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Potomac rolls, Wakefield falters late in Virginia 5A boys’ basketball semifinals Potomac rolls, Wakefield falters late in Virginia 5A boys’ basketball semifinals
(about 1 hour later)
Albemarle outplayed No. 6 Potomac (Va.) in the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s Virginia 5A boys’ basketball state semifinal in Richmond. The Patriots rained three-pointers. They stole inbounds passes. Their boisterous student section shook Virginia Commonwealth’s Siegel Center with renewed vigor. RICHMOND — Albemarle outplayed No. 6 Potomac (Va.) in the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s Virginia 5A boys’ basketball state semifinal in Richmond. The Patriots rained three-pointers. They stole inbounds passes. Their boisterous student section shook Virginia Commonwealth’s Siegel Center with renewed vigor.
But as with so many opponents the Panthers have faced this year, the damage was already done. Potomac’s lead climbed to 20 points midway through the third quarter, too great a deficit for Albemarle to overcome as the Panthers’ rolled to a 66-57 win.But as with so many opponents the Panthers have faced this year, the damage was already done. Potomac’s lead climbed to 20 points midway through the third quarter, too great a deficit for Albemarle to overcome as the Panthers’ rolled to a 66-57 win.
“We’ve been through that before,” said Potomac senior Jeffrey Gordon, referring to Albemarle’s fourth-quarter run. “We just had to calm everybody down and do what we had to do to win the game.”“We’ve been through that before,” said Potomac senior Jeffrey Gordon, referring to Albemarle’s fourth-quarter run. “We just had to calm everybody down and do what we had to do to win the game.”
Potomac (26-2) has taken double-digit leads into halftime in each of its last 14 games, usually blowing teams out in the second quarter. The Panthers, who won the 2013-14 state title, outscored Albemarle 20-6 in the second quarter to head into the locker room with a 34-19 cushion.Potomac (26-2) has taken double-digit leads into halftime in each of its last 14 games, usually blowing teams out in the second quarter. The Panthers, who won the 2013-14 state title, outscored Albemarle 20-6 in the second quarter to head into the locker room with a 34-19 cushion.
“You’ve got to give credit to our kids,” Potomac Coach Keith Honore said. “We’re able to kind of figure things out after that first quarter, and we’re able to pick those adjustments up and be really successful at them.”“You’ve got to give credit to our kids,” Potomac Coach Keith Honore said. “We’re able to kind of figure things out after that first quarter, and we’re able to pick those adjustments up and be really successful at them.”
Playing on a court longer than your typical high school hardwood, Potomac outlasted Albemarle (22-6) with its signature roster depth, as nine Panthers found the scoring column in the first half.Playing on a court longer than your typical high school hardwood, Potomac outlasted Albemarle (22-6) with its signature roster depth, as nine Panthers found the scoring column in the first half.
Potomac’s eighth straight win by double figures sends the Panthers motoring toward their second state title in three years. They will face L.C. Bird in Wednesday’s final. Potomac’s eighth straight win by double figures sends the Panthers motoring toward their second state title in three years. They will face L.C. Bird in Wednesday’s final.
“The minute they wake up tomorrow I want them to just enjoy the moment,” Coach Keith Honore said. “From the time they wake up, eat breakfast, come to school — yes, they are going to class in the morning — they just need to do the things they normally do and enjoy the moment.”“The minute they wake up tomorrow I want them to just enjoy the moment,” Coach Keith Honore said. “From the time they wake up, eat breakfast, come to school — yes, they are going to class in the morning — they just need to do the things they normally do and enjoy the moment.”
The Wakefield Warriors climbed back to tie the afternoon’s second 5A state semifinal, and all they needed was one more stop to send the game into overtime. But in the mayhem of the moment, a mental error wiped their momentum away as quickly as it arrived.The Wakefield Warriors climbed back to tie the afternoon’s second 5A state semifinal, and all they needed was one more stop to send the game into overtime. But in the mayhem of the moment, a mental error wiped their momentum away as quickly as it arrived.
