By Duncan Nixon
Correspondent
In a four-minute overtime, the Fluco boys failed to score a basket, but their free throw shooting was good enough to carry them to four-point victory over visiting Heritage High. An additional factor in the win was the defensive play of senior forward Andre Key. He only scored one point in the game, but Coach Heath Bralley assigned him to be the “one” defender in a box and one defense that the Flucos went to in overtime. Key stuck to the top Heritage scorer like glue and the Heritage offense was completely disrupted. The only basket Heritage scored in overtime was a put back on a rebound with 13 seconds left. Heritage came to play all the way from Lynchburg. Their long ride home was probably not a happy one.
The game started with Heritage taking the lead. The first quarter ended with the Flucos down by three at 12-9. Fluco junior Antwon Carter had six in the quarter including a three-point basket. and he would go on to record 28, exactly half his team’s points. He shot 11 for 14 from the field.
The second quarter started with senior Amir Toney driving the length of the court for a lay-in cutting the lead to one. Senior Tramayne Minor then recorded an impressive blocked shot, but Heritage responded with a three pointer to regain the lead. The Flucos out played Heritage in the quarter and out scored them 14-6 for a 23-18 half time lead, Carter had six in the quarter.
In the third quarter, the Flucos got three-point baskets from Toney and junior Isaiah Thompson, while Carter added five points. Carter ended the quarter with a lay-in on a nice pass from junior Quinton McCloud. The Flucos led 38-31 after three quarters.
Early in the fourth quarter Heritage outscored the Flucos 7-2 to tie the score at 40-40. Two quick baskets by Carter took the Fluco lead back to four, but Heritage scored a free throw and then a late three-point basket to knot it up at 48-48. The Flucos got off a desperation shot at the buzzer that went in but, the referees ruled it was just too late.
The overtime started with two for two from the foul line by Carter and two for two by Fluco sophomore Kayron Douglas. In four more instances, the Flucos went to the line and made one of two. They shot eight for twelve in overtime and won by four. The Flucos had small leads over Heritage in crucial team statistics, leading 38-32 in rebounds and 10-7 in assists.
The Flucos had eight players in the scoring column, but no one except Carter had more than seven. Carter is a player with great balance and body control. He scores mostly from the inside where he gets off shots that are often blocked when other players of his height attempt them.
The Flucos traveled to Amherst High on Dec.6 and hosted Chancellor High on Dec. 9. They start Jefferson District play on Dec. 11 at Monticello High and then host Monticello on Dec. 12. On Dec 16 and 19 they play at Albemarle and Louisa.
