You could see the disappointment when they left the gym at Virginia State University in Petersburg. The Blue Ridge basketball team made a return trip to the championship game last year, unfortunately with the same result. But that was back in March. Just two weeks into December, the Barons look like a team with something to prove.
“I think we’ve got more perimeter shooting this year,” said Blue Ridge coach Bill Ramsey after the team’s first scrimmage against Virginia Episcopal. “Cameron Anderson and Isaiah Battle, our bigs, they’re both better now than they were last year. So we’re going to have that inside-out game offensively. When we really start playing as a team defensively though, I think we’re going to really be able to turn up the tempo in the game.”
And that’s the way Blue Ridge likes to play ball — full tilt, up and down the court. Ramsey’s bunch only got a handful of practices in before the season kicked into full swing, but considering that four of last year’s starters are back in the fold, that doesn’t seem to have mattered. Blue Ridge is off to an outstanding start to begin the year by nature of sweeping through the Flint Hill tip-off tournament, topping Woodberry Forest, and then again sweeping another weekend tourney, the Annual Breath for Life championship.
With Anderson, Chad Holley, Malick Kone, Andre Roberts and Battle back in the mix, five of the Barons top six returning players from last season are taking care of business. Throw in speedster and all-around athlete Darryl Smith and Albemarle transfer Mayn Francisco and all of the sudden things are, some how, amazingly, looking brighter now than they did for this team last year, which is saying an awful lot.
With the depth of skilled shooters, scoring doesn’t look to be a problem this year for the Barons. In fact, they’re scoring more than 70 points a game after winning their first five. So expect defense to be the real focus for this group as they march forward to achieving the goal of hanging the blue banner with white trim at the Massey Center that they really covet.
“I think we’re nine and 10 deep right now,” Ramsey said. “So we’re going to play up tempo, but that doesn’t mean giving up layups. We want stops. The only way you can truly get the tempo up is with stops. It’s hard to push the ball up the court when you’re getting it out of the net.”
Boys Top Five
1. Blue Ridge (5-0) — The Barons have piled up two tournament wins already and are averaging 70.6 points per contest. Blue Ridge always has athletes, but the depth and experience this group has is impressive.
2. Charlottesville (3-0) — The Black Knights have two quality wins in the Jefferson District already with convincing victories over Monticello and Western Albemarle. This team is fast and dangerous from one end of the court to the other.
3. Fork Union (4-0) — The Blue Devils picked up a key win against Collegiate and get a chance to beat another Division 1 rival when they head to Woodberry to start the week. Strong start for FUMA so far.
4. Albemarle (4-1) — A road game against undefeated Mountain View should let us know just how good this team is, but so far the Patriots have dispatched their local rivals in Western and Monticello.
5. Fluvanna County (3-0) — Next week’s home game against Charlottesville looms large, but right now the Flucos are rolling with YaYa Anderson doing what he does best — a little bit of everything.
Lurking — Woodberry Forest (3-1), Monticello (3-2), William Monroe (4-2), Buckingham County (2-1), Miller (2-3)
Girls Top Five
1. St. Anne’s-Belfield (4-1) — After losing badly to the host at the Flint-Hill Tip-off in the championship game, the Saints bounced back by whipping St. Catherine’s 53-26 and destroying Trinity Episcopal 55-13. A win over unbeaten St. Margaret’s would send STAB into its break feeling great.
2. Western Albemarle (5-1) — The Warriors put together three wins this week since dropping their first game of the year. By beating William Monroe and Charlottesville, Western already has a leg up on what looks like the best competition it will see in the Jefferson District.
3. Miller (2-0) — When you win by 59 points you’re doing something right. Miller followed up a 1-point win in its first game by almost scoring 70 and also holding Holy Cross to single digit points. Ouch.
4. William Monroe (5-1) — A year ago this was a young team learning on the fly. Now the Dragons are taller, well-weathered and poised to make a solid run at a Region II berth in their last year in the JD.
5. Orange County (4-1) — Great start for Dave Rabe in his second year with the Hornets. He lost a lot from last year’s squad, but his squad is grinding it out and 2-0 against JD opponents.
Lurking — Charlottesville (2-1), Tandem Friends (2-2)
