WHIRLWIND

After a busy spring and summer, former Waynesboro basketball star Nick Gore is finally at his new home at the Virginia Military Institute.

This week, Gore arrived on campus to begin taking summer classes to lighten his course load once the NCAA basketball season begins. Last year, Gore choose not to play college ball, opting to pick a The Hill preparatory school in Pottstown, Pa. and use the year to gain exposure.

It didn’t take long, and VMI quickly offered him a spot on this season’s roster.

While at The Hill, Gore broke into the school’s record books with 443 points that put him fifth on the single-season scoring list at the school. He was 114-for-165 at the free-throw line, putting him second all-time.

“I really didn’t know what to expect,” Gore said.

During his one season, Gore added 15 pounds of muscle to his frame and also became quicker on the court — something he will need in VMI’s powerful offensive attack.

“I think it prepared me really well for the better competition,” Gore said. “I was playing stronger guys. I was surprised how big and fast I got in an extra year.”

In addition to improving on the court, Gore’s grades also improved while he was at The Hill.

“I think it’s a great opportunity,” he said. “If they aren’t getting the looks that they think they should, but also if you don’t have the grades to go to a four-year school. It can open a lot of doors. A lot of the kids they were feeding were going Ivy.”

At the beginning of June, Gore’s former teammate and friend Jordan Ross committed to Southern Tech, a preparatory school in North Carolina. Gore said that he consulted with Ross about his decision and told him about the benefits of taking a year to prepare for college.

During the summer, Gore traveled with The Hill to Italy, to play the a semi-pro U19 team in Lissone. Gore scored 11 points in The Hill’s 73-63 win.

“We traveled all over,” Gore said.

Now, Gore has to adapt to a new type of game that he’s never played before. The Keydets love to score and their 93.8 scoring average last year proves it. VMI gained national attention last year when it beat Kentucky on Nov. 14 111-103.

“It’s a unique offense,” Gore said.