Basketball in Virginia as strong as ever
Virginia is for lovers.
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Basketball lovers, that is. Last Wednesday
night, two of Virginia's most decorated basketball players in recent memory
took their talents to Chicago, Illinois and the United Center to participate in
the McDonald's All-American game. Both Norfolk
href="http://rivals.yahoo.com/virginiapreps/basketball/recruiting/player-James-McAdoo-76034">
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>James McAdoo
blue;mso-themecolor:hyperlink'> (North Carolina) and Princess Anne
6-foot-3 center
href="http://rivals.yahoo.com/virginiapreps/girls%20basketball/recruiting/player-Elizabeth-Williams-94723">
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Elizabeth Williams
class=MsoHyperlink> (Duke)
shined as McAdoo displayed an array of skills in being named co-MVP in the Boys
game, while Williams dominated to earn MVP honors for the Girls game.
Known as a hotbed for football recruiting, the Tidewater
area in Virginia has lately produced its share of top-notch basketball
prospects with this Class of 2011 featuring three headline players about as
good as it gets.
"It's obviously a special time and an exciting time here in
the Hampton Roads area to have two of the best, well actually, three of the
best players in the nation with Elizabeth Williams as well as James McAdoo and
href="http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/recruiting/player-Dorian-Finney-Smith-96633">Dorian
Finney-Smith (Virginia Tech)," said Norfolk Christian Athletic Director
and Head Basketball Coach Michael Allen,
who has coached McAdoo in High School. "We're
extremely excited for James and it's been wonderful for both him and our
program. It's been great for the Hampton
Roads area to have these three phenomenal athletes that we've had the privilege
in seeing over the last few years."
The Hampton Roads area of Virginia has produced some NBA
players in past McDonald's All-American selections Alonzo Mourning and J.R.
Reid as well as Joe Smith and Allen Iverson.
With this latest wave of stars, it's an indicator that the Commonwealth
state just might stack up with some of the better basketball states around the
country.
"I grew up in Indiana, which is a big basketball state,"
noted Allen. "You look at the tradition
and history there that I was used to seeing, and then you get out here, you
start doing some research and you think of all the good quality athletes and
players that have come through this area and in the state of Virginia.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> It's been known for football for quite a few
years, but when you look back through there's definitely more of a basketball
history here than a lot of people would give it credit for, and being a
basketball guy I can definitely appreciate it, no question."
Williams, who set a McDonald's single-game scoring record with
23 points, was named the Morgan Wootten National
Girls Basketball Player of the Year in March.
She led Princess Anne to their second State Championship in three years,
rejecting shot after shot on the defensive end of the floor, gobbling up rebounds
and has been a consistent offensive threat.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
Unlike Williams, McAdoo comes from a basketball family where
his sister Kelsey played at UNC-Charlotte, mom Janet and dad Ronnie starred at
Old Dominion, and uncle Bob became a Hall-of-Famer that played in the NBA.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> James was a two-time Gatorade State Player of
the Year selection who helped guide his team to a second straight VISAA
Division II State Championship this year.
But Allen says with McAdoo and Williams it goes deeper than
their abilities on the floor. They're just
as outstanding off the court.
"It's a testament not only to the kids, but also their
families and the upbringing that they've had.
I had an opportunity to spend a little bit of time with Elizabeth's mom
and dad Tuesday night at the Players Awards banquet and they just seem like an
awesome family. I definitely can speak
for James, his parents and his sister.
They're a wonderful family, too, and it's been awesome the support that
not only they've given James, but given to our school and community.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> I know the Williams' have done the same at
Princess Anne," stated Allen.
"These kids are what I consider ambassadors for the
game. They're in it for the love of the
game, it's not about them, they're honored for these awards and you can tell in
their interviews. They just want to
play, contribute, try to get better and the accolades don't go to their
heads. They're very appreciative of
them, and probably like it is with Elizabeth, I know that with James he's the
type of kid that if he gets an award he's going to take it home and it's going to
sit in his closet. It's not about what
I've done, but rather what can I do next?
That's a testament to his mom and dad, the work ethic they've instilled
in him and we're proud of him."
Just within the past month with VCU's improbable run to the
Final Four, Norcom behind Finney-Smith repeating as
State Champions and placing as high as #3 in the national rankings, and
Williams and McAdoo winning MVP awards in the prestigious McDonald's game, the
state of Virginia has definitely been put on the map for its hoops.
style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Matthew
Hatfield has covered High School Football & Basketball as well as
recruiting since 2004 for VirginiaPreps.com - the #1 High School Sports Site on
the Rivals Network. Check out Hatfield's
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>
115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>www.matthewhatfield.com
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>
115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> - for more on the pro and college
sports scene. To contact Matthew, please
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>
115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>hatfieldsports2k4@yahoo.com
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>
115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>, and listen to him with Rod
href="http://www.espnradio941.com/">
style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>ESPN
Radio 94.1
style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>.
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