Boys’ Basketball Outlook

Posted: December 22, 2015
By WALT MOODY

Last boys’ basketball season, Millbrook dominated the Northwestern District, going 8-0 in league play on the way to a 20-4 mark that ended with an overtime postseason loss to Charlottesville.

The Pioneers, the lone area team to advance to the playoffs, outscored their opponents last season, thanks in a big part to the shooting prowess of Zach Harrell, The Star’s Player of the Year, and Chris Oates. The two combined for 30.5 points per game.

According to area coaches, Millbrook is the Conference 21A favorite this season, but none expect the Pioneers or any other league team to emerge with a perfect conference record.

Millbrook certainly has a different look, precipitated by the graduations of Harrell and Oates, who were first team all-area picks.

Pressure in-your-face defense now characterizes the Pioneers. They opened the season with a non-conference matchup against Conference 21A rival Woodgrove and forced 26 turnovers in a 61-29 romp.

“Defense will be a key,” said Millbrook coach Derek Butler, whose squad is off to a 5-2 start. “We’re really athletic so we’re going to plan on getting up-and-down the court. We’ll definitely have some pressure that we try to incorporate into our game.”

While losing two key scorers, the Pioneers return several starters including forward Taryk Baylor, a second team all-area pick, along with guards Alex Amos and Donte Weaver, both honorable mention selections. Jordan Funk, a clutch shooter, and Trey Braithwaite also saw significant minutes last season. Trammell Anthony has proven to be a threat off the bench.

Butler says he’s looking forward to see how the new-look group performs.

“All have improved their games,” he said of his players. “Those two [Harrell and Oates] were such good scorers that we relied on them. The others didn’t have to score as much for us to compete at a high level. Their games are going to come out more. They’ve developed it and I think it’s going to come out more.”

Butler hopes teams think that they’ll have less of an outside threat this season.

“We’re athletic enough to penetrate but if teams think that because we lost Zach and Chris that we can’t shoot the ball, we’ll be willing to challenge that notion that we can’t. … I think we’re planning on spreading it around. If a team tries to take away certain guys, other guys will step up and have big nights. We’ll have a stat line this year where several guys are close to double figures. We have several guys who can score as well as share the ball.”

Asked to pick a top challenger for his team’s crown, Butler points to James Wood and Colonels coach Tim Wygant certainly believes his team has potential to do big things.

The Colonels, 8-17, 1-7 Northwestern a year ago, have gotten off to a 5-2 start with their two losses coming by four points or less.

Wygant believes if the Colonels can work through some continuity issues, they’ll have a strong season.

“There are probably two of three groups of two or three [players] who really work well together,” he said. “We need to meld those different groups together, so we can functionally put five very good players on the floor. As soon as that happens, we’re going to be very tough to beat. … We really have the potential to play for a long time, meaning into later February and March if we put it together.”

Forward Robert Jackson and guard Chandler Brooks have already had big scoring games for the Colonels and Andrew Hinebaugh is a player who “does everything right,” according to Wygant.

But, the coach says his team can hurt opponents with its defense. The Colonels have held four opponents under 53 points.

“I’d like to think that the strength of our team is defense, specifically defensive rebounding,” Wygant said. “We do a good job of securing the basketball if the opposing team misses. We’ve been working hard on forcing difficult shots. Some times those difficult shots go in, but if they miss we almost always get the rebound.”

Wygant expects a tight league race. “I would say everybody is relatively close,” he said. “… I don’t anticipate someone in this conference going 5-0. Everybody is going to beat somebody.”

Handley coach Jason Toton feels his club is deep enough to knock off foes, despite losing one of the area’s top scorers in KeSean Robinson to graduation.

The Judges (7-17, 3-5 last year) are off to a 5-2 start, including an 88-85 overtime thriller over John Champe on Sunday.

