Regional tournament preview

Staff reports
Published: February 26, 2008

BOYS

GW-Danville Ready to roll
George Washington-Danville is undefeated after winning both the Western Valley regular season and tournament district crowns. Battlefield will have its hands full with Nick Barbour (game-high 21 points) and Terrance Townes (18 points, 12 rebounds) who led GW during the district championship game. The Eagles are the defending Northwest Region champs.

Freedom’s road woes
The Eagles won three games in the district tournament hosted at their home court including the final, but they haven’t won away from Freedom since Jan. 29. They’ll have a tough time ending that slump heading to Mountain View tonight, a team that is averaging 58 points per game at home this year. The Wildcats have lost at home just twice all year.

W. Fleming is battled-tested
Promoted to Group AAA after six years in AA, William Fleming is the defending AA state champions. Of their five losses this season, the Colonels fell to GW-Danville three times including in the Western Valley tournament final Friday by 10. Troy Daniels led Fleming’s scoring in that game with 18 including three 3-pointers.

Potomac retunns to Regionals
Potomac returns to Northwest Region play after missing the tourney a year ago after falling to Gar-Field in the Cardinal District semifinals. This time Potomac is the district regular season winner and a No. 1 seed in the region. Can the Panthers use a home game to move beyond the first round?

OP streaks into tourney
The Yellow Jackets needed five wins to clinch the Cedar Run District tournament (including two tie-breaker games) and they got them all. Osbourn Park is one of the hottest teams heading into regionals, something that could carry them to the state tournament.

GIRLS

Raiders are a team to beat

The undefeated Raiders have rarely been tested this season and that probably won’t change — at least until the finals, where Stonewall should meet Cardinal District champion Forest Park in a rematch of the 2007 championship game. Center Gwen Washington has scored double figures in all 25 games for the Raiders, who are ranked No. 2 in the state among Group AAA teams.

Stonewall beat tonight’s opponent, Potomac, 64-43 on Dec. 7.

The Panthers scored 11 points in the first half during Saturday’s Cardinal District Tournament loss to Forest Park and have only one signature win all season — 70-65 over Holy Cross.

Tigers one win away

The best girls basketball team in Brentsville history needs one more win to reach the Group AA state tournament.

After going undefeated in the Northwestern District, the Tigers next face the winner of tonight’s game between Freedom-South Riding and Western Albemarle.

Freedom (19-6) has already upset Dulles District champion Loudoun County this season and nearly beat them in the tournament finals, falling 48-47 on a last-second desperation shot. Western Albemarle (17-7) won the Jefferson District regular season title before falling to Charlottesville in the tournament finals.

Welcome back Shayla

Junior guard Shayla Drakeford has returned from a hip injury and her presence on the court provides an instant spark on defense. The Bruins have won 15 consecutive games, including a 67-34 victory over coach Rebecca Tillet’s former team, Osbourn Park, on Jan. 9 and have allowed more than 40 points just twice in the past month.

Junior guard Danni Jackson scored 25 points in Saturday’s victory over Potomac and is arguably the best playmaker in the region this season.

Beware of G.W. Danville

If any team outside of the area appears talented enough to upset Stonewall Jackson in the regional tournament it is George Washington. The Eagles have won 13 Western Valley District championships in 14 seasons and are coming off a 71-43 over Franklin County in Saturday’s final.

George Washington, which has won 20 games following a 7-4 start, is led by senior Erica Warren, who had 25 points against Franklin County. Up next is North Stafford, which routed Albemarle 55-35 in the Commonwealth District Tournament title game behind 22 points from Samoana Ingram.

Guards in control

Point guards will have a significant impact during the regional playoffs. Each of the area’s contending teams has a star-caliber playmaker, including junior Danni Jackson (14.6 ppg) at Forest Park, sophomore Kyana White (17 ppg) at Stonewall and sophomore Keyla Baltimore (11.0) at Brentsville. 

All three of those teams won district championships this winter.