Boy's Basketball Looks Forward to the Future

By: Jack Minchew
LEESBURG VA- Looking back on the 2011-2012 season, a skeptical and disillusioned fan might dismiss the Tuscarora boys basketball season as a total failure. They might lament the 3-21 record and the lack of a win at home after two years of play. They might worry if the Huskies will ever have a good team.
But perhaps if that woebegone fan was a little bit less skeptical and a little bit less dismissive, they would recognize the season for what it was: a year for building. This season saw Tuscarora’s first win ever, first district win, and first playoff win.  “We won more games than last year but still [weren’t] happy,” says Josh Middleton. “We’ll be good next year, though.” 
While this season may have not have answered all the questions about the Tuscarora men’s basketball program, it has shown that perhaps out of the ruins of a 3-21 season, a quality program could be emerging. Under the surface of a disappointing varsity record is an up-and coming JV team and a 17-2 freshman team. The three top scorers for the varsity team were all underclassmen, according to statistics from Allmetsports.com. “Everybody’s coming back,” says varsity Coach Justin Brown about next year. “A lot of the good teams in the district are old, and two of our best players are freshmen.
Sophomore Josh Middleton led the team with 12.9 points per game, closely followed by the two freshmen, A.J Robinson and Trey Johnson, with 12.1 and 8.6 points per game respectively. Robinson also led the team in 3 point shots, with 27 threes for the season. Middleton himself complimented the freshmen duo, saying, “A.J is a good shooter, and Trey can really get to the basket.”
The team also benefits from 6’2 sophomores John Boris and Spencer Hayes, along with junior Steve Welti. “Steve Welti is 6’8,” says Coach Brown with a chuckle. “No arguing with that.” Coach Brown has full faith in the future of the program, saying, “The future looks good, and we’re really excited.”