By Duncan Nixon
Correspondent
The Fluvanna County boys basketball team hosted Orange County on Feb. 7. It was the final home game of the regular season. The crowd was larger than usual and a little raucous. The Hornets started strong, jumping into a 7-0 lead. The Flucos bounced back as junior Tramayne Minor nailed two three-point shots, one of them at the buzzer. The Flucos ended the quarter with an 11-9 lead.
The second quarter started with Minor nailing his third three-pointer, but Orange responded with a short jump shot and a three-pointer of its own. That tied the score at 14-14. Orange moved into a 19-17 lead. Fluco senior DeAndre McCloud put the Flucos even again with a lay-in on a break-away. McCloud then sank to free throws for a 19-17 Fluco lead. Late in the quarter, junior Kemaan Massie put the Flucos up by two at 23-21 with a strong baseline drive for a lay-in. Unfortunately for the Flucos, the Hornets converted a three-point shot and one of two from the free throw line in the last minute of the half to take a 25-23 lead into the locker room.
The third quarter started with baskets by McCloud and Massie for a Fluvanna lead. The lead did not last long. A few minutes later, the Hornets scored an old fashioned three-point play to tie the score at 33-33. Another three point play, off a Hornets’ steal, made it 36-33 for the Hornets. The Flucos managed to tie the score again 36-36 on a rebound basket by sophomore Antwon Carter. However, the Hornets again ended the quarter with a three-point basket and one of two from the line. The Flucos trailed going to the final quarter 40-36. Massie scored three baskets in the quarter and Carter contributed two rebound baskets.
Orange started the fourth quarter strong and halfway through the quarter they opened their lead to eleven points. The Flucos competed aggressively to the end, but a host of successful free throws by the Hornets opened the margin substantially. The Hornets outscored the Flucos in the final quarter 23-10 for a 17 point win, but the game was much closer than the final score would suggest.
In this game, Fluco Coach Heath Bralley had his team in a box and one defense for most of the game. This defense puts four defenders in a zone and one defender playing man-to-man on the opponents’ top scoring threat. The defense works especially well if the offense tries to force the ball to the player being defended man-to man. The Fluco executed the defense especially well holding the Hornets player who was the primary target of the man-to man defense scoreless. However, the Hornets moved the ball well and may have had more open three-point opportunities than normal. Both teams were aggressive and quick. Neither team had much size.
McCloud led the Flucos in scoring with 12 points, while Minor and Carter each contributed nine points.
The Flucos ended their regular season schedule at Charlottesville on Feb. 11. Bralley advised, after the game, that a win over Charlottesville could qualify his team for Region play despite the teams’ overall losing record.
