WINDSOR
Windsor head basketball coach Brandon Bossick will tell you that building a successful program isn’t something that happens overnight. The fact that the Dukes haven’t recorded a winning season since he arrived in 2011 speaks to that. But it’s the steps he’s taken since he accepted the job after six years as an assistant coach at Booker T. Washington in Norfolk that show the program is moving in the right direction.

“To build a culture of success here at Windsor, we have been working closely with the Booker T. Washington team,” Bossick said, who noted the Mighty Bookers won a state title and played in three state semifinal games during his tenure. “We are continually improving, and my focus is teaching the game and the life lessons that accompany playing sports.”

Bossick hired three new coaches this season, each of whom played basketball at the collegiate level, and has invited a couple of professional basketball players — such as former Old Dominion star DeShawn Painter — to practice with the team.

“[They] have a deep knowledge of the game, along with an ability to teach our players the complexities of basketball,” Bossick said.

The Dukes have started the season on a sour note, losing their first three games of the season to TriRivers District foes Sussex Central, Southampton and Franklin.

Bossick, however, believes that his team’s success in this year’s Christopher Newport University Summer League — where they lost in the championship round — is a more positive sign of his team’s ongoing development.

“When we play team-first basketball with purpose, passion and confidence, then wins will come,” he said.

Numbers to Know

1 – Windsor will miss Malcolm “Woody” Greene, who wore No. 1 while averaging a double-double in points and rebounds for the Dukes over the last two seasons. The 6-foot-6 Greene graduated in the spring and is now playing football for the Apprentice School Builders. “Every year we will lose seniors, and last year’s were special,” Bossick said, “but our team is moving forward.”

16 – Windsor lost 16-consecutive games to begin the 2014-15 season. The Dukes managed to win the final two games of the year, however, knocking off Arcadia and Appomattox Regional Governor’s School on the road to finish on a high note. The team did not have a chance to advance in the Virginia High School League Division 2A Conference 33 tournament, either, as inclement weather caused officials to cancel the first round and advance the higher-ranked teams.

Cast of Characters 

Keyshawn Reid – Small forward Keyshawn Reid is only 271 points away from becoming the first Windsor basketball player since 2014 graduate Justice Chapman to score 1,000 career points. Windsor’s lone senior, Reid will look to shoulder the load offensively.

Sharmon Reid-Wilkerson – Starting at point guard as a freshman, Shamon Reid-Wilkerson brings another dimension to the Dukes’ offense. Bossick calls Reid-Wilkerson, who leads the team in assists through the first three games of his varsity career, a “dynamic and quick” guard.

Schedule

Dec. 2 – at Sussex L 73-43
Dec. 7 – at Southampton L 65-51
Dec. 9 – at Franklin L 58-53
Dec. 11 – Surry
Dec. 14 ��� Greensville
Dec. 16 – Park View
Dec. 18 – at Brunswick
Dec. 22 – Franklin Christmas Tournament
Jan. 8 – Sussex
Jan. 13 – ARGS
Jan. 15 – Southampton
Jan. 20 – Franklin
Jan. 22 – at Surry
Jan. 27 – at Greensville
Jan. 29 – at Park View
Feb. 2 – ARGS
Feb. 3 – Brunswick