Halil Parks had just buried a double-clutch three-pointer from the top of the key to tie L.C. Bird with 19 seconds to go. But instead of racing back on defense, a Wakefield player intentionally fouled the Skyhawks’ best player, Mario Haskett, sending him to the free throw line in the double bonus.Halil Parks had just buried a double-clutch three-pointer from the top of the key to tie L.C. Bird with 19 seconds to go. But instead of racing back on defense, a Wakefield player intentionally fouled the Skyhawks’ best player, Mario Haskett, sending him to the free throw line in the double bonus.
Haskett hit both shots, and Wakefield was whistled for charging on the next possession to all but end it. L.C. Bird hit 11 of 12 free throws down the stretch to secure a 54-51 victory that sends the Skyhawks to Wednesday’s 5A state championship against Potomac.Haskett hit both shots, and Wakefield was whistled for charging on the next possession to all but end it. L.C. Bird hit 11 of 12 free throws down the stretch to secure a 54-51 victory that sends the Skyhawks to Wednesday’s 5A state championship against Potomac.
“He made a mistake,” Wakefield Coach Tony Bentley said. “We talked about it in the locker room, and it’s tough. It’s not a good locker room to be in, but because of the strength of these boys all year long and how much we’ve believed in each other, this will pass.”“He made a mistake,” Wakefield Coach Tony Bentley said. “We talked about it in the locker room, and it’s tough. It’s not a good locker room to be in, but because of the strength of these boys all year long and how much we’ve believed in each other, this will pass.”
Parks’s shooting kept Wakefield (25-3) afloat in a game that L.C. Bird dominated in the early going. The Warriors couldn’t find a way past the Skyhawks’ suffocating 2-3 zone for long stretches in the first half, but a Parks triple from the left wing capped a 12-0 Wakefield run in a two-and-a-half minute span to help the Warriors take a 30-27 lead into halftime.Parks’s shooting kept Wakefield (25-3) afloat in a game that L.C. Bird dominated in the early going. The Warriors couldn’t find a way past the Skyhawks’ suffocating 2-3 zone for long stretches in the first half, but a Parks triple from the left wing capped a 12-0 Wakefield run in a two-and-a-half minute span to help the Warriors take a 30-27 lead into halftime.
The lead see-sawed back and forth from there, even as L.C. Bird (24-2) managed only four buckets in 23 second-half field goal attempts. But the Skyhawks hit 19 of 21 free throws after the intermission to keep the upper hand down the stretch. Wakefield finished the day just 5 of 8 from the foul line.The lead see-sawed back and forth from there, even as L.C. Bird (24-2) managed only four buckets in 23 second-half field goal attempts. But the Skyhawks hit 19 of 21 free throws after the intermission to keep the upper hand down the stretch. Wakefield finished the day just 5 of 8 from the foul line.
“We’ve been in these positions a lot this season,” said L.C. Bird Coach Troy Manns, whose team is seeking its first state title. “We feel very comfortable in these situations. Having those experiences is starting to pay off for us now.”“We’ve been in these positions a lot this season,” said L.C. Bird Coach Troy Manns, whose team is seeking its first state title. “We feel very comfortable in these situations. Having those experiences is starting to pay off for us now.”
Fresh off the heartbreaking loss, Wakefield players took solace in a 25-win season that saw them get back to the Siegel Center despite graduating top player Dominique Tham and bringing in four transfers.Fresh off the heartbreaking loss, Wakefield players took solace in a 25-win season that saw them get back to the Siegel Center despite graduating top player Dominique Tham and bringing in four transfers.
“It was definitely a great run,” said Wakefield senior Deng Nhial, who finished with 11 points. “The team we put together this season was incredible. Nobody chose for us to be here, so we just decided to step up to the plate and shock a lot of people. Even though we didn’t come out on top today, I still believe we did.”“It was definitely a great run,” said Wakefield senior Deng Nhial, who finished with 11 points. “The team we put together this season was incredible. Nobody chose for us to be here, so we just decided to step up to the plate and shock a lot of people. Even though we didn’t come out on top today, I still believe we did.”