HIGH SCHOOL
Patrick Hite
Staunton News Leader
He had to tell her no. The Gap girls program has won three — 1984, 2008 and 2009, but none under Morgan. He played in one, coached in two others. Maybe after Friday he can tell the next player who asks that, yes, he won a title in 2025.
Buffalo Gap (22-4) will play George Wythe (26-3) on Friday at 12:30 p.m. for the Class 1 girls basketball state championship.
The game will be played at the Virginia Commonwealth University Siegel Center.
Tickets have to be purchased in advance on the VHSL website. Tickets won't be sold at the venue Friday.
"As much as I would like to win one, I would like to see the kids experience it," Morgan said. "I want to see that."
Morgan began coaching Buffalo Gap in 1995 and coached for 10 years. The first four years weren't great, with the Bison winning 22 of 88 games, but it got better. Gap reached the state tournament twice in his next six years. He left coaching for nine years, returning in 2013. He's been there since; his second stint now longer than his first.
In those 11 years, he's guided Buffalo Gap to six state tournaments and the state championship game in 2018 and 2022, losing both times.
"I've put in a lot of minutes on this court," Morgan said. "A lot of miles on the bus."
What he did accomplish, unknown to most, was win his 300th game. Morgan would rather his players get the accolades, so when the milestone win came against Altavista in the regional quarterfinals, there was no celebration. Asked if he had told anyone about the accomplishment, he said "only to family."
He only said something after practice Tuesday because he was asked.
Now, he has 304 wins heading into Friday. The 305th won't be easy.
Doug Campbell is in his 12th year coaching at George Wythe, leaving the Castlewood boys program to take over in Wytheville. Before the season, he wasn't sure what to expect out of his team.
"To be honest with you, I thought we had a chance, but a lot of things would have to come together," Campbell said. "We're still relatively young."
The team has one senior, two juniors, five sophomores and two freshmen. Meanwhile, Gap will start three seniors, a junior and a freshman.
"It's just one of those things I knew we possibly had the talent to make some noise," Campbell said. "I just didn't know if this year might be that year."
Whatever needed to come together did. George Wythe is 26-3, losing to J.I. Burton, Abingdon and Honaker this year, but winners of 13 in a row coming into Friday's game.
The Maroons almost didn't make it to Richmond, trailing by 14 in the third quarter to Honaker in the semifinals. They battled back for a 34-31 win.
Freshman Avery Cline led the way with 17 points. That's not always the case, one player having a huge game. Campbell said his team will play 10 players, and each will play at least 10 minutes a game.
"Our scoring is balanced across," he said. "We don't have that one 20-point scorer. We've got three or four averaging in double digits. All 10 of my players play a key part in what we do."
Senior Abby Berry has played for Campbell all four years. Junior Makaylan Luttrell has committed herself to being a great defensive player this year, Campbell said. Sophomores Alana Malavolti and Caroline Harris will also be counted on for George Wythe. And Campbell's daughter, freshman Baylee Campbell, will come off the bench.
Defense is where Goerge Wythe likes to make a difference, with the coach saying they love to get after teams and turn defense into offense. That's what Gap has seen on video.
"They play man defense and we haven't seen that a whole lot," Buffalo Gap senior Rachael Carter said. "We've been working hard on that. We've been getting really aggressive. I think we're getting prepared for what's coming."
Karah Richie said she thinks the game may be physical, much like the Brunswick games both times the Bison beat the Bulldogs. Richie said she loves those kind of games.
"Makes you want to work harder, makes you run faster," she said.
Morgan agreed with his players as far as defense. On offense, from the video he's watched, George Wythe likes to shoot a lot of 3s. They're not big, but Morgan said they're just a solid all-around good team.
Buffalo Gap has gained this experience playing in the always-tough Shenandoah District. Five of the seven district teams reached the playoffs this year and two made the state tournament. The Bison are 22-4 with losses to Stuarts Draft, Staunton, Wilson Memorial and Skyline. The Bison have won eight in a row.
When asked about the Bison, Campbell went immediately to senior Hannah Coffman, Gap's leading scorer.
"She can play, she's a player," Campbell said. "She plays inside, she plays out. I mean, she handles the ball. To me, it looks like she's the do-it-all for Buffalo Gap. She's the leader."
Campbell also pointed out how impressed he was with the play of Gap freshman Bailey Tribble and junior Kayleigh Hemp.
"The thing that impresses me about them is all of them have accepted their role on that team to get where they've gotten," Campbell said. "They have no problem with producing in that role. Seems to me from watching them that they play well together ... it's going to be a tough opponent for us."
In the most recent poll by the Basketball Coaches Association of Virginia, George Wythe was ranked second in Class 1, just behind Honaker, the team they beat in the semifinals. Buffalo Gap was ranked fifth.
Morgan likes the way his team stacks up against Wythe.
"I like how we match up with them," Morgan said. "I like the contrast in styles. I like the fact that I feel like one of our strong suits, especially the last two to three weeks, has been our defense. We've been able to cover shooters and get out on the 3-point line. I feel good where we're at."
Phillip Morgan likes how Buffalo Gap matches up with George Wythe in state championship
Patrick HiteStaunton News Leader
- AI-assisted summary
- Buffalo Gap (22-4) will play George Wythe (26-3) Friday for the Class 1 girls basketball state championship.
