The Real Story About T.C Williams Basketball
With the entire state keeping an eye on how they fared against South County, T.C Williams showed why they are a championship caliber program. The Titans beat the top seeded Stallions 61-58 on the road, and that should give every Northern Region team a reason to be worried...
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Senior Ryan Yates scored 22 points in Wednesday's 61-58 win over South County. Yates became the go-to guy for the Titans offensively, and he delivered in a big way when it mattered most.
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Junior Tyrell Sitton proved to all in attendance that he could help carry the Titans to victory with his stellar defensive play, and his hustle. Sitton and the Titans will need to win the Patriot District Tournament to get into the Northern Region tournament next week.
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LORTON, VA - When a great fighter gets knocked down, the shock of the punch lasts a few seconds, but how a champion responds is what captivates the attention of the crowd. On Wednesday, we witnessed first hand the heart of a champion, and it belonged to the T.C Williams basketball team.
Just two weeks ago, the Titans were stripped of 12 wins, and forced to tell two of their better players that their time wearing the proud T.C Williams uniform was over. So often, the media tells the story, mentions the names of the players, and then moves on to the next big headline.
But after the attention dies down, and someone else gets the print, the players and coaches are left to pick up the pieces. And that is what Titan coach Julian King and his players did on Wednesday.
Minus Billy Rowland and Darrius Porter, the Titans ventured into South County's packed gymnasium for their last regular season contest. The game was scheduled to be played over 12 days ago, but because of the snow that hit the D.C region, it was moved to Wednesday night.
Right from the beginning of the game, there was a difference with this Titan team. They were loose, relaxed, and un-phased by the doubters that said their reign as the Northern Region's best was done.
Led by seniors Ryan Yates and Tayron Chambers, the Titans worked through the first half as they became comfortable with one another again on the basketball court. South County led 32-29 at the half, but the Stallions were never in a position to put T.C Williams away primarily because Yates wouldn't let it happen.
With Mohamed Alie-Cox scoring 15 first half points for the Stallions, T.C Williams needed one of their battle tested veterans to step up, and Yates responded. He poured in 12 before the intermission, but more importantly, the Titan senior gave his teammates confidence.
There was no doubt about it, when Yates had the ball, he was looking to shoot, and more often than not, he was on target. His hustle defensively led to several transition baskets, and after 2 weeks of negativity, the Titans were again having fun playing ball.
In the second half, Coach King made a key adjustment, just like every good coach does out of the locker room. Without Rowland in the paint to help defend Alie-Cox, King turned to Jay Whitmire. Whitmire stands 6'6, and is as big as a house. He didn't score much, but in the second half, Alie-Cox didn't either.
Just as the Titans were finding their chemistry with one another, their coach was learning too. King was playing with different combinations, looking for the right blend on the court, and he may have found more than a few that worked well.
Junior T.J Huggins entered the game in the 3rd period, and proved to be a force on the boards, and junior Tyrell Sitton helped close out the win with several key free throws and defensive plays.
What gets lost in the unfortunate situation that unfolded for T.C Williams, is the fact that these are still just kids. When I spoke with Ryan Yates after the game, one of the first things he said was the team made sure that Rowland and Porter knew they were very much still part of the team.
That is all I needed to hear about the type of kids and family environment the Titans have in their basketball program. That's the story worth printing.
T.C Williams might be slightly less prolific offensively, and a tad less dynamic athletically without Rowland and Porter, but the Titans showed Wednesday that their heart and character has been strengthened. They have something to prove, and that should worry every opponent that is unfortunate to be in their way.
The odds are still against the Titans. They have to win the Patriot District tournament which begins Friday. But Wednesday's win against the top seeded Stallions may have been all that T.C Williams needed to regain their swagger.
I'm a firm believer that this team has much more in the proverbial tank than what many are giving them credit for.
With Yates leading the way, T.C Williams was all smiles after their 61-58 victory over South County, and it was obvious that a big weight had been lifted off of their shoulders.
The Titans can now just relax and play T.C Williams basketball, and that may be more than enough to find their way into the Northern Region tournament.......I know one thing, I'll be rooting for them.
