Nice article by Patrick Hite!
In a late December game against Amelia County, Robert E. Lee's Darius George scored a career-high 41 points in his team's win. That was impressive.
A week ago, Gate City's Mac McClung hung 64 points on Dan River in a loss. That was maybe more impressive.
Friday night, George and his Lee High teammates will face off against McClung and Gate City in what is the most anticipated of four Group 2A boys basketball state quarterfinal games at James Madison University's Convocation Center. The Leemen and Blue Devils meet in the final game of the day with the tip scheduled for 7:45 p.m.
According to the VHSL record book, McClung's 64-point performance was the most since Whitewood's Danny Honaker scored 78 points in 1984. Lee High coach Jarrett Hatcher hasn't seen McClung — who is averaging 30 points a game — in person, but he's watched him on video and read a lot about the 6-3 junior. And Hatcher's father, legendary coach Paul Hatcher, and brother, Brandon Hatcher, have seen Gate City in person.
The Lee coach said both men were impressed with McClung. It's kind of tough not to be.
"We didn't score 64 as a team," said Hatcher, referring to Lee's 59-57 loss to Madison County Saturday night. "He's the kind of kid who can take over a game by himself."
Hatcher said McClung reminded him of a more athletic Andrew Rowsey or Brian Bocock. McClung has received several Division I scholarship offers, including one from Marshall, which, interestingly enough, has signed George. Friday's game should hold special interest for fans of the Thundering Herd.
Gate City coach Scott Vermillion is concerned about the size his team will see Friday. George is 6-7, Jarvis Vaughan is 6-8 and Manny Johnson is 6-6. No one on Gate City's roster is listed taller than 6-5.
"You've got to try to keep the ball from getting to those guys in scoring position," Vermillion said.
Gate City played Georgia's Sandy Creek in the Arby's Classic in Bristol, Tennessee, in December and Vermillion said that team was bigger than Lee. Gate City lost in overtime, one of just four losses for the Blue Devils this season.
While Vermillion is well aware of George, who averages 25 points and nine rebounds a game, and Vaughan (15.2 ppg, 8.5 rpg), it's Johnson that has him worried. Johnson is averaging 7.2 points a game this season, but has really stepped up his play in the postseason.
"He's legit," the Gate City coach said. "The kid can play."
Robert E. Lee's Emmanuel Johnson moves the ball during the Region 2A East championship game played in Mechanicsville on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017. (Photo: Mike Tripp/The News Leader)
In addition to the loss to Sandy Creek, Gate City lost two other games in the Arby's Classic and then didn't lose again until Dan River beat them in the Region 2A West semifinals on Feb. 23. That loss sent Gate City into the consolation game of the regional tournament where it beat Chatham to claim the third seed.
Lee had a seven-game win streak snapped by losing to Madison, a team Lee led 16-3 in the first quarter. That gave Lee the second seed out of 2A East and landed them on what most consider the most difficult side of the state tournament bracket.
Lee and Gate City are both considered teams that can win a state title and whichever one survives Friday night will likely face Dan River, another favorite to win it all, Saturday night at JMU. A win in that semifinal game would send the team to Virginia Commonwealth University next Thursday for the state championship game where it's possible they would face Madison County. If either Lee or Gate City wins the state title this year, there's no question they will have earned it.
The Gate City coach knows that a win by his team over Dan River or a Lee win over Madison would have made the road to a state championship a little easier, but that's not how it played out.
"I think we both did it to ourselves," Vermillion said. "We were up five going into the fourth against Dan River. We let them score 35 points in the fourth quarter. We deserved what we got."
In addition to McClung, Lee will have to find a way to stop sophomore guard Zac Ervin, who averages 23 points a game. Freshman Bradley Dean, sophomore Andrew Vermillion and senior Hunter Collier will also present challenges to the Leemen. Hatcher compared Gate City to Spotswood, saying both teams had good shooters, solid backcourts and pretty skilled players up and down the roster.
Offensively, Gate City is a force, but what about their ability to stop opponents?
"Improving," Vermillion said with a laugh when asked about his team's defense. "Not great against Dan River. We are a work in progress."
