gc1

They were best 2A team and they earned it. I suspect the TWO best teams in 2A were Region D teams.

For what it’s worth, I paid the fee for the game tonight — despite the issues with the last stream — and so far so good. 

Gary Thompson‏ @VHSLscorer
Eastside 69 George Wythe 65, final in 1 overtime. #1Avhslstatesemifinals #BBB   Tim Hayes‏ @Hayes_BHCSports #VHSL Boys Hoops, Class 1 State Semifinals, FINAL: Eastside 69, George Wythe 65 in OT. Spartans are in the state finals. #HCBB   TimesNews Sports Retweeted Tanner Cook  📰‏ @tcookjcpress Final/OT, boys hoops Class 1 semifinals: Eastside 69, George Wythe 65. First time for the Spartans advancing to the state title game! #VHSL     great state

Gate City Retweeted
Tanner Cook  📰‏ @tcookjcpress
With one game remaining, Mac McClung needs 17 points to pass Caleb Tanner for the VHSL all-time scoring lead. The Devils will play in the Class 2A state title game on Friday in the Siegel Center in Richmond. #VHSL   great state

Couldn't agree more.  Graham deserved to be in the final four.  Outstanding season, they just couldn't get out of their own way in the first half.  Maybe some pressure had a little to do with that, they are just kids.  I understand the win at wise was a shocker but that night they were hands down the better team.  Luckily, GC looked to have made some adjustments tonight.  What I believe the first game against Graham done for GC was make them realize they have to play D.  The past two games they've played the best D they've ayed all season.

12,000 viewed Graham/GC (3,600 @TMS + 9,400 Facebook)

Honestly, any other venue in far Southwest Virginia would be closer to Gate City than Graham, thus being an advantage to the Devils.
If the Gate City and the fanbase wanted a better venue then they should have beat Graham last weekend.
Graham earned the right to host and have hosted state playoff games at TMS before so that's that.
Despite everyone thinking this is just the Mac McClung roadshow it's actually still the VHSL playoffs and with the system put in place this year, be it as bad as it is, this is what we have.  

According to the VHSL School Directory, Tazewell holds 3,200.  That's about as "definite" as you will get...
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FtlFfVnS0fKGQAulYpPl8GkNHYNmXpyX/view

I would say TMS is at least 3000 and has hosted state playoff games before, so I don't see a problem.
A problem I do see is the VHSL ruining another opportunity for the kids to play a final four game at a big-time arena in a central location decided long before the season began. 

If that's the case then I can't say I blame Graham at all for doing that, however if its around the 1500 mark that I have heard others talk about that's pretty crappy for the fans on both sides and the VHSL.

I dont know about that.  The top 3 players on the list are from west of Roanoke currently.  The freshman from Honaker is off to a great start as well scoring more points as a freshman than any other freshman in VHSL history according to some reports.

That would be my solution. Holds 9,275. But over on Preps I've been lambasted as being "entitled" because I think they should play it in an arena that can actually hold enough people that they won't have to bar the doors. 

If the game is at Tazewell Middle fans should get in line after Church tomorrow.

How bout Sallee and some other role players stepping up tonight!!!

Your first six words say it all!

At the end of the day, we’re all Southwest Virginians, and that’s an awfully special bond.  I might prance around like the cock of the walk, but when it comes down to it, if Graham can’t win it, I’d rather Gate City than anyone else.  It’s been an awfully long time since a 2A School tasted success in this sport.

Best of luck to both teams tomorrow in the showdown.  May both teams play their best, and may both have good fortune and health.

Youd think GC hadnt been tested this year by the way people are going on about this 13 pt win against WC.  Sometimes a  team has a good game plan and executes well and plays their best game of the season.  Tip your hats to them and move on.....you got the win whether or not it was ugly.  I dont think GC played a great game in the least.....but ill give more credit to WC and what they were able to do. 
Id be willing to wager theres not another team in 2A that would go 4-1 against North Meck, Cleveland, Fern Creek, Science Hill, and Lakota East.  That stretch included 1 comeback win after being down 17 pts to a very good Cleveland team. The GC team last year would have caved after being down 17 pts.  So lets not overreact too much, this team is tested.....not just talented. 

North Mecklenburg, Fern Creek, Cleveland, don't hold a candle to these teams "up north"....... 😉

They do things wrong like I stated. We played awful, got into foul trouble, and Mac tried to force things that were not there. I even put it in black and white. That’s 3 things we did wrong the other night. And I credited WC for playing their best game. What else do you want me to say? 

via Tanner Cook @tcookjcpress
Mac McClung season point totals 
***2/23: v Union 
***2/21: v Lebanon 41 (W, 80-43)
**2/17: v Wise Central 41 (W, 83-70)
**2/15: v Abingdon 37 (W, 96-44)
2/7: v Daniel Boone (TN) 45 (W, 91-46)
2/6: v Ridgeview 43 (W, 90-67)
2/3: v Pulaski 47 (W, 89-69)
2/2: v Abingdon 40 (W, 103-51)
1/30: v Battle 42 (W, 84-64)
1/27: v Cleveland (TN) 39 (W, 82-72)
1/26: v Union 30 (W, 82-47)
1/23: v Wise Central 35 (W 99-70)
1/19: v Lee 42 (W, 111-67)
1/13: v Ridgeview 44 (W, 98-60)
1/10: v Abingdon 47 (W, 103-59)
1/6: v Floyd 33 (W, 75-54)
1/5: v Battle 33 (W, 86-40)
1/3: v Union 31 (W, 70-56)
*12/30: v Lakota East (OH) 28 (W, 66-54) 
*12/29: v Fern Creek (KY) 44 (W, 70-68)
*12/28: v Tennessee High (TN) 40 (W, 79-43)
*12/27: v North Mecklenburg (NC) 26 (L, 80-64)
12/22: v Knoxville Christian (TN) 31 (W, 74-46)
12/19: v Daniel Boone (TN) 35 (W, 75-66)
12/15: v Wise Central 37 (W, 81-42)
12/12: v Lee 47 (W, 96-43)
Thru 2/21 totals: 958 points; 38.32 ppg; 2,606 total points
Gate City record: 24-1 (Max number of games: 30)
*- Arby’s Classic
**- Mountain 7 District Tournament
***- Region 2D Tournament
VHSL Records
- Caleb Tanner, Floyd (all-time scorer; 2,770 career points)
-Joe Stiltner, Bland (season scoring average; 41.67 points per game)
-Mac McClung, Gate City (single season scorer; currently 958 points)
 

Nailed it. Mac just broke the record in the 2nd half of the 1st round of the regionals. Where's my award? Haha.

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. 

McClung 39, Ervin 22, Dean 13, Sharpe 2, George 2, Vermillion 2, & Compton 2
Score by quarters:
GC                      23    39     60     82
Cleveland           31    42     60     72
At one point in the second quarter, GC was down by 17 points. Defensive & rebounding efforts intensified.
Great win tonight against a very athletic Cleveland team.
GC has gone 2-1 in games against North Carolina's #1 ranked team, Kentucky's #2 ranked team, and Tennessee's 4th ranked AAA team. 

The wait for the GC tip continues as Fern Creek and Webb go to OT! 
A Viking Hall janitor told me he hasn't seen a crowd like this since ZZ Top played here in '86.