Gunner' one of Blues weapons

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Gunner’ one of several weapons for Richlands basketball

 

By BRIAN WOODSON

Bluefield Daily Telegraph

 

BLUEFIELD — Richlands plans to unleash its ‘Gunner’ on the opposition this season.

 

It was certainly effective last Friday when Gunner McGee scored 32 points to lead Richlands to a Southwest District win over Carroll County.

 

However, Jimmy McGee knows even a ‘Gunner’ misfires at times.

 

“We got to develop some post play, we can’t always rely on Gunner getting 30 or 32, that’s not going to happen,†said Jimmy McGee, Gunner’s uncle and Richlands’ fourth-year head coach. “We have to create and get some easy buckets, and we’ve got some kids that can do it.â€

 

Gunner is one of them. McGee, whose father, Nick — a point guard at Richlands in the early ‘80s — was killed in a car accident in 1997, has worked to become the type of player that can do a little bit of everything on the basketball court.

 

The 6-foot-4 McGee scored all 16 of Richlands’ first quarter points in the win over Carroll County. His success is no accident.

 

“He’s worked his hind end off since he was 7-years-old. He’s always working in the gym, he goes to two or three camps in the summer,†Jimmy McGee said. “He’s dedicated everything he had done in the last several years to hard work in the gym and in camps.

 

“He’s 6-4, he’s long and he handles the ball very well. We started the season with him at point guard so that tells you about his skill. He’s a skilled player, and that comes from nothing but hard work and long hours in the gym.â€

 

After an 0-3 start to the season against Virginia High, Lebanon and Castlewood, Richlands (2-3) won its next two heading into Tuesday’s SWD contest with Marion. That includes a win over Haysi and the victory against the Cavaliers.

 

“We started the season with three really good teams,†McGee said. “We purposely wanted to play those type of teams to get ready for the district schedule.â€

 

McGee is working to replace nearly 50 points a game from last year’s 12-10 team that saw its season end with an SWD tourney loss to Marion. Ben Mulkey, who averaged about 24 points a game the last two seasons, is now at Virginia Intermont, while Jordan Barnett, who tallied nearly 18 a contest, is playing baseball at Limestone College.

 

What Richlands lacks in experience it makes up for in height. McGee is 6-4, as is Ricky Lawrence and Brian Beavers, while James Patton, who backs up Lawrence at center, is a 6-5 sophomore.

 

“We are big, tall and athletic. We’re experiencing some growing pains right now,†said McGee, whose Tornado last reached the Region IV tourney in 2006, dropping a decision at powerful Martinsville. “We’re still trying to find our identity.â€

 

Joining McGee in the starting lineup is Mulkey’s brother, Eric Mulkey, (5-1, jr.), and Jake Rife (6-1, sr.), along with Lawrence and 6-1 Ethain Keene.

 

“Ethain is a strong player, he’s been in the program for three years and he knows what we expect from him,†McGee said. “Lawrence played inside for us last year and he’s a very lean, agile kid. He’s athletic, tall and long and he’s come in and given us some output.â€

 

Beavers and Patton will provide minutes in the post, while Kenneth Boyd, Blake Tatum, Tyler Anders and Ryan Meadows can also expect to play ball. All have been in the program for several years, and know what McGee expects.

 

McGee would like to see the Tornado average about 70 points a game, something they’re still working toward. He’s also looking for better production from the free throw line. Richlands hit just 47 percent against Carroll County, and that may have accounted for the one-point final margin, 54-53.

 

“We don’t have a lot of wiggle room to make a lot of mistakes. We’ve got to get some easy buckets in transition and we don’t have a lot of room for error,†McGee said. “We have to be able to hit free throws. You can’t win that way. We were very fortunate Friday night. We can’t do that.

 

“We can’t afford to make mistakes, we’ve got to handle the basketball and not have double-digit turnovers. We have to play smart, and we have to get output from each position.â€

 

McGee figures the Southwest District will be another wide open race, much like it is every year. Winning at home would certainly make life easier.

 

“I think you have to win your home district games, that is the key in our district,†McGee said. “There is a lot of parity in our district and to have a shot once February roll around, you’ve got to hold serve at home.

 

“You’ve got to win your home district games and hope to catch a couple on the road. We have to win our home games and go from there.â€

 

With the new regional format that will allow separate divisions for Group AA schools, McGee hopes that could help in a playoff run, but there are still solid programs waiting in Division 3 on the other side of the state.

 

“We’re going to the same format that football has had,†McGee said. “I think it was created to get more schools in the playoffs and hopefully it will work to our advantage and I think it will.

 

“You’ll still have to play the Martinsvilles and Magna Vistas. Those schools might be down in football, but they’re always good in basketball. They have a lot of skill kids, they can run and jump and they’re big, athletic kids.â€

 

Still, McGee is just glad to see kids from smaller schools get a chance.

 

“Getting in might be easier, but after you get in, you’ve got to adjust to speed,†McGee said. “It is a complement to get more schools in and that’s what it’s all about is to get the kids in there and let them compete.â€

 

Now in his fourth season at Richlands, McGee benefits from the same work ethic that the successful Blue Tornado football program does.

 

“We’ve come a long way in three years. I think we’ve won like 35 or 36 games in the last three years,†McGee said. “We’re still growing and we’re pleased to have come from where we were to where have come.

 

“The kids have made steady progress every year. They are going to work hard for you, We just seem to have those type of kids here at Richlands.â€

 

—Contact Brian Woodson

 

bwoodson@bdtonline.com

 

 

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