Traditionally the coach likes to play tough man and press, but he hasn't done it as much this season because he has a thin bench and wants to keep his key players out of foul trouble.
"With this group I can't afford to get a couple of them off the floor," he said. "We don't reach out as often and press because of that."
Could we see a high-scoring game then on Friday? Most think so, but Lee's Hatcher said we'll have to wait and see. Perhaps he has a few surprises up his sleeve.
While George, Vaughan and Johnson get a lot of attention, Hatcher knows his other players will have to step up Friday. Point guard Jayden Williams (5.8 ppg, 4.4 apg) and Blaize Velvin (5.2 ppg) lead the backcourt, while 6-2 Tyrese Haliburton (4.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg) and Jahleel Pettiford (4.4 ppg) will also be a key part of Lee's attack.
Robert E. Lee's Jayden Williams shoots during the Region 2A East championship game played in Mechanicsville on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017. (Photo: Mike Tripp/The News Leader)
Playing at JMU helps from the standpoint that Lee, or its fans, won't have to travel as far. Sometimes outside shooting percentages can suffer in a college arena, but Hatcher isn't too worried about that since his team will have to be effective inside the paint in order to beat Gate City.
"We don't shoot well anyway," he said. "It doesn't matter if we play indoors, outdoors, an NBA arena."
One concern the Lee coach does have is that George has been sick with a stomach bug much of this week. He also took a pretty hard fall early against Madison County and, while there doesn't seem to be any injury from the incident, it did seem to affect the senior's play the rest of the game. George scored just one field goal in the first half and finished the game with only 14 points. Hatcher said the hard hit and fall rattled his star the rest of the game.
Hatcher hasn't talked much about that loss Saturday, instead concentrating on Gate City. He's heard people saying the loss may have done his Leemen some good, serving as a way to refocus. Hatcher just laughs at that. A loss is never okay with the coach.
"People say that all the time and it doesn't make a lot of sense to me," he said. "We hate losing more than we like winning."
If his Leemen can come out on top Friday night, though, Hatcher will like winning quite a bit also.
In a late December game against Amelia County, Robert E. Lee's Darius George scored a career-high 41 points in his team's win. That was impressive.
A week ago, Gate City's Mac McClung hung 64 points on Dan River in a loss. That was maybe more impressive.
Friday night, George and his Lee High teammates will face off against McClung and Gate City in what is the most anticipated of four Group 2A boys basketball state quarterfinal games at James Madison University's Convocation Center. The Leemen and Blue Devils meet in the final game of the day with the tip scheduled for 7:45 p.m.
According to the VHSL record book, McClung's 64-point performance was the most since Whitewood's Danny Honaker scored 78 points in 1984. Lee High coach Jarrett Hatcher hasn't seen McClung — who is averaging 30 points a game — in person, but he's watched him on video and read a lot about the 6-3 junior. And Hatcher's father, legendary coach Paul Hatcher, and brother, Brandon Hatcher, have seen Gate City in person.
The Lee coach said both men were impressed with McClung. It's kind of tough not to be.
"We didn't score 64 as a team," said Hatcher, referring to Lee's 59-57 loss to Madison County Saturday night. "He's the kind of kid who can take over a game by himself."
Hatcher said McClung reminded him of a more athletic Andrew Rowsey or Brian Bocock. McClung has received several Division I scholarship offers, including one from Marshall, which, interestingly enough, has signed George. Friday's game should hold special interest for fans of the Thundering Herd.
Gate City coach Scott Vermillion is concerned about the size his team will see Friday. George is 6-7, Jarvis Vaughan is 6-8 and Manny Johnson is 6-6. No one on Gate City's roster is listed taller than 6-5.
"You've got to try to keep the ball from getting to those guys in scoring position," Vermillion said.
Gate City played Georgia's Sandy Creek in the Arby's Classic in Bristol, Tennessee, in December and Vermillion said that team was bigger than Lee. Gate City lost in overtime, one of just four losses for the Blue Devils this season.