- This is Buffalo Gap's third trip to the state championship in 11 years under coach Phillip Morgan, losing in 2018 and 2022.
- Buffalo Gap is led by senior Hannah Coffman, who George Wythe coach Doug Campbell called a "do-it-all" player.
- The game tips off at 12:30 p.m. at the VCU Siegel Center in Richmond.
He had to tell her no. The Gap girls program has won three — 1984, 2008 and 2009, but none under Morgan. He played in one, coached in two others. Maybe after Friday he can tell the next player who asks that, yes, he won a title in 2025.
Buffalo Gap (22-4) will play George Wythe (26-3) on Friday at 12:30 p.m. for the Class 1 girls basketball state championship.
The game will be played at the Virginia Commonwealth University Siegel Center.
Tickets have to be purchased in advance on the VHSL website. Tickets won't be sold at the venue Friday.
"As much as I would like to win one, I would like to see the kids experience it," Morgan said. "I want to see that."
Morgan began coaching Buffalo Gap in 1995 and coached for 10 years. The first four years weren't great, with the Bison winning 22 of 88 games, but it got better. Gap reached the state tournament twice in his next six years. He left coaching for nine years, returning in 2013. He's been there since; his second stint now longer than his first.
In those 11 years, he's guided Buffalo Gap to six state tournaments and the state championship game in 2018 and 2022, losing both times.
"I've put in a lot of minutes on this court," Morgan said. "A lot of miles on the bus."
What he did accomplish, unknown to most, was win his 300th game. Morgan would rather his players get the accolades, so when the milestone win came against Altavista in the regional quarterfinals, there was no celebration. Asked if he had told anyone about the accomplishment, he said "only to family."
He only said something after practice Tuesday because he was asked.
Now, he has 304 wins heading into Friday. The 305th won't be easy.
Doug Campbell is in his 12th year coaching at George Wythe, leaving the Castlewood boys program to take over in Wytheville. Before the season, he wasn't sure what to expect out of his team.
"To be honest with you, I thought we had a chance, but a lot of things would have to come together," Campbell said. "We're still relatively young."
The team has one senior, two juniors, five sophomores and two freshmen. Meanwhile, Gap will start three seniors, a junior and a freshman.
"It's just one of those things I knew we possibly had the talent to make some noise," Campbell said. "I just didn't know if this year might be that year."
Whatever needed to come together did. George Wythe is 26-3, losing to J.I. Burton, Abingdon and Honaker this year, but winners of 13 in a row coming into Friday's game.
The Maroons almost didn't make it to Richmond, trailing by 14 in the third quarter to Honaker in the semifinals. They battled back for a 34-31 win.
Freshman Avery Cline led the way with 17 points. That's not always the case, one player having a huge game. Campbell said his team will play 10 players, and each will play at least 10 minutes a game.
"Our scoring is balanced across," he said. "We don't have that one 20-point scorer. We've got three or four averaging in double digits. All 10 of my players play a key part in what we do."
Senior Abby Berry has played for Campbell all four years. Junior Makaylan Luttrell has committed herself to being a great defensive player this year, Campbell said. Sophomores Alana Malavolti and Caroline Harris will also be counted on for George Wythe. And Campbell's daughter, freshman Baylee Campbell, will come off the bench.
Defense is where Goerge Wythe likes to make a difference, with the coach saying they love to get after teams and turn defense into offense. That's what Gap has seen on video.
"They play man defense and we haven't seen that a whole lot," Buffalo Gap senior Rachael Carter said. "We've been working hard on that. We've been getting really aggressive. I think we're getting prepared for what's coming."
Karah Richie said she thinks the game may be physical, much like the Brunswick games both times the Bison beat the Bulldogs. Richie said she loves those kind of games.
"Makes you want to work harder, makes you run faster," she said.
Morgan agreed with his players as far as defense. On offense, from the video he's watched, George Wythe likes to shoot a lot of 3s. They're not big, but Morgan said they're just a solid all-around good team.
Buffalo Gap has gained this experience playing in the always-tough Shenandoah District. Five of the seven district teams reached the playoffs this year and two made the state tournament. The Bison are 22-4 with losses to Stuarts Draft, Staunton, Wilson Memorial and Skyline. The Bison have won eight in a row.
When asked about the Bison, Campbell went immediately to senior Hannah Coffman, Gap's leading scorer.
"She can play, she's a player," Campbell said. "She plays inside, she plays out. I mean, she handles the ball. To me, it looks like she's the do-it-all for Buffalo Gap. She's the leader."
Campbell also pointed out how impressed he was with the play of Gap freshman Bailey Tribble and junior Kayleigh Hemp.
"The thing that impresses me about them is all of them have accepted their role on that team to get where they've gotten," Campbell said. "They have no problem with producing in that role. Seems to me from watching them that they play well together ... it's going to be a tough opponent for us."
In the most recent poll by the Basketball Coaches Association of Virginia, George Wythe was ranked second in Class 1, just behind Honaker, the team they beat in the semifinals. Buffalo Gap was ranked fifth.
Morgan likes the way his team stacks up against Wythe.
"I like how we match up with them," Morgan said. "I like the contrast in styles. I like the fact that I feel like one of our strong suits, especially the last two to three weeks, has been our defense. We've been able to cover shooters and get out on the 3-point line. I feel good where we're at."
