Radford HS, Radford, VA – The Glenvar High-landers ended their season in a tough venue, Radford High School. The home team Bobcats, perennial single A basketball powerhouse, are always a tough foe when you are trying to advance in the state tournament. Down in southwest Virginia, when it comes to single A basketball, all roads go through Radford. On this night, Radford’s pressure defense and foul shooting advantage paid off for Coach Rick Cormany’s club.
That’s a trademark of a Coach Cormany team. They are, if anything, good late in the game. The Bobcats force the action and pick up fouls on you, ultimately putting the Bobcats on the foul line, where they shine. 
They also put pressure on you to score or keep up. It’s a formula that has served Coach Cormany well over the years. But it takes discipline and team coordination.
Radford G 12 P.J. Prioleau breaks the press
Glenvar gave the Bobcats a fight for most of the night. The Highlander energy was good for Coach Todd Mann’s club, “We knew coming in what they had, nothing was a surprise, but too many turnovers. You can’t turn the ball over at this level, this late in the season.”
Radford G 14 Cam Cormany guards Glenvar G 5 Christian Housh
Glenvar Coach Todd Mann motivates his team
G 10 Marcell Baylor drives to the bucket
First Half –
Glenvar, like so many before, were bent on keeping all-everything G 14 Cam Cormany from getting the ball. Once he gets it, it tends to go through the net, either by ground (driving to the bucket) or by air (shooting three’s and twos). G 0 Aiden Alexander drew the short straw this night, and did yoeman’s work for much of the night. G 14 Cormany had seen this movie before and it didn’t take long for the savvy Senior to draw two fouls on G 0 Alexander. Even so the game stareted at a slow scoring pace with Radford only up 6-3 with nearly half the first quarter gone. Coach Mann was proud of his team’s job on Cormany and the rest of the Bobcats.
G 14 Cam Cormany is guarded closely by G 12 Keith Couch
“To hold them to sixty some points, we played an unorthodox defense. We call it ‘chicken biscuits.’. (With them) we guard the guys that are going to hurt you, going to score. We do that and it helps some, but then come down and turn the ball over. They come down and score.
Radford G 14 Cam Cormany defended by F 24 Garrett Hendricks
Glenvar F 24 Garrett Richardson soon followed Alexander to the bench as the Junior quickly picked up his second foul in the quarter as well. G/F 5 Christian Housh gave Glenvar their first lead, 7-6, with 2:12 left in the opening stanza.
Bobcat G 12 Prioleau shoots over Highlander defender F 32 Gabe Ford
Radford got a bucket to go back ahead and then G 14 Cormany answered with a deep three with :07 left on the clock to give Radford an 11-7 lead after one.
Before you knew it, the Bobcats had jumped out to a 32-19 halftime lead.
Second Half – Radford turned up the heat both defensively and offensively coming out of the half. An eight to zip run for the Bobcats was the result. G 12 P.J. Prioleau and F 10 Marcell Baylor both scored two field goals.
F 34 Kanipe gathers in a loose ball
“We played these guys tough, with a minute or two to play they only had one field goal, but their role players are so good,” Coach Mann commented. At 40-19, chances for a Glenvar comeback were dimming. But the Highlanders never gave in. They continued to fight to the end, a sign of a well disciplined coached team. Glenvar started the second half struggling to find the bottom of the net. It wasn’t until 5:25 left in the third, when G/F 5 Housh got the Highlanders first second half bucket.
G/F 20 Gavin Cormany of Radford blocks Glenvar G 19 Tyler Johnson
Still Glenvar fought on. A couple back door buckets by G 0 Alexander kept Glenvar within fifteen. The visitors even got back to within thirteen a few times, but Radford never let them get too close. Coach Mann spoke about “Radford” games. “Close, we cut it to eleven, but then we have two bad possessions. I sound like a broken record, we play them tight, then you look up at the score and people think they’ve blown you out.”
G 14 Cam Cormany led the Bobcats on the night with eighteen points, including 3 ‘threes’ and 9 of 11 foul shooting. G 12 P.J. Prioleau chipped in with twelve and G/F 10 Marcell Baylor added nine. For Glenvar, G 10 Tyler Johnson led the Highlander with twelve, while G 3 Steph Barber and G 0 Aiden Alexander both contributed ten.
Radford G/F 20 Gavin Cormany banks in a shot
Coach Mann wished his opponents well. “Their in the Three Rivers (with us). I wish them the best. One of us is going – Floyd or Radford. So go win it (state championship). Keep it on this end.”
Keith Couch, Glenvar G 12, completes a layup
Glenvar’s season is now over. It was an interesting ride for the single A school who was relegated to playing all bigger schools in Roanoke County during their regular season, due to the pandemic. The unbeaten Bobcats (16-0)now advance to play Three Rivers foe, Floyd County at home this Friday.
Radford Coach Rick Cormany
This will be their third ‘head to head.’ Floyd County (9-4) has lost twice to the Bobcats this year, by thirteen 81-68 on December 28th, and 65-42 on January 22nd.
Radford – C Cormany 18 pts (3-3 ptrs, 9/11 FT) Prioleau 12 pts (6-FGs,0/2 FT) Baylor 9 pts (3 FGs, 3/8 FT) Kanipe 6 pts (3-FGs) Dobson 6 pts (3 FGs, 0/1 FT) Wesley 5 pts (1-FG, 1-3ptr) C Cormany 4 pt (1-3ptr, 1/2 FT) Clark 3 pt (1-3ptr) Kelly 3 pt (1-3ptr)
Glenvar – Johnson 12 pts (6 FGs) Barber 10 pts (4 FGs, 2/4 FT) Alexander 10 pts (4 FG, 2/2 FT) Housh 6 pts (3 FG) Hendricks 5 pts (1-3ptr, 1/2 FT) Couch 2 pts (1 FG)
