The scores were Dream Team-like – 37-5, 53-9, 66-16. And that was before halftime. The big test is to come on Friday night when the nation’s #1 team, Massanutten Military Academy, comes a-callin’. Tuesday night was a tuneup for MMA as Fishburne Military School’s postgrad basketball team rolled to a 107-48 win over Virginia Western Community College.
“We were looking to get some work in, to put some different defenses in, some man, some 1-3-1, and get a lot of guys some minutes,” said assistant coach Brian Benator.
The win was the second in three nights for FMS after a long winter break. The win improves the sixth-ranked Caissons to 11-4 on the season.
The focus shifts to Massanutten, not only the top-ranked team in the country, but a bitter rival just up the Valley.
“They’re just another team,” said Barnett Harris, a 6’9″ Delaware signee. “We’re not scared of anybody. We’re going to play hard, play our game. We’re not going to change anything because they’re coming here.”
Virginia Western did little to give Fishburne anything resembling what MMA will bring on its trip to Waynesboro Friday night. Coach Ed Huckaby, by and large, went with reserves for the bulk of this one, using star forward Kuran Iverson, a Memphis signee, for only eight minutes in the first half.
Massanutten’s roster features three Atlantic Coast Conference signees (
Deandre Burnett, a 6’2″ guard who has signed with Miami, Garland Owens, a 6’5″ forward who signed with Boston College, and Damonte Dodd, a 6’10″ forward who has signed with Maryland), in addition to Kansas recruit Frank Mason, a 6’0″ point guard.
“They’re going to play hard. They’re athletic, long, they like to get out in transition. They’ve got size, they’ve got good guards. They’re a balanced team. They’re going to be a tough challenge,” Benator said.
“We have good size, good guards, good depth. We’re ready to step up to the challenge,” Benator said.
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Chris Graham
