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Chantilly coach Jim Smith calls them "wood choppers." Opposing players -- usually around 6-foot-3 and weighing more than 200 pounds -- tasked with making life in the paint difficult for Charger 7-footer John Manning.

Two years ago, when Manning entered the Chantilly boys basketball varsity program as a 170-pound freshman, opposing teams sharpened their axes. Last season as a sophomore, Manning began to assert himself more, averaging a double-double with 13 points per game, 10 rebounds and four blocks, while earning All-Northern Region honors -- but still struggled against stronger upperclassmen down low.

"Last year, kids would push him around, move him out of his position," said Smith.

But after Manning spent an offseason in the weight room to prepare for this season, Smith doesn't think anybody's going to be able to chop his star center down to size.

"He's going to be bigger and stronger than most kids," said Smith of the now 220-pound Manning.

Smith has known Manning since the junior was just a "big blond, tow-headed [fifth-grader], who was struggling with coordination."

For years, Manning -- who played basketball in the Chantilly Youth Association -- attended summer camps coached by Smith. Each year, Smith saw an improvement in Manning as the young elementary school kid grew into his body. By middle school, Smith realized that Manning was something special.

Area private school coaches felt the same way, but Manning, after visiting most of the schools in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, chose the public route and enrolled at Chantilly in 2007.

When asked about his decision to attend -- and stay -- at Chantilly, Manning prefers to let his team's resume answer.

"The success that we've had speaks for itself as to why I've stayed here," he said.

With Manning, the Chargers have built up quite a resume. In the last two years, Chantilly is 44-6, including going undefeated against region opponents during the regular season last year. Chantilly went undefeated in district and took the Concorde District title.

The Chargers advanced to the Northern Region tournament, falling to Hayfield, 71-61, in the semifinals.

"That [loss to Hayfield] being one of our only two losses, it makes it hurt more," said Manning. "That motivated us in the offseason a lot."

With only one notable loss to graduation last year -- all-district guard Justin May -- Smith believes that the Chargers are again prepped for a run at the region title.

"We have a very good team coming back," he said. "It's no mystery. We have a good team."

The Chargers will rely on Manning to lead the way, something Smith doesn't worry about.

"He has just improved in every aspect of his game. He is extremely dedicated," said Smith of the third-year varsity starter.

It's an improvement that didn't just come naturally.

"He was the hardest worker in our program from his first day here as a freshman," said Smith. "He puts so much time into it."

Last season, Manning shot 75 percent from the foul line, a 20 percent jump from his freshman year. He shot 55 percent from the field.

"He just continues to get better and better," said Smith.

Of course, Manning's success has received increased interest from college coaches.

"You could name a school and they've probably been in contact," said Smith, who added that his voicemail, mailbox and e-mail inbox are regularly filled with messages from college coaches. "Almost every school that you can think of."

But for Manning, who still has two more years of prep basketball ahead of him, his focus is on the Chargers.

"I'm pretty excited," he said.

The wood choppers aren't.

Top talent: 25 key returning players in boys' basketball

-Warren Denny, Centreville, Sr.

-John Manning, Chantilly, Jr.

-Kethan Savage, Chantilly, Jr.

-Matt Zanellato, Robinson, Jr.

-Mike Rice, Robinson, Jr.

-Marcellus Holley,Westfield, Sr.

-Zack Ozycz, Herndon, Sr.

-Austin Hamilton, Herndon, Sr.

-Antonio Harris, J.E.B. Stuart, Jr.

-Skylar Jones, Mount Vernon, Sr.

-Nizar Alamin, Falls Church, Jr.

-T.J. Ehrsam, Madison, Sr.

-Joey Kiffe, Langley, Sr.

-Ramin Shaheedian, South Lakes, Sr.

-Daniel Barnes, Thomas Jefferson, Jr.

-Nick Perez, Thomas Jefferson, Sr.

-Sean Fitzgerald, McLean, Sr.

-Max Lenox, W.T. Woodson, Sr.

-John Schoof, W.T. Woodson, Jr.

-Ryan Yates, T.C. Williams, Sr.

-Billy Rowland, T.C. Williams, Sr.

-Antonio Butler, South County, Sr.

-Patch McLucas, Lake Braddock, Sr.

-Daryl Copeland, West Potomac, Jr.

-Karl Ziegler, Annandale, Jr.

-Will Simonton, Marshall, Sr.