Great City

Sigh. Am afraid Zac's high school career might be over. Hate that. Had a chance to really climb the VHSL career scoring ladder. Those who know him, know that he is also a great kid. Coach Vermillion...."It's a minor thing, and he could play right now, but that wouldn't be the wisest thing for his health. This is a wonderful game and a wonderful community, but this is a young man with a basketball future and we've got to do the right thing for him. We're going to allow him to get better before we play him again." .......and just like that the M7 and Region is wide open. However...........great effort last night. Lots of minutes played by lots of kids. Understandably took a little while for the team to get going. Saw the GC half court defense of old. GC gave up 21 first half points, and 15 second half points. Saw the offense move the ball around and work for a better shot.

I am hearing some bad things about Zac. Hope they are wrong.

Final score will depend on which GC team shows up. For large stretches we are just playing well enough to keep us in the game, and then we seem to turn it on for a few minutes to pull away.

100% agree. We still have plenty of time to sort things out, but we have to start running some sort of offense on a consistent basis, get more kids involved in scoring earlier in the game, and play a little smarter.....or it will be an early playoff exit for us this year. I don't see how Radford cannot win the AA Championship. Granted they could have a couple of injuries or have a terribly "off" night, but they are without a doubt the team to beat.

Slow morning at work. Realistic Expectations: Prior to the DB game this year, GC had played 5 larger schools, and 2 schools in their same classification. The 2 VA AA schools were Lee (38 point win), and Central (32 point win) for an average win of 35 points. The 5 larger schools were Daniel Boone (14 point win), Science Hill (15 point win), Wenonah (4th ranked team in Alabama....1 point loss), Greenville (13 point win), and Sullivan East (15 point win)..for an average win of 14 points.........and an average loss of 1 point. That is an 80% winning percentage against larger schools. GC beat Science Hill by 15. DB beat them by 10. Given the above information...........how was it not realistic that GC fans had the expectation that we COULD beat DB? Not trying to cause an uproar or start an argument. Really curious to hear peoples' answers.

Bob.........I'll take that banana split. However, if we don't play better than we did last night, there will be no matchup with ER. For large portions of the game we really did not run any type of offense. It was dribble down and let Zac/Brad take a deep shot.......or let them dribble around the perimeter until one of them threw up a 3...often with 2 people in their face. It is early in the season and there is still plenty of time to sort everything out. Plus, I HOPE that last night the team was focusing too much on Zac getting his 2,000 point. (BTW....read online this morning that GC is now one of only 5 schools in VHSL history to have two 2,000 point scorers.) The team also needs a little break. 4 games at the Arby's, and games on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday this week. We will be running on fumes on Saturday. Getting Compton back will help. He has been out since before the DB game. We did have some other kids taking shots last night. That was good to see. Think 8 players scored. We also handled Union's press really well. Heard we outrebounded Union 33-19. That is also encouraging. Several positives from last night. Do not want to sound like a "Debbie Downer". We just need to be a little more disciplined on offense, and get more kids involved in the scoring earlier in the game. Hats off to Union. They played a good game. Shot the ball well. They seem to have a good, physical team. Officiating? Shew..........is a job I would never have. People behind me at the game last night were talking about how bad the officiating was........for both teams. If something is a foul/walk/etc.. in the 4th quarter, it should be one in the 1st. If something is a no-call in the 1st, it should be in the 4th. Is really not fair to the kids otherwise.

Union played well. They played a good, physical game. GC had a rough first quarter. Score after one was 10-16 Union. 100% agree with River.........for large portions of the game we really did not run any type of offense last night. Dribble down and shoot. Dribble down, and let Zac/Brad dribble around the perimeter until one could get off a shot.....often with 2 people in their face.

