McClung, Gate City boys push past Battle; GC girls edge Trojan
Johnny Wilson | Sports Correspondent
BRISTOL, Va. - Southwest Virginia’s resident rock star filled another gymnasium Tuesday night and Gate City’s boys basketball team eased to another victory. It wasn’t exactly so easy, however.
John Battle came to play, but in the end it was too much Mac McClung as Gate City took out the homestanding Trojans and claimed an 84-64 Mountain 7 District win.
“That’s what we’re going to get - everybody’s best game every time we come out,” veteran Gate City coach Scotty Vermillion said. “You attribute that to John Battle executing well and hitting shots.
“After the 3-ball wasn’t going down in the first quarter we stopped shooting it and started getting to the rim, and that turned it for us.”
No one in these parts can get to the rim like McClung, the 6-foot-2 Georgetown-bound superstar who just may end up the Virginia High School League’s all-time scorer.
McClung’s 42-point effort last night, which featured one dunk and 12 of 15 free throws as he continually drew contact weaving and bobbing through the lane, won’t hurt his case.
“One-on-one or one-on-five, he’s very hard to stop,” Vermillion said.
Coming off an ankle injury suffered just three nights ago, McClung seemed in typical form against the Trojans (11-6, 4-5).
“Before the game I wasn’t sure I was going to play, but I just couldn’t stay out and had to give it a shot,” said McClung, who now has over 2,400 career points. “We were a little sluggish starting out, but we’re going to have games like that.
“We’ve got a lot to do to improve to get to where we want to be, no doubt about that.”
John Battle opened like a house afire, getting hot starts from its 120-pound guard tandem of Cayden McConley and Reed Samuel to lead 20-15 after one period, The Trojans were up 24-17 when the Blue Devils started to flip the scoreboard.
McClung finished with 21 first-half points, helping Gate City (17-1, 10-0) to a 36-30 advantage at intermission.
“We knew we have a pretty good basketball team that was capable to playing with them, we just had to prove it to ourselves and we did so in the first half,” Battle coach Jon Odum said. “But they were able to separate themselves a bit there in the fourth quarter by getting the ball in their playmaker’s hands.
“But I’m proud of the game we played.”
Gate City, which received 21 points from Zac Ervin and 12 from Bradley Dean, was rarely threatened in the second half.
John Battle was led by the 15-point game of Caleb Goins. Mikey Statti kicked in 13 for the Trojans while McConley and Samuel each scored 12.
GIRLS
Gate City 36, John Battle 33
The Blue Devils relied on balanced scoring to edge the Trojans.
Gate City (6-4, 9-10) trailed at the first stop but gained its initial lead on a 3-point jumper by Kate Pendleton. By halftime, the Blue Devils led 17-14 and after three periods the visitors from Scott County were up 25-21.
Battle, which made just two field goals in the first half, stayed in it and had its chances, but the Trojans (1-8, 5-12) could not get over the hump.
Receiving eight points apiece from Leghan Musick and Tori Powers, Gate City held its largest lead at 32-25.
Michaela Monk scored 12 points to pace Battle, which got 11 from Callie Haderer.
