Fluco boys’ basketball team starts season untested

Davis noted that his team will not be very tall, but said he hopes to have some quick guard play this season that will allow his team to push the ball up court and create some upscale tempo. He said he expects to play some match-up zone on defense, but also to go with a tight man-to-man on occasion. Rateau was a devotee of the Dean Smith school of coaching, and Davis can be expected to be from that school as well.

Returnees from last year’s varsity squad include A.J. Gregory, a junior, who logged the most minutes of anyone returning for Davis, and seniors Josh Carlton and Michael Shiner. Gregory is a guard/forward, Carlton is a forward and Shiner is a guard.

Four players are moving up from the junior varsity (JV) squad. Davis said he is looking to them for frontcourt contributions. Juniors Peyton Symmers, Alex Logan and Caden Koslowski and sophomore Drew Pace will all play significant minutes up front. They are all in the 6 foot 1 inch to 6 foot 2 inch range in height.

The backcourt is where the Flucos are most unpredictable. Davis said he expects three new players to make major contributions. Dashon Carter, a junior, has transferred in from Fork Union Military Academy. Chris Dudley, a sophomore, played at Monticello High last year. Cartel James, a senior guard, did not play last season.

Davis noted the speed and quickness of these players. It is, however, hard to say how well these players and the front court players from last year’s JV squad will mesh.

Hopefully, they will develop and grow together.

After hosting Waynesboro and Western Albemarle, the Flucos will travel to Louisa High and Turner Ashby on Dec. 9 and Dec. 10. The Flucos will return home on Dec. 13 to host Albemarle High. They are then back on the road to take on Waynesboro and Orange County on Dec. 14 and Dec. 16.

The Flucos will host the traditional Holiday Bash tournament on Dec. 28-29.

Unfortunately, the trend in high school basketball seems to be for top players to transfer away from their home public school and head for private school situations.

Several years ago the Flucos lost Aamir Simms to a private school. He is now a 6 foot 8 inch senior who is a four-star recruit committed to Clemson. This year Antonio Pelham, the team’s high scorer as a sophomore last season, has transferred out to a private school. Obviously, Davis would have a completely different squad with different prospects were it not for these transfers.