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Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2014
The Journal
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CB Drifters end season on top of 1A Conference 43 Leonard Banks Sports editor It’s been a season of up and downs for the Colonial Beach High School varsity Drifters, but in the end, they prevailed. On Saturday, the 1A Conference 43 regular season champions defeated Rappahannock, 58-39. Raider guard, Jamal Fisher did everything he could to put a cork in the Drifter scoring attack, Drifters led by Monte Gould (19 points, 8 rebounds), but the sustained effort by Colonial Beach eventually Raiders resulted in defeat for the visiting Raiders. “The first half was kind of shaky,” Drifter boys varsity basketball head coach Jonathan Parker said. “I told them at half time about the importance of boxing out and forcing turnovers.” Parker’s encouragement paid off, as the Drifters outscored the Raiders,
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18-10 in the third quarter, and 17-7 in the final quarter. “We were playing the kind of basketball that we’re capable of,” Parker said. “If we can continue playing like that, we should win the Conference 43 tournament.” The first quarter was a wake up call for the Raiders; the Drifters came out blasting two 3-pointers, two foul shots, and a field goal, courtesy of Keane Foster, and Monte Gould respectively. Midway in the quarter, the Raiders managed a short 8-4 run that cut the Drifter deficit to five points (14-9). The Drifters repeatedly crashed the boards, and literally owned the post zone throughout the quarter. “We had to be aggressive, because they were short-handed, and I wanted to put pressure on them by forcing turnovers, which gave us the momentum,” Parker said. In the second quarter, the Raiders finally came to play. Within the first minute and a half, the Raiders scored two baskets that cut the Drifters
“We had to be aggressive, because they were short-handed, and I wanted to put pressure on them by forcing turnovers, which gave us the momentum.” —Jonathan Parker lead to 14-13. During the next five exchanges, the Raiders took a 1918 lead, after Fisher nailed a long ranged jumper from just inside the perimeter. However, the Drifters quickly responded with a Foster 3-pointer that lifted the Drifter fan faithful out of their seats. With an assist from Kamron Smith, Lamar Lucas launched another 3-pointer that extended the Drifter lead to 23-19. Undaunted, Fisher scored a halftime buzzer-beating 3-pointer to keep the Raiders within two points of the
Drifter lead. In the third quarter, the Raiders unleashed everything they could within their offensive arsenal, but the Drifters refused to give in. After an exchange of eight scores, Gould and Lucas collectively extended the Drifters’ lead to 41-32. In the final quarter, the Drifters defense suffocated the Raiders offensive, as they were limited to two points. Gould completed the Drifters surge with eight points, as the Raiders offense stumbled and could never get back on track.
Leonard Banks
Tough under pressure! Drifter forward Lamar Lucas (left), prepares to finish a fast break score against a pursuing Rappahannock Raider.
KG Foxes celebrate Senior Night with gusto Leonard Banks Sports editor When you’re hot, you’re hot! It’s 4A Conference 22 playoff week, and the Foxes varsity boys’ basketball team (7-3, 14-7) is sitting near the front of the bus in second place. Unlike any other team in the conference, the Foxes have proven that they are resilient. In spite of tough losses at the start of the season and injuries to several key players, the Foxes have risen above adversity to become a predator near the top of the food chain. After all, they are the only team in their conference to defeat top-seeded Chancellor (8-1, 15-4). To make matters just a wee bit more interesting, they are on an eight-game winning streak, with a bye to place them in the semi-finals on Wednesday, as the host team. Most recently, on Senior Night, the Foxes ended their regular season with a resounding 64-50 win over Spotsylvania. Knights vs. Foxes On Tuesday evening, the Foxes Den was humming with excitement, as the Foxes prepared to redeem their earlier 59-56 loss to 3A Conference rival, Spotsylvania (4-1, 11-7). Like
King George, the Knights are also entering the post season as a second seed. Two formidable figures, in the form of six-foot-five, 260-pound Bradley Anderson, and shooting guard Devin Kennedy stood in the path of the Foxes Foxes winning their final regular game of the season. Although Kennedy led all scorers with 26 Knights points, and Anderson dominated the boards throughout the night, the Foxes systematically outhustled their former Battlefield foe in the second half. In spite of two ties and several field goal exchanges, the Foxes held the advantage in the first quarter. As De’Quan Whiting and Eian Chase confused and often times bewildered the Knights’ defense, Anthony Howard and Sam Sharpe played the role of the cleanup technicians. Howard finished the quarter with six points and two assists, while nailing two back-to-back three-pointers that led to a 16-10 lead going into the second quarter. During the second quarter, the
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Knights aggressively crashed the boards while forcing turnovers. Courtesy of a short-range jumper by Anderson, the Knights completed a 6-2 run and their first lead of the game (19-18). However, the Foxes responded in force with an 11-1 run of their own that led to a 29-21 halftime lead. The Knights entered the third quarter fired up. Their intensity led to a 9-0 opening run that featured seven points from Kennedy. The Knights continued to prevail upon the Foxes’ defense with a 5-2 run, which ended with a Knight four-point lead. The Foxes responded by shutting down the Knights’ transition offense and capitalizing on fast-break opportunities. Sophomore sensation Qu’Shaun Allen and Howard spearheaded a Fox rally and tied the game twice, before Lakin Hall nailed a long-range jumper to take a 41-39 lead at the buzzer. Allen finished the game with a career-high 13 points. In the fourth quarter, the Foxes’ offense shifted into overdrive with a flood of fast- break opportunities that eventually led to nine-point lead, with 2:30 to go. With the Knights’ offense fading into the night, the Foxes mercifully closed out the game with a 60-54 win.
Foxes • Drifters •Eagles Keep up with your team this Spring in The
Journal
Leonard Banks
Fox forward, Jay Buckner (left) leans forward to position himself against Knights center, Bradley Anderson (right).
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