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Dorian Finney-Smith is part of highly-regarded recruiting class headed to Virginia Tech.
Photo by Nicholas Koza
Head coach: Leon Goolsby
2009-2010 record: 23-4, Virginia Group AAA state champions
Key returnees: DeCarlos Anderson (6-2, 170, Sr., G),
Jeremy Canty (6-1, 170, Sr., G, Liberty),
Dorian Finney-Smith (6-7, 190, Sr., F, Virginia Tech), Kameron Mack (6-5, 200, Sr., F, Virginia football)
Scouting report: After starting 7-3 last year, the Greyhounds won 16 of their final 17 games and beat previously-unbeaten Petersburg in dramatic fashion to win a state title.
Now the underdog element is out the window. Norcom will be forced to manage high expectations and playing with a target on its back as a defending state champion.
A virtual unknown at this time last year, Finney-Smith has emerged as an elite prospect after beating out North Carolina commitment James McAdoo for local player of the year honors. The versatile future Virginia Tech Hokie averaged 19.7 points and 13 rebounds per contest as a junior and is No. 25 in MaxPreps.com's 2011 Top 100.
In the backcourt, Canty is already committed to Division I Liberty and Anderson is on the radar of several low-major schools as well. Mack is a good enough athlete at 6-5 to project as a defensive back when he heads to the University of Virginia next fall.
Goolsby's squad will get a big test in December at the GlaxoSmithKline Invitational in Raleigh, N.C.
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