I do love bananas. :) Let me rephrase. When the VA High baseball team plays larger schools and the TEAM believes they can win.........do you as a fan believe they can win? Do the majority of VA High fans believe they can win? Again.......I would HOPE that the majority of fans at all schools believe that their teams have a chance of winning in most of the games they play.....but, I am wrong a lot. Guess it also depends on the success of the particular team in question. When GC baseball plays..........the fan bases' confidence in winning is not very pronounced. Has been the same in football the last few years. In basketball we have been winning, so the fan base has more confidence in winning. That seems fairly realistic to me. Please let me know if you believe otherwise. Substance: DB did provide a blueprint for teams to emulate. Did not help that Zac and Dean shot a combined 1-13 from behind the line, but DB's defense had a lot to do with that. Will just be a matter of which local teams have the horses to use it. Would think Graham/Union/WC will give it a try. Radford should have the horses to not need to try any "gimmick" defense. I know Zac normally can light it up from outside, but I would like to see us use him under the basket (on offense) a little more.........especially against teams who have a good big man. He would no doubt help rebound, and would draw a lot of fouls. Getting him....and the rest of the team...to the foul line often should always be good for us. I expected we would see more of Eli this year. Believed he would play PG, penetrate, and dish back to Zac & Dean. We do need someone else to step up and become more comfortable shooting the ball.

Bob........when VA High goes to baseball tournaments and plays larger schools..........do they imagine they can win? I sure hope they do. You HAVE to imagine/expect you can win any game. You can't step on the court/field and expect to lose. Well you can, but the results are not encouraging.

The lion's share (see what I did there?) of local VA teams will not be able to duplicate what DB was able to do. Could definitely cause us problems if/when we meet Radford. Thankfully there are not a lot of 6A schools, with an enrollment of 2,000 students, left on our schedule.

https://www.foxsports.com/college-basketball/video/1405521475837?amp=true https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/georgetown-hoyas/more-just-mixtape-hoyas-mac-mclung-drops-career-high-38-points-win-over-little-rock https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/freshman-mac-mcclungs-38-points-power-georgetown-to-ot-win/2018/12/22/31bb305c-0618-11e9-b5df-5d3874f1ac36_story.html?fbclid=IwAR0pbhQqV_vayzurQEEvUQmWVdJWWOlGFufKhe7rqyHtNVfg7892oysTqIw&noredirect=on&utm_term=.837f2c6dc381

GC 88 Science Hill 73 Zac with 49 points.

Great for them...…….but.......uh.......aren't they supposed to be competing in a higher classification? 🙂

Good luck G-Men!

I THINK what Grapeape was trying to convey was that fan attendance at the games is not why Akers lost his job. Akers lost his job because of his record, his attitude toward players/assistant coaches, and the direction the program was heading (falling). He literally started alienating players/assistant coaches on Day 1. For example........you do not talk openly in the field house about coaching at VA High being your dream job. GC does not have a history of running off head coaches. Counting Akers we have had 4 head coaches during the last gazillion years. Slight exaggeration. :) Several weeks ago someone, who said he was on the team under Akers, posted and talked about some issues with Akers. Unless you were close to the team, or are close to people who are close to the team, then you really had no idea what was going on inside the program. So many people, not from GC, have posted about the attitude toward Akers from the GC fans......without having any knowledge about what was going on in the program. I have attended GC games for 40 years. Played under Colobro. We have had years where the talent level was not exceptional, but we have always had coaches who could get the most out of the players. I know some will disagree with me, but our OVERALL talent level the last few years has not been great. Plus.......we have not had a coach who can get the most out of the players. You add those two together and you end up with 1-9 seasons. Factor in Akers' inability to build positive relationships with players/coaches and you end up with the current state of our program. I am truly surprised he lasted as long as he did. Sadly, I believe the School Board would have acted quicker if they thought they could find a quality coach, and if they had set their egos aside. Remember.........Akers was what......the School Board's third choice? Not sure how it works at other schools, but the AD at GC has no influence over who is hired. Have seen him thrown under the bus several times. Going forward: Most GC fans will tell you that there is not a coach in America that will restore our program in a year or two. The rest of our fan base needs to accept that. We need a HC and Assistant Coaches who will bring some enthusiasm back to the program. We need these coaches to be in the halls of the school encouraging kids to participate. I have no idea who has applied or who will be interviewed. Personally, I do not care if a "GC Person" is hired. I do think the position is a great opportunity for someone. You could be the HC of a program with a tradition that few in the state can match. A program that has a fan base starved for success, and who would eagerly support a HC who gets the program heading in a positive direction. Plus........you will have a School Board that wants/needs you to succeed after the Akers debacle. Even with our recent failures, believe we are the last, or second to last, AA Team from SW VA to win a state championship. (I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong....which happens a lot. :) )