Handley has received balanced scoring this season with forward Gus Wise, an honorable mention all-area pick, guard Kobe Tigney and forward Keevon Martin all having led the Judges at least one game in scoring.

But Toton is not scared to go deep down his bench to play at the pace he wants.

“We want to get up in your face,” he said. “We’re capable of throwing 11 guys out there at you. When we sub, we don’t lose a lot. A lot of that dimension is key to us being dangerous.”

Two new faces are contributing to the squad.

Parker Wilson, the defending VHSL 4A singles and doubles champion in tennis, is playing for the first time as a senior.

“He’s out for the first time and has provided a good spark,” Toton said. “He provides a lot of leadership which is a need.”

Toton is also pleased with another senior, Traiven Baxter, a 6-foot-4 guard. “He has done a good job at doing the dirty work that a team needs to be done.”

The Judges also will get a lift from Quentin Davenport, a key reserve from last season, who has missed the first part of the season with injuries.

Toton believes anyone has a shot at the conference title.

“It’s a very competitive conference,” he said. “Any team can get hot at anytime and beat one of the other teams.”

Sherando (18-5, 6-2) placed second in the Northwestern District last season, but lost two all-area first team selections in Jordan Henry and Trey Brisco and second-teamer Kyle Tusing to graduation.

Having lost so many standout players, Sherando coach Garland Williams is trying to fit many new pieces together. The Warriors are off to a 3-4 start in their rebuilding effort.

“We looking at getting better and knowing each other,” Williams said. “The last couple of games, we thought we could have done a better job at assisting each other with better passing. We also need to not just look for a good shot, but look for a better shot.

“Chemistry is very important. We’ve got to be able to come together when things are not going well. We have to do a better job of playing defense.”

Guard A.J. Outler has been the Warriors’ most consistent scorer, guard Alex Morefield (a 29-point game) and forward Jared Miller (two 16-point games) have breakout capability.

Williams said the key for his club is rebounding.

“We can push the ball,” he said. “We have some guys that can get up-and-down the court if we can control the boards a little better. We have some guys (Outler, Morefield, Miller) that can hopefully provide some outside shooting.”

Williams said the conference race will be a dogfight.

“If we can get our group together, we should be in the mix at the end,” he said. “We feel like we’ll be in every game against those guys.”

Clarke County coach Brent Emmart went from one game to another in a matter of days.

Emmart is an assistant football coach for the Eagles, who made the Group 2A title game played on Dec. 12. On Dec. 15, his team opened its delayed season. The Eagles got off to such a late start because they had several players on the football team.

On Dec. 14, his players had to practice before and after school to try to get ready for an opener against 5-0 Madison County. It’s been rough sledding as the Eagles have dropped their first four games by an average of 27 points.

“We have a lot of room to improve,” Emmart said. “We’re just trying to improve every day.”

Emmart said the late start obviously put his team behind, but he is not dwelling upon it.

“We’re not using that as an excuse,” he said. “We have to do a good job of coaching them up.”

Right now the Eagles (8-16 overall, 7-9 Bull Run District last season) are looking for a consistent scoring threat. Sean McDonald, a first team all-area selection, led the area with an 18.4 average last season.

Emmart hopes another McDonald — Sean’s younger brother Brett — can provide some of that scoring punch. Newcomer Hayden Good has led the team in scoring three times this season. Football standouts Hunter Rogers, Julius Grant and Jordon Turner also expect to see big minutes.

The following is a glance at area teams:

Handley

Coach: Jason Toton, third season

Last year: 7-11, 3-5 Northwestern District

Key losses: KeSean Robinson, Will Dearing, Kerner, Sirbaugh

Key returnees: Michael Brown, So., G; Gus Wise, So., G; Keevon Martin, So., F; Quentin Davenport, Jr., G; Zach Thompson, Sr., F

Top newcomers: Parker Wilson, Sr., F; Traiven Baxter Sr., F; John Blair, Jr., G; Kevin Curry, Fr., F; D’andre James, Fr., G; Ra’Shaad Morris, So, G

Toton’s outlook: “We’ve got five guys back and six newcomers. We have a lot of athletes who are learning each other’s tendencies and learning their roles. Once we figure it out, I hope we will be a dangerous team at the end of the season.”

