With an eight-point lead early in the fourth quarter and the game still very much in doubt, the Staunton Storm went on a 10-0 burst that finally enabled them to put away the Gladiators 66-47 in a game that was more competitive than the score might sound. Riverheads was within striking distance at 50-42 prior to that sequence but the Storm stepped it up and closed out the game on a 16-5 run.
As expected, Staunton was the quicker and deeper team, although this was one of the few occasions this season where Riverheads might have had the height advantage. That was evident in the early going when Jackson Brammer was able to work his way inside for some quick buckets as Riverheads took an early 7-3 lead and a 17-16 advantage into the second quarter.
That period was still even and in fact tied at 25 before The Storm scored the final five points of the half to lead 30-25. Henley Dunlap opened the second half with a triple for RHS to trim the deficit to just two but the Storm began to take control soon after that. Riverheads hung around at 46-37 after three quarters, and as mentioned was still within eight before Staunton's final surge.
For the most part, Staunton was able to keep the Gladiators from enjoying much success behind the three-point line. After hitting 13 at Bath County last Thursday, the Big Red only managed to hit four tonight. Brammer and Dunlap led the RHS scoring with 13 and 11 respectively, although Gladiator fans noticed and appreciated the off-the-bench efforts of Joe George and Jaxon Duff, each of whom scored 7 points.
Although the game was intense, for the most part it was sportsmanlike and you got the idea that these players know and maybe even like each other. Sure there were skirmishes here and there and the usual catcalls from the stands, but other than one double-technical situation that was quickly sorted out, this was far from being the kind of game we sometimes see.
Tonight's JV game was also a comfortable win for the visiting Storm, although in this case they put the game away with a big second quarter. Riverheads was hanging around at 7-6 early in the period before the Storm scored a whopping 19 points in a row before Riverheads could score again. The final score was 45-21 so for all practical purposes. that 19-0 surge decided the game.
While the boys were playing in Greenville, the two girls' teams fought it out in Staunton. In a much-anticipated JV game, the 8-1 Storm was hosting the 9-1 Junior Gladiators. After a tight first half, Staunton pulled away to win that one comfortably. Riverheads then prevailed in the varsity game to remain unbeaten in district play.
All four Gladiator teams have already had to put tonight behind them because tomorrow (Wednesday) is a snow make-up day involving the Stuarts Draft Cougars, who did NOT have to play tonight. So will the four Big Red teams have anything left in the tank for their rivals? We will find out tomorrow when the Gladiator boys visit the Cougar Den and the Lady Gladiators try to protect the home court and more importantly that unbeaten district record. The Lady Cougars will come into that one with one district loss.
