BOYS HOOPS: W’boro’s Ross to play at Southern Tech

Waynesboro’s Jordan Ross proved that no matter the score, if you play hard someone will notice.

During the 2008 Daily Progress/NBC 29 tournament, the Little Giants were down big to Group AAA Albemarle. Waynesboro didn’t have a chance to recover, but Ross continued to play like Waynesboro was within striking distance.

In the stands, then-Buckingham coach Drew Wilson scribbled in his notebook about Ross’ effort. Wilson was later named the head coach at Southern Tech, a college preparatory school in Charlotte, N.C.

“Waynesboro was getting beat by Albemarle, but he was playing hard, smiling and hitting his shots,” Wilson said. “I was making the remark that you can tell he loves basketball because he was still playing like it was a three-point game. I’m the type of coach that wants a player that loves the game as much as I do.”

Wilson signed Ross to play for him during the Wildcats’ inaugural season.

“It could be a fresh start for me and for the school,” Ross said.

Ross remembered the Waynesboro-Albemarle game and said he felt that if he gave up, the rest of the team would have lost their confidence as well.

“I felt like I was a leader,” he said.

That desire to lead wasn’t lost on Wilson.

“At a prep school you have to have self-motivation,” he said. “I think he will do that.”

During his career with the Little Giants, Ross had to play nearly every position on the court, but he prefers to play as a shooting guard.

“That’s where I’m most comfortable,” he said.

Ross hopes to follow one of his former teammates who also attended a preparatory school before moving on to a four-year university.

Nick Gore, who graduated in 2008, played for The Hill School this season and was later signed to play for the Virginia Military Institute.

“Nick helped me out a lot,” Ross said.

In addition to the chance to showcase his skills, Ross said he also chose Southern Tech because of Wilson

“He’s a player’s coach,” he said.

After playing for the Wildcats, Ross hopes to continue his career at a high-caliber Division III or Division II school, but he isn’t ruling anything out.

“You just never know,” he said.

The Wildcats will play schools from around the region, including Fork Union Military Academy and the University of North Carolina’s JV team.

News Virginian correspondent Derek McCormick contributed to this report.