The Virginian-Pilot
©
To close out his high school career, Norfolk Collegiate star Keith Wright had a typical game – led his team in scoring, notched a double-double, blocked several shots. The only element missing was a win.
Wright scored 27 points and snatched 13 rebounds, but it wasn't enough as the Oaks fell on their home floor to Hargrave Military Academy 70-65 in the opening round of the Virginia Independent Schools Division I state tournament Tuesday night.
Center Quionton Coples lead Hargrave (14-9) with 25 points, doing most of his damage down low, while teammate Adrien Licienne added 18. The Tigers connected on nine three-point field goals.
“We played with a lot of heart, but we didn't shoot the ball well. The difference was how well they shot it," said Norfolk Collegiate coach Jim Markey. On multiple occasions, Hargrave players were draining shots from several feet behind the three-point line. As Wright put it, "They were hitting crazy shots."
Hargrave was hot early, making four three-pointers in the first quarter to take a 17-11 lead.
Towards the close of the first half, Norfolk Collegiate (18-11) made a push with three straight baskets, including two off offensive rebounds, to close within five points, but Hargrave responded with a second-chance bucket and a pair of free throws to take a 34-25 lead into the half.
Donte Hill, second in the TCIS in scoring, chipped in 22 points, 18 in the second half, but none came easy as Hargrave heavily contested Hill's numerous drives to the basket. It didn't help that Norfolk Collegiate struggled from the free throw line, going 11-20.
The Oaks mounted a comeback in the fourth, sparked by Wright and Hill and intense defensive pressure that harassed Hargrave into 11 turnovers in the quarter. Norfolk Collegiate closed to within four on a three by Matt Schafer with twelve seconds remaining, but Coples and Licienne each hit a pair of free throws to put Hargrave up eight with just seconds remaining.
The last basket of the night, a three by Wright, produced the end result and it was not enough to prevent the Oaks from losing three of their last four to conclude the season.
It was fitting that Wright hit the final shot of the game and also that the tallest Oak was the last to leave the court. A few young children offered hugs in consolation – even they could sense how tough the loss was -- and the personable Wright accepted.
Although the Wright and the Oaks chance to advance in the state tournament was denied, Wright's bright future can't be – he's headed to Harvard.
"I get to continue doing the two things I love: learning and playing ball," Wright said.
In another VIS game: Amelia 46, Isle of Wight 36
6-foot-7 center Maka Garba had nine of his 14 points in the fourth quarter to lift sixth-seeded Amelia. In a Div. III first round game.
Daniel Brown had a game-high 17 points for the 11th-seeded Chargers (12-16), who led 16-14 at the break.
VISGBA TOURNAMENT
Norfolk Academy 40, St. Stephens-St.Agnes 38
Lindsey Shall made a free throw and Brittany Morris added another two late down the stretch to seal the Bulldogs’ Virginia Independent Schools Div. I state tournament first-round victory.
Shall, a senior, and freshman Chrissy Gorsline each had 12 points to lead No. 7 seed Norfolk Academy (19-8), who will play at No. 2 seed Paul VI in Thursday’s quarterfinal.
Portsmouth Christian 56, Steward 48
Senior Kristen Blalock had 25 points and 22 rebounds in her final home game as the eighth-seeded Patriots advanced to Thursday’s VIS Division II quarterfinals.
Fallon Annarino chipped in 11 points for Portsmouth Christian, which will play at No. 1 seed Walsingham at 6 p.m.
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Yahoo