Completely wrong. Nobody USED to want to go to GC. Now we have no problems scheduling games. :(

When Bluefield came to Gate City, they brought almost no fans...........and that was back when we were good.

Found this on FB: "The Blue Devils defeat Class 4 Jefferson Forest, defeat Class 3 State Champion Roanoke Northside and defeat Class 3 Final Four participant Western Albemarle"

What happens in the second half? 🙂

The deal with the income tax stuff: Many GC graduates end up working in TN...........because that is where the jobs are located. If you work in TN and live in VA, you pay income tax in VA. If you work in TN and live in TN, you do not pay any income tax. (TN sticks it to you with the sales tax.) So........there are tons of "GC People" who end up moving to, and living in, TN. A lot of these parents prefer their kids go to school at GC, so they start their kids in elementary school in either Weber City or Shoemaker. In their minds, they get the best of both worlds. Really.............the best of both worlds would be to live/work in TN, send your kids to GC if you prefer, and do as much shopping as possible in VA. Lots of those parents bringing their kids to WC or Shoemaker do their shopping at Food City/Food Lion. = tax revenue. The school system is not "bringing in kids" to the system. The parents are choosing where they take their kids based on what they perceive to be their best deal. Just like you do when you go shop for a car.............get your best deal. BTW......Weber City and Shoemaker will not accept TN kids if they run out of room and have to displace a VA kid. Edited to add teacher salary info. This link says Virginia ranks 30th in teacher salaries. When adjusted for cost of living, VA ranks 24th. https://www.johnlocke.org/update/education-update-teacher-pay-rankings-are-out/

Knew it was not a tax burden. Is why the county has always allowed them to come to Scott tuition free. Makes sense...........as long as you have a place to put them. My kids went to Weber City. Am very familiar with the TN kids that have always been a fixture there. Know a lot of them and their families. Most of those kids end up going to GC, and some of them end up playing sports. Is why it is so funny to me to hear about "all" of those TN kids that go to GC to play sports. Again.........not trying to argue. Know I take things too literally at times.

I do happen to know several people at Weber City Elementary. Spoke with one yesterday. She said they believe they have "several" more TN kids this year than they normally get, and that Shoemaker had a "few". Sometimes I take things too literally. When you said "dozens" of kids.......that means.........well, dozens.......so at least 36 kids. Knew that was not possible because the policy the school system has always used is that kids from out of state can attend the schools as long as the school has the room, and the system does not have to hire extra teachers. An "extra" 36+ kids would require additional staff, and the school would not have room for them.

Hard to believe that "dozens" of kids from Ketron are now in school in Scott County. Neither Weber City Elementary or Shoemaker Elementary could accommodate "dozens" of kids. Just not possible.

The only potential negative of giving Darren a chance as HC is what do you do if he fails? Do you demote him to DC (and would he accept that)? Is it better to give him a chance as HC, or is it better to hire a HC and let Darren play to his strengths as a DC. Do not know the answer. I am certainly no VHSL Rules Expert, but I thought eligibility hinges on where you enter 9th grade for the first time. If there are North kids who have already entered 9th grade and they then come to GC, do not believe they are eligible to play unless they physically move to Scott County. (Someone please correct me if I am wrong.) Not sure if they would be eligible after attending a year at GC. No clue. I do know that every couple of years we have TN kids who come over and ask about playing football. Generally these are kids that, due to disciplinary issues, are not going to be allowed to play football at their school. Their parents do not want to, or can not, pay the tuition to allow them to attend DB. These kids are told they must physically move to Scott County, and have it verified before they can play. They don't move, and they don't play.