5 Takeaways: GW Danville vs Martinsville
It was the Piedmont District Championship and it was only fitting that two of the top teams in the area, who are both bitter rivals, met for the Championship. Martinsville, a Class 2 State favorite, traveled to GW-Danville, a Class…
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Continue ReadingIt was the Piedmont District Championship and it was only fitting that two of the top teams in the area, who are both bitter rivals, met for the Championship. Martinsville, a Class 2 State favorite, traveled to GW-Danville, a Class 4 State favorite, and to make things even more interesting the two teams split their regular season matchups.
Things got off to about the start we expected, with the teams trading runs early and making plays on both ends. It was close throughout the first, however GW went a little run toward the end of the quarter to go up 17-11. The second quarter featured a few more runs, with GW going into the locker rooms up 26-19 at half.
The third quarter is where things really got messy for Martinsville. The senior duo of Shunta Wilson and Ny’Rek Wheeler were phenomenal throughout the first half, and they came out cooking early in the second half as well as they combined for 8 of the first 10 points in a 10-3 run to open the half. The Eagles continued to put their foot on the gas, as they won the third 24-8 and were up 50-27 at the end of the third. Both teams put their benches in for the fourth quarter, and GW was took the game and the District Championship easily 64-37 over Martinsville.
Here’s five takeaways from the game.
GW District Champs, Top Seed In Region
The Eagles of GW Danville finished an incredible season at 21-1 and are the outright Piedmont District Champions after the win on Tuesday. GW avenges their only loss of the season which came to Martinsville, and they broke the split on the season with the win over their bitter rival.
GW moves on to the VHSL Region 4D Tournament, where they earned the number one seed and face Pulaski later this week. While they still have to go through the likes of Jefferson Forest, EC Glass, Salem and Liberty Christian, the Eagles have looked like the best team in the area all season without really having a close second. They are an unselfish group who are all bought into their one goal, and even better they have the talent, experience and size to make a run at the state championship this season.
Led by the two guys below and a host of role players, don’t be surprised to see GW make their first trip back to the Siegel Center since 2016.
Shunta Wilson Ready to Lead Way
The first of the GW stars worth noting is 6’4” senior Shunta Wilson, who was voted First Team All State as a junior. He was the unanimous Piedmont District Player of the Year, and he showed why not just in his production but also in his energy and leadership on both ends. It took Wilson a few minutes to get in the groove of things, but about midway through the first he bust out and showed his ability. First it was a nice baseline drive and inside hand finish, then came a catch-and-shoot 3. He got to the line and had a few steals, and hit another three with a hand right in his face to finish the first half with 12 points.
In the second half he continued to show his ability to score in different ways and his length and motor on the defensive end was impressive too. He had multiple steals in the press, he ran the floor well and hit the offensive glass and showed a good middle game as well. He finished with 19 points, 6 rebounds and three steals, and if you didn’t know better you wouldn’t even know he was the start by the energy he played with and the encouragement he gave his teammates.
Ny’Reek Wheeler Brings Size and Versatility
Wheeler could be the difference maker for GW in a state title run, because he brings them great size at 6’6” and he’s versatile and active in the press as both a rim protector and a guy who can jump passing lanes and get deflections with his length. Wheeler was fantastic on both ends throughout the game, as he ran the floor relentlessly and was great in the middle against the Martinsville zone.
Wheeler’s size is huge in a state championship run, because he ensures that Danville won’t have a big time mismatch inside if they see someone with that as a major part of their game plan. He rebounded well on both ends and made plays around the basket and in the press all game. He finished with 15 points, 8 rebounds, 6 steals and two blocks in the win.
Martinsville Not Out Yet
While it definitely wasn’t the way that Martinsville would like to go into the playoffs, they still are in a very good spot to make a run at yet another VHSL Class 2 State Title. The Bulldogs head into Regional play with the #2 seed in Region 2D behind Radford, and while the Bobcats are a little more experienced Martinsville matches up pretty well with them and they don’t even have to beat Radford to make it to the state tournament where, as we know, all bets are off.
Where Martinsville has an advantage is in their style of play and coaching. Head Coach Jeff Adkins is a former standout at Maryland University and played many years in the NBA including a stint with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, but where he’s seen the most success is after his career as a high school coach. Adkins has helped Martinsville into a powerhouse, winning a VHSL record 15 state championships, and he hasn’t changed his ways at all. They’re deliberate, they will work for the right shot and they play a stringent 2-3 zone that can stifle the best offensive teams. If they can take care of the basketball they’ll have a chance of beating anyone.
Jaheim Niblett One to Watch Moving Forward
Martinsville is known for producing a number of collegiate big men, with the latest one being DeVonte Holland who is starting for the reigning Big South Champion Radford University. The newest one may very well be sophomores Jaheim Niblett, who may even have a chance to develop and play on the wing as time moves on. Niblett has a really strong and impressive frame for his age already, and he’s a lefty so it’s hard and awkward to guard him. He showed touch with both hands in the paint, he rebounded the ball on both ends of the floor and even had a play where he showed the ability to handle it in transition and showed great footwork on his finishes.