the monkey will be off their back and I expect the Warriors to battle for a regional bid. They can play with Battle and Union, the key will be avoiding GCs bracket. Union @ Ridgeview - Union wins fairly easy to set up a big week for the Bears next week.

You raise a valid point on Mullins. He has to be one of the physically strongest PGs in the area. If they could figure out a way to isolate him on the block, he'd be hard to handle for most clubs. I wasn't at the Union game, why wasn't Mitchell guarding Mullins? He did in the game I saw last year and pretty much shut him down.

Union is an interesting team, I agree in that it seems they play to the level of their competition. Central is getting better, Vanover - McAmis - Mullins provide a solid core to build on. Their problem is GC is relatively young and great and Union has athletes. I feel like they have a small window to make some noise. Ridgeview fooled me by beating Lebanon but the Pioneers aren't the same team that beat JSB. Battle got the short end of the stick playing Lebanon when they did, that's a double L. Could lead to some funky standings next month.

Gate City @ Central Union @ Lee Ridgeview at John Battle Thoughts?

Pretty sad when Wise County has one radio station and they can't even get their stream to work right for a state quarterfinal game. Of course this is the same outfit that wouldn't cover Union in the girl's state basketball championship game last year. Par for the course. No wonder, I never listen to that station.

They already beat the Wildcats............

Gate City big. Lee High's only saving grace is that outside of Union and GC the district is terrible.

In 15 years Grundy has dropped two classifications and Buchanan County has closed Whitewood and Garden. Council essentially stays open due to geography alone and every school in the county is losing students. Grundy and Buchanan County''s future lies in consolidation. A school of Grundy - Hurley - Twin Valley kids might could compete at the 2A level. As is, there is no hope at any level, sadly.

Side note off of my last post, can Grundy all but lock up a playoff berth with a W tonight?

Central has to win this one. Can't afford to drop a third game with the three games they finish up with, @Union, @Lee and GC. They lose tonight and they may have a hard time getting in the playoffs.

I've got: Floyd girls GC boys Ridgeview girls Martinsville boys What say you?

Any online broadcasts of the boys games on Tuesday?

Shame these two are playing in the opening round. I really feel like they both beat Union/Graham right now. However, it is what it is and the winner gets hammered on the bracket even more Friday when they will play Martinsville. As for this one, it'll come down to who makes shots. Ball is a great player for Richlands but he's going to need some help to beat GC. Between Ervin, Mac and Barnes you're guaranteed 45 points and they get enough from Collier, Qualls, etc that it makes it near impossible to hold them under 65. Richlands is playing its best ball of the year but I can't see them winning this one unless the Devils get in bad foul trouble (which can happen). I'm taking Vermillion's crew 77-63.

Should be a good one, both are coming off losses. Graham is a better "basketball team" but, Union has a decided advantage on athletes. Someone has already mentioned Union's free throw woes and that could bite them big time Tuesday. Graham likes to get up and down the floor so I'd expect a lot of possessions in this one. Not sure what would be better from a G-Man standpoint, if they play a fast up tempo game it limits Barnette but you have to deal with their athletes. Hope they assign a good crew to this one, it may get ugly. The football playoff game got way out of hand from what I recall and both teams have two sport guys who were involved in that. I'm taking Union due to their length, they'd have to miss a ton of shots and/or turn it over a lot to lose I think. A final thought, the Bears may be a sleeper team to watch out for this year. If they get by Graham, they could potentially play 3 straight games in their own county.

The dreaded loser's bracket game will return.

Lebanon's games count double. For instance, when they play Wise that counts as two games.

Thoughts? I see the Devils winning by 10-15 points. Union has an advantage inside but they don't shoot foul shots well from what I've seen. I'm also not sure they can guard Mac, he ate them up in the tournament game last year.

Gate City plays Tennessee High and Radford plays Martinsville. Anybody have thoughts on either of these?

Anybody go watch this? I'm stunned by the score, wasn't this Union's first game and wasn't there big kid hurt in football?

NM

I'm not sure there is 7-10 points difference in Central-Ridgeview-GC-Union and with how the officiating is you can flip a coin on who wins. Gully was clearly fouled on the last shot and Central was given two points on a clear lane violation on a one and one. Factor in Central shot over 30 free throws and I'd say things will get wild in January.

Are you kin to the Counts girl that plays? She'd start on most teams around here.