TC Williams isn't a team I've been following all year. Word has it around town that the best basketball is played in the Catholic School leagues. Media people say Northern Va basketball is not pretty to watch, hence the AAA Boys state champions usually come from the Richmond or Tidewater area. It's been 27 years since a Northern Region team won the state title. That was the buzzword.
I read TC was undefeated in their conference and knew there were talented players that came thru the program and I finally had a chance to see them play during the quarterfinals against King's Fork. I tell you the player I was really impressed with but had to see again was The #1 Gunna Travis Berry. He didn't do much the first few minutes of the first quarter but then he started lighting it up with a ball that went straight thru the net, no rim.
Look, Berry shot at least three balls from the corner that hit nothing but net. I asked after the game if any schools were looking at him and he said a couple. I had to see him again. There were a couple other players, Winbush and Jenkins that I didn't focus on because Berry's light shown so bright.
I was in the media room and had a long conversation with some media guys from the Post and other outlets and they all thought Bethel would take it. Bethel boasted six Division I caliber players and had lost only one game all year, so on paper it looked like a wrap. I wasn't 100% sold but again I hadn't seen Bethel play. The great thing people love about sports is underdogs can prevail.
I tell you this much, Bethel looked like some ballers. They were donned out in their Iverson gear and sneakers. They looked like world beaters during layup drills anyway. There was also controversy because two players on the Bethel roster were from Africa. There coach said after the game, the Virginia High School League approved them. The Bethel crowd was pumped and talking a little junk.
It took all of about five minutes in the first quarter for TC Williams to take control. The three headed monster combination of Anthony Winbush, Edward Jenkins, and Travis The #1 Gunna Berry took the heart right out of Bethel.
I tell you what surprised me the most and the real reason TC won, the was scrappy and hardnosed play by Josh Jordan and Tomas Camara. TC cleaned up on the offensive boards. The Titans seemed to grab every loose ball because Bethel wasn't hustling. You could tell Bethel had the better individual athletes but they just seemed shell shocked after they got behind. Bethel guard Bill Weaver is the goods man.
Ed Jenkins was killing em. On one play he pumped faked Bethel's guard and hit a pretty shot from the corner. The #1 Gunna? I was on press row and talking to Norman Gross whom I met back in the press room. Norm had seen them all from Moses to Kobe to Iverson at the high school level and marveled at the natural shooting ability of Travis Berry. We both observed Berry shooting free throws and Norm said he had perfect shooting motion. Norman also said he thought Berry was a definite D1 talent. I'm inclined to agree. Give him room and it's done. Bethel faithful were saying stop #5! Don't let him shoot!
In the third quarter I noticed Bethel seemed to lose confidence. No one wanted to take a shot. After the game, Bethel's coach mentioned that his team played uncharacteristically poor. It's understandable that these are high school kids but TC Williams players looked like juniors in college with their poise and basketball IQs. When Winbush hit that 40 foot shot to close out the third quarter, I knew it TC's day and I know Coach Ivan Thomas believed that too.
Another player of note is Anthony Winbush. Winbush, about 6'5" handled the point and ran the offense. He is definitely a D1 player. Coach likes to give props to Tomas Camara as well. I said from the beginning it was he
and Josh Jordan wiping down the glass. Bethel had virtually no second chances on the offensive end.
Hats off to Titan coach Ivan Thomas. Thomas mentioned he devised a plan that would put pressure on Bethel and it worked to perfection. With game firmly in hand, he was coaching to the very end.
TC Williams, are the 2008 AAA Boys State Champions and with it the bragging rights of bringing the title home to Northern Virginia in a long time.
Don't forget to check back to the DCMS Blog for "The Eye of the Storm" with "Hurricane" Forest Godwin and Barry 2B. Barnes blog for inside stuff on the Wiz and other sports stuff.
For high school basketball pics go to www.dcmetrosports.com/prepsportgallery
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