Dan River battles James River in Group A semifinal

RINGGOLD — Dan River senior guard Reggie Stone’s eyes widened and his grin slowly grew larger as the question was asked during the press conference following the Wildcats’ thrilling 48-45 victory over Essex in the Group A, Division 2 state quarterfinals.

“Why does Dan River feel like the Siegel Center is home?”

It didn’t take long for the 6-foot guard to come up with a response since it was a feeling he had when he first heard the Wildcats would play Essex in the very same gymnasium six days prior in Harrisonburg.

“It’s a good feeling coming back,” Stone said. “Not many people expected us to get this far, but toward the end of the season, we banded together as brothers and that’s what we needed. So, we’re pulling it out.”

Dan River plays its fourth game in two seasons at the Siegel Center at 12:15 p.m. today when the Wildcats (14-8) take on James River (26-2) in a Group A, Division 2 boys basketball state semifinal game on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.

“Being able to go back there again … that’s something big for us,” senior forward R.J. Myers said. “Being able to go back down there and play again, it is like a second home.”

Calling the Siegel Center a second home is a way for the players to express their desire to play on the big stage — something each player across the state dreams of doing at the beginning of the season but only a handful get to actually experience once in a four-year career, if lucky. For this group to make it back for a second consecutive year makes the trip even more special and meaningful.

One of Dan River’s most impressive victories last season was against state powerhouse Madison County in the semifinals at the Siegel Center. The Wildcats erased a fourth-quarter deficit and ignited the contingent from Ringgold into a frenzy as then-freshman Trey Edmunds hit the game-winning basket on a coast-to-coast layup with a handful of seconds remaining.

Less than a week ago, Dan River had to endure a similar contest against Essex at the Siegel Center, turning back the Trojans in the second half before a smaller than normal, but just as rowdy crowd that made the trip.

“We’ve played many games there. I just feel we have an advantage,” Edmunds, now a sophomore, said. “It’s like playing at Dan River because most of our fans are there and we just have a better advantage playing there.”

Calling it a second home is pretty accurate in terms of the success Dan River has enjoyed both in Ringgold and the Siegel Center. Dan River went undefeated at home last season and has lost a mere three games at home in the past two seasons.

“Our home is right here in Ringgold, but hopefully it’s a home away from home,” Dan River coach Jacob Gruse said. “Guys feel comfortable there and I’m glad they said that and hopefully we can shoot the ball a little better from the stripe and shoot the ball a little better from the outside.”

Dan River vs. James River

WHAT: Group A, Division 2 state semifinal

WHEN: 12:15 p.m. Friday

WHERE: Siegel Center on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond

RECORDS: Dan River 14-8; James River 26-2

HOW THEY GOT HERE: Dan River secured a sixth seed in the Region B tournament after finishing third in the shortened Dogwood District season. The Wildcats defeated George Mason and Appomattox to secure the school’s second consecutive berth in the Group A, Division 2 state tournament, but lost in the Region B title game for the second time in as many years, this time to Buckingham, 61-49. Dan River held off an Essex charge to win the state quarterfinal game, 48-45. James River won the Pioneer District regular season and district tournament titles and took home the Region C title. The Knights cruised past Honaker 69-48 in the state quarterfinals. Patrick Bennett is the top scorer for James River and has scored more than 1,000 points for his career.

STATE SEMIFINAL HISTORY: This is the Wildcats’ third appearance in the state semifinals and second consecutive trip to the Siegel Center. Dan River’s only victory in the state semifinals came last season when the Wildcats upended Madison County, 57-54, before falling to Radford in the state championship game. James River is making its seventh appearance in the state semifinals. The Knights lost 54-52 to Radford in last year’s semifinals.

QUOTABLE: “Hopefully our guys that were with us last year remember that feeling of our last game there, sitting in the locker room after the state championship game and don’t want that feeling anymore,” Dan River coach Jacob Gruse said of the Wildcats’ loss to Radford. “Hopefully it’s just kicked in. James River’s the same way — they got beat out in the semifinals. Everything we’re preaching in our locker room, they’re preaching the same thing in their locker room.”