sixcat

Bliss is certainly an antonym for what's there in reality.  Fortunately, I wasn't there long.  Those 115 degree days followed by 45 degree nights were more than I cared to endure long enough to get accustomed to.  Not to mention, the astroturf lawns!

Since we have gotten outside the area a bit.  I attended a few games while stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso Texas way back in he early 90's.  Jones Stadium was built in 1916 and is easily, the most interesting stadium of any kind I have ever visited. 
http://www.texasbob.com/stadium_h/hof_jonesrr.html

Since we have gotten outside the area a bit.  I attended a few games while stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso Texas way back in he early 90's.  Jones Stadium was built in 1916 and is easily, the most interesting stadium of any kind I have ever visited. 
http://www.texasbob.com/stadium_h/hof_jonesrr.html

Since we have gotten outside the area a bit.  I attended a few games while stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso Texas way back in he early 90's.  Jones Stadium was built in 1916 and is easily, the most interesting stadium of any kind I have ever visited. 
http://www.texasbob.com/stadium_h/hof_jonesrr.html

I saw Shoemaker play both football and basketball in high school against my younger brother.  Very talented athlete. Being the guy who replaced Tim Duncan at Wake is something he can tell his grandkids someday. 
Joe Stiltner was also a starter for an ACC program at NC State at a time when they were competitive on a national level.
 

Georgetown is just a name these days and not a lot more than that.  As a result, they hired a "name" to coach a declining program rather than hire a credible coach.  
As I have said before, I wish McClung and any other kid nothing but the best in whatever life brings them.  But it would be incredibly difficult for me to walk away from an Ivy League education if I had that option!

As I said when McClung committed there, Georgetown is little more than a name that used to be good these days.  All flash, no substance.  I am hopeful players like McClung can help turn it around, but I am not impressed with Patrick “Gold Club” Ewing’s coaching acumen.

Girls basketball and softball consistently produce more state championship caliber teams than any other sports on our end of the state and have for a long time.  They rarely receive the same recognition as the boys, however.  It's nice to see the efforts of these young lady's being noticed with the amount of activity on this site.
The girls who remain in the program at Galax are changing the culture.  The new coach ruffled some feathers of parents and players alike causing roughly half the program participants to quit over the past year.  I'm not certain that's an altogether negative thing.  Changing a culture of mediocrity means changing habits, patterns, expectations and desires.  Those who weren't willing to put in the work throughout the spring and summer were a part of the culture of mediocrity.  The results have been tremendous thus far.  This team is young, hungry but inconsistent.  But the inconsistency is changing rapidly!
I look forward to what these girls can accomplish over the next few years.

Girls basketball and softball consistently produce more state championship caliber teams than any other sports on our end of the state and have for a long time.  They rarely receive the same recognition as the boys, however.  It's nice to see the efforts of these young lady's being noticed with the amount of activity on this site.
The girls who remain in the program at Galax are changing the culture.  The new coach ruffled some feathers of parents and players alike causing roughly half the program participants to quit over the past year.  I'm not certain that's an altogether negative thing.  Changing a culture of mediocrity means changing habits, patterns, expectations and desires.  Those who weren't willing to put in the work throughout the spring and summer were a part of the culture of mediocrity.  The results have been tremendous thus far.  This team is young, hungry but inconsistent.  But the inconsistency is changing rapidly!
I look forward to what these girls can accomplish over the next few years.

So were Native American's when our ancestors stole this country from them!
Just saying, many layers to an onion.  

I think it's wonderful that we have, between this thread and the "Rankings" thread, 9 pages of nothing but girls basketball commentary.  I didn't think that was possible, to be honest!

At the end of the day, it should be a family decision based on what's best for the child.  I know the system gets abused to benefit athletic programs but I'm not certain anything can be done to correct that aspect of it.  
Either way, it doesn't affect my children so, to each their own, I guess.  

So were Native American's when our ancestors stole this country from them!
Just saying, many layers to an onion.  

I think it's wonderful that we have, between this thread and the "Rankings" thread, 9 pages of nothing but girls basketball commentary.  I didn't think that was possible, to be honest!

At the end of the day, it should be a family decision based on what's best for the child.  I know the system gets abused to benefit athletic programs but I'm not certain anything can be done to correct that aspect of it.  
Either way, it doesn't affect my children so, to each their own, I guess.  

I doubt there has ever been a team in SWVA who could match the size of that 96 Gate City team.  I believe their starting lineup was C Jason Haynes 6-10. PF Chad Beasley 6-6 SF Jake Houseright 6-4 SG Josh Shoemaker 6-9 PG Chris Peters 6-1.  Jason Horton was 7-1 and on the bench.  He transferred to Twin Springs the next year.  Liberty Bedford was just too good for GC to ever get beyond them.

Greg Mance to Hurley confirmed!

It’s Cave Spring. There’s no ‘s’ on the end. And yes, it’s in Roanoke. 
Roanoke may be considered SWVA when you’re taking about the state or politics or whatever. But when it comes to high school sports, it’s not SWVA. 

From what I understand, he was a bit of a wild child. Probably contributed to his shortened career at NC State. My uncle took me to see him play a few times when I was a small child. 

I saw Shoemaker play both football and basketball in high school against my younger brother.  Very talented athlete. Being the guy who replaced Tim Duncan at Wake is something he can tell his grandkids someday. 
Joe Stiltner was also a starter for an ACC program at NC State at a time when they were competitive on a national level.
 

That works in the real world, not so much in Hammer World.

Grayson's only loss was an impressive showing against Radford in a 9 point game.  Grayson is a solid team with a lot of talent.  Grayson didn't have an answer for the quickness of Morton-Robertson.  Not many will outside of Gate City.

And that is what was wrong with the old system...preached it for years...

Joe Stiltner scored 875 points in only 21 games for Bland in 1977.  His 41.7 points per game scoring average that season is still #1 in the VHSL Book of Records.  The link is a photo of him playing for Norm Sloan at NC State.
https://d.lib.ncsu.edu/collections/catalog/0008140#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=0&z=-4045.8165%2C-659.4103%2C12281.633%2C6961.1111
Any list of "best high school basketball players from SWVA" that doesn't include Stiltner is incomplete!

Joe Stiltner scored 875 points in only 21 games for Bland in 1977.  His 41.7 points per game scoring average that season is still #1 in the VHSL Book of Records.  The link is a photo of him playing for Norm Sloan at NC State.
https://d.lib.ncsu.edu/collections/catalog/0008140#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=0&z=-4045.8165%2C-659.4103%2C12281.633%2C6961.1111
Any list of "best high school basketball players from SWVA" that doesn't include Stiltner is incomplete!