While Vermillion is well aware of George, who averages 25 points and nine rebounds a game, and Vaughan (15.2 ppg, 8.5 rpg), it's Johnson that has him worried. Johnson is averaging 7.2 points a game this season, but has really stepped up his play in the postseason.
"He's legit," the Gate City coach said. "The kid can play."
Robert E. Lee's Emmanuel Johnson moves the ball during the Region 2A East championship game played in Mechanicsville on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017. (Photo: Mike Tripp/The News Leader)
In addition to the loss to Sandy Creek, Gate City lost two other games in the Arby's Classic and then didn't lose again until Dan River beat them in the Region 2A West semifinals on Feb. 23. That loss sent Gate City into the consolation game of the regional tournament where it beat Chatham to claim the third seed.
Lee had a seven-game win streak snapped by losing to Madison, a team Lee led 16-3 in the first quarter. That gave Lee the second seed out of 2A East and landed them on what most consider the most difficult side of the state tournament bracket.
Lee and Gate City are both considered teams that can win a state title and whichever one survives Friday night will likely face Dan River, another favorite to win it all, Saturday night at JMU. A win in that semifinal game would send the team to Virginia Commonwealth University next Thursday for the state championship game where it's possible they would face Madison County. If either Lee or Gate City wins the state title this year, there's no question they will have earned it.
The Gate City coach knows that a win by his team over Dan River or a Lee win over Madison would have made the road to a state championship a little easier, but that's not how it played out.
"I think we both did it to ourselves," Vermillion said. "We were up five going into the fourth against Dan River. We let them score 35 points in the fourth quarter. We deserved what we got."
In addition to McClung, Lee will have to find a way to stop sophomore guard Zac Ervin, who averages 23 points a game. Freshman Bradley Dean, sophomore Andrew Vermillion and senior Hunter Collier will also present challenges to the Leemen. Hatcher compared Gate City to Spotswood, saying both teams had good shooters, solid backcourts and pretty skilled players up and down the roster.
Offensively, Gate City is a force, but what about their ability to stop opponents?
"Improving," Vermillion said with a laugh when asked about his team's defense. "Not great against Dan River. We are a work in progress."
Traditionally the coach likes to play tough man and press, but he hasn't done it as much this season because he has a thin bench and wants to keep his key players out of foul trouble.
"With this group I can't afford to get a couple of them off the floor," he said. "We don't reach out as often and press because of that."
Could we see a high-scoring game then on Friday? Most think so, but Lee's Hatcher said we'll have to wait and see. Perhaps he has a few surprises up his sleeve.
While George, Vaughan and Johnson get a lot of attention, Hatcher knows his other players will have to step up Friday. Point guard Jayden Williams (5.8 ppg, 4.4 apg) and Blaize Velvin (5.2 ppg) lead the backcourt, while 6-2 Tyrese Haliburton (4.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg) and Jahleel Pettiford (4.4 ppg) will also be a key part of Lee's attack.
Robert E. Lee's Jayden Williams shoots during the Region 2A East championship game played in Mechanicsville on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017. (Photo: Mike Tripp/The News Leader)
Playing at JMU helps from the standpoint that Lee, or its fans, won't have to travel as far. Sometimes outside shooting percentages can suffer in a college arena, but Hatcher isn't too worried about that since his team will have to be effective inside the paint in order to beat Gate City.
"We don't shoot well anyway," he said. "It doesn't matter if we play indoors, outdoors, an NBA arena."
One concern the Lee coach does have is that George has been sick with a stomach bug much of this week. He also took a pretty hard fall early against Madison County and, while there doesn't seem to be any injury from the incident, it did seem to affect the senior's play the rest of the game. George scored just one field goal in the first half and finished the game with only 14 points. Hatcher said the hard hit and fall rattled his star the rest of the game.
Hatcher hasn't talked much about that loss Saturday, instead concentrating on Gate City. He's heard people saying the loss may have done his Leemen some good, serving as a way to refocus. Hatcher just laughs at that. A loss is never okay with the coach.
"People say that all the time and it doesn't make a lot of sense to me," he said. "We hate losing more than we like winning."
If his Leemen can come out on top Friday night, though, Hatcher will like winning quite a bit also.
