Top Teams Radford George Wythe (Wytheville) Altavista Honaker Surry County Eastside Luray Middlesex Top Players Malik Johnson – George Wythe Tanner Robinette – Honaker Justin Williams – Surry County Josh Good – Luray Marcus Finley – Radford Derrick Cusano –…
Top Teams
Radford
George Wythe (Wytheville)
Altavista
Honaker
Surry County
Eastside
Luray
Middlesex
Top Players
Malik Johnson – George Wythe
Tanner Robinette – Honaker
Justin Williams – Surry County
Josh Good – Luray
Marcus Finley – Radford
Derrick Cusano – Eastside
Chase Rosenbaum – George Wythe
While 1A doesn’t always get the same amount of coverage as the rest of the classifications, this season’s race for 1A should be interesting. Atavista, who is the reigning three time state champ, loses four players who were voted to the All State team last season.
This leaves the race wide open for the likes of Radford, Honker, George Wythe, Surry County and Eastside, all who made big runs last season. Here are some things to watch in 1A this season.
Team to Surprise:
Luray has an excellent big man in senior Josh Good who can create a lot of mismatch problems at that level. At 6’5 he’s athletic enough to run the floor and skilled enough to shoot it from deep, and it’s tough to find a team that can match up with that. Dropping from 2A to 1A, expect Luray to make some noise this season.
Player to Emerge:
2018 Noah Atwood of George Wythe. A long 6’0 off guard that can both shoot it and create, Atwood will be in a good position to score a lot of points with a creating point guard in Malik Johnson. He’ll need to be a knock down shooter from deep, which he’s capable of. as well as a lock down defender on the other end.
The Best Player You’ve Never Heard of is…
2016 Blake Burgat of Radford should be a difference maker this season. The 6’8 skilled big is a foreign exchange student from Australia, and from all accounts he’s a euro style big that should make for some mismatches for Radford.
Vantage Prediction:
1A East: Surry County defeats Luray
1A West: George Wythe defeats Honaker
1A State Championship: George Wythe defeats Surry County
1A East POY: Justin Williams
1A West POY: Tanner Robinette