For his leadership and outstanding play this past season at Miller, Powell was named All-Central Virginia boys basketball player of the year by The Daily Progress sports staff.

As spring neared last basketball season, Mychal Parker had all but made up his mind about where he wanted to play in college.

Miller’s girls basketball faces a tall task next year — they’ll have to replace four players who have futures tied to college basketball.

Lee Coppock, Josey Flynn and Brian Pollard combined to hold Miller, the two-time defending VIC champions, to just a trio of runs in a 14-3 Covenant road victory.

The Mavericks worked the ball inside early and often and used a stingy defense to upend the Seahawks, 69-61, and capture their first title.

No. 2 seed Miller survived a hard-fought, emotional effort by No. 3 seeded St. Anne’s-Belfield in the VIS Division II semifinals at Richard Bland College on Friday, winning 62-56.

The defending champions Lady Chiefs held the Lady Mavericks to just four points through the first seven minutes of the fourth period of a 53-45 victory on Friday at Paul VI Catholic High School.

It wasn’t a pristine effort, but Miller managed to overcome some general sluggishness and punch its ticket to Petersburg and the VIS Division II semifinals with an 82-68 victory over Walsingham Academy.

David Falk’s 15 points led Madison to a 56-48 victory over Dan River for the title.

Miller’s D’Andre Corbin made it clear Tuesday night that the Mavericks aren’t all frontcourt, helping lift Miller to a regular-season series-evening win over Blue Ridge, 69-53.

Like most teams, William Monroe can’t go toe-to-toe with anyone by playing a one-on-one game. It’s clear at this point, after back-to-back wins over Western Albemarle and Orange County at home, the Dragons are starting to learn that lesson.

Meet the Mavericks’ front line of Marshawn Powell, Brice Kofane and Hippolyte Tsafack, a trio that combined for 31 rebounds and 54 points against the Saints. Miller asserted its dominance inside early and often against St. Anne’s and, despite a valiant second half effort by the Saints, Miller’s work underneath turned the tide.

With Charlottesville, Orange County and Western Albemarle all sitting at 2-0, the race for the Jefferson District boys title may already be shaking out a bit.

It’s that time of year again. The holiday season is upon us, and that means area basketball teams are gearing up for the NBC29/The Daily Progress Holiday Classic.

The next stop for “Chattanooga Choo Choo” looks like “Sleigh Ride.”