Boys Basketball Wins State Championship!

Congratulations to the boys varsity basketball team on winning both the State and Regional VACA Championships! This is the third time in school history that the varsity boys have brought home a state title in basketball. In the run up to the championship, the team had commanding playoff wins (30+ points) against Westover Christian Academy in Danville and Appalachian Christian School in Waynesboro. The state semifinals against Dayspring Christian Academy from Blacksburg last Friday night, on the other hand, was a nail biter. Clutch baskets by seniors Tucker Jamison and Elijah Anokye-Gyambrah put the team ahead by one point when time ran out. The championship on Saturday was a well-matched fight against Faith Christian Academy from Roanoke. Elijah had a career-high seventeen points and was awarded Tournament MVP.

"Tucker and I started off by winning a championship freshman year," said Elijah. "It is amazing to conclude our basketball careers with another championship. It's a testament to all the work we have put in. We all had to step up and accept roles we weren't used to and grow in uncomfortable ways." "This is more of a balanced team than freshman year," added Tucker. "We had a deeper roster which makes it more meaningful because a lot of people contributed to this championship." 

"The best part about any season," said Varsity Coach Travis Johnson, "is the community and the closeness you build over the course of four months working towards a goal. To reach that goal together is a feeling that is really hard to describe. Of course, I've had more years where we haven't won a state championships than we have won one. And those years are just as meaningful. What I hope from any season is long-lasting friendships and life lessons that the players can take from the basektball court into their own lives."

Individual awards for the team included: Tristan Miller (2nd Team, All-District), Tucker Jamison (1st Team - All-District, All-Region, State Tournament, MVP Regional Tournament, 2nd Team - All-State, and over 830 career points), Elijah Anokye-Gyambrah (1st Team - All-District, All-Region, All-State, Regional Tournament, MVP State Tournament).