I’d like to issue a huge ‘thank you’ and commendation to Cumberland County High School’s varsity boys basketball team and Prince Edward County High School’s varsity girls basketball squad.

Those two teams made the 2017-18 basketball season particularly exciting for fans here in the Heart of Virginia.

It was fun tracking the Dukes’ resurgence during the regular season as they started 11-3. I could also sense the growing momentum of the Lady Eagles as they piled up win after win — including two over top district rival Goochland — on their way to a 19-3 regular season run that clinched the district title.

Both teams enjoyed success in their respective regional tournaments that earned them state tournament berths.

The top-seeded Dukes were a wonder to watch in the Region 1B boys tourney, taking each and every opponent by storm. They won their three regional games by an average of 28 points, clinching their first regional title in 27 years.

It was cool to be able to tell the story of how it was Head Coach Tyrone Mosby who helped spearhead that last regional title run in 1991. He was named regional Player of the Year then, just as Dukes senior forward Darius Kyle was this year.

Height can be such an important facet to a successful team in basketball, and it was exciting to see height on Cumberland’s side this year with the towering presence of junior center Christian Jackson, who stands 6 feet 6 inches tall.

As any basketball fan can attest, it really is a treat to watch Prince Edward junior point guard Da’Mya Harris play. Even in the Lady Eagles’ state quarterfinal loss, I still got a thrill seeing her ability to employ moves right out of Steph Curry’s repertoire.

Also, when I got a closer look at the Dukes and Lady Eagles, I gained a broader respect for them as teams. Each squad has a bevy of players who can perform with confidence when the ball is in their hands, and those are key building blocks to a successful team.

Titus Mohler is the sports editor for The Farmville Herald and Farmville Newsmedia LLC. His email address is Titus.Mohler@FarmvilleHerald.com.