James Wood

Coach: Tim Wygant, third season

Last year: 8-13, 1-7 Northwestern District

Key losses: Branson Ratlief, McCall Toler, Brady Hepner, Tanner Lippold

Key returnees: Aidan Houser, Jr., G; Chandler Brooks, So., G; Robert Jackson, Sr., F; Sam Costin, Jr., F; Andrew Hinebaugh, Sr., F; Vincent Lew, Jr., G; Noah Sullivan, Jr., F; Colin Watts, Sr., G; Christopher Vitagliano, Jr., F

Top newcomers: Sam Hopkins, Jr., F; Ben Sear, Jr., G; Isaiah Peacoe, Jr., F;

Wygant’s outlook: “This group is very capable of very good things. If we come together and we execute both defensively and offensively, I don’t know that there’s a team out there that can beat us. This is a coach probably looking at it always with rose-colored glasses, but the bottom line is they will compete every night. This group will give us a chance to win every time.”

Millbrook

Coach: Derek Butler (third season)

Last year: 20-4, 8-0 Northwestern District

Key losses: Zach Harrell, Chris Oates

Key returnees: Alex Amos, Sr. G; Taryk Baylor, Sr., F; Trey Braithwaite, Sr., F; Jordan Funk, So., G; Donte Weaver, Sr., G; Trammell Anthony, So., F; Nick Harrell, Sr., F.

Top newcomers: P.K. Kier, Jr., G; Savon Smith, Fr., G.

Butler’s outlook: “They know people will be hunting for them. It’s a long season. They have to mature and understand that’s going to be the case every night. We’ll see if they maintain that level throughout the year.”

Sherando

Coach: Garland Williams (19th season)

Last year: 18-5, 6-2 Northwestern District.

Key losses: Jordan Henry, Kyle Tusing, Josh Dolsen, Rhett Morris, Andrew Loudan, Trey Brisco.

Key returnees: A.J. Outler, Sr, G; Noah Ford, Sr., C; Alex Morefield, G, Jr.; Ashraf Alim, Sr., G; Jared Miller, Jr., F.

Top newcomers: Matt McKay, So., F; Logan Vaught, Jr., G; Isaiah Armistead, Sr., F; Michael Perry, So, F; Aaron Banks, So., G; Cordell Peterson, Jr., G, Sam Johnson, Jr., C; Devin Miller, Jr., F; Edward Weaver, Sr., G; Jacquari Hayes, Jr., F.

Williams’ outlook: “There’s no doubt we’re going to get better. The team has good contributors and good practice players. Who knows? On any given night, somebody can step up to be leaders in different categories. We’d like to have that one consistent guy, but if that’s not the case we want to have people step up and provide for that night.”

Clarke County

Coach: Brent Emmart (19th season)

Last year: 8-16, 7-9 Bull Run District.

Key losses: Sean McDonald, Justin Dulaney, Carson Perkins, Dakota Crim, Vince Zdouba.

Key returnees: Brett McDonald, Jr., G; Hunter Rogers, Jr., G; Marc Damiano, Sr., F; Michael Dietz, Sr., G.

Top newcomers: Hayden Good, Jr., F; Julius Grant, Sr., F; Jordon Turner, Sr., G; Billy Holsinger, So., G; Chris Kiem, Sr., G; Carlos Nunez, Jr., G; Isaiah Waters, Jr. F; Jason Vezina, Jr., G; Bryce Anderson, Jr., G.

Emmart’s outlook: “We’re trying to find our way right now. We’ve had a short amount of time to become productive. Right now we’re trying to find our chemistry. … We’re just trying to get better every day.”

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