As discussed earlier today, Riverheads' boys basketball team finally got its season underway tonight, after the usual football delay, plus an extra week due to other circumstances. As a result, many of us knew very little about what to expect out of the Big Red this season.
So that first game is now behind them as homestanding East Rockingham rolled over the Gladiators 80-37 tonight. The question of what kind of team Riverheads has this year can be summed up in two words..... young and small. Only one player, Brett Hostetler, returns with any significant varsity experience and there were three freshmen and two sophomores among the ten players dressed out tonight. Size-wise the Big Red has only one guy standing above 6'2".
East Rock, which was playing game number 6 or 7 compared to Riverheads' first, took full advantage of all those factors and pressed full-court virtually the entire game. The only real bright spot for the Gladiators came in the first quarter as they scored 7 points in a row after ER had jumped out to an 8-0 lead. The visitors even had the ball with a chance to take the lead but did not convert and the Eagles moved out comfortably in front from that point.
The Gladiators could take some consolation from the fact that they continued to hustle and played much better in the second half as they got into the flow of the game. Also nine of the ten scored, and four different guys connected from behind the arc. So if you look at this one realistically, it WAS a first game for a young, inexperienced and probably very nervous team, and they WILL get better. In fact, I suspect they will give a better effort at Luray Wednesday night and hopefully continue to improve from there.
The Gladiator JVs lost also tonight 55-42, but in that case there is DEFINITELY reason to be optimistic. That team has 7 eighth-graders on an 11-man squad and they hustled their butts off, and made the Eagles earn their victory. RHS stayed within single digits almost all the way throughout the game and showed some excellent three-point potential, especially from Braeson Fulton, one of the eighth-graders. He played an all-around solid game, knocked down either three or four from behind the arc, and even drew some personal praise from a college scout in the crowd, who approached him after the game to offer encouragement.
Although this could be a tough year for the Big Red, if you consider the combined youth of those two teams, it could mean that they will be building for the future and that 2-3 years down the road, they could be a force to be reckoned with.
All was not lost for the Riverheads community as the word has come out of Greenville that the Lady Gladiators swept both games from the Eagles tonight. I don't keep up with girls' basketball as well as I could, but considering the dominant girls program that ER has had since its inception, this would have to be one of the very few times (maybe even the first?) that Riverheads has beaten the Lady Eagles.
Happy Holidays everyone. I unfortunately have to miss tomorrow's Big Red trip to Luray, but maybe someone else will give a report on it. Best wishes for an improved effort. The boys then have their home opener next Wednesday against Nelson County.
So that first game is now behind them as homestanding East Rockingham rolled over the Gladiators 80-37 tonight. The question of what kind of team Riverheads has this year can be summed up in two words..... young and small. Only one player, Brett Hostetler, returns with any significant varsity experience and there were three freshmen and two sophomores among the ten players dressed out tonight. Size-wise the Big Red has only one guy standing above 6'2".
East Rock, which was playing game number 6 or 7 compared to Riverheads' first, took full advantage of all those factors and pressed full-court virtually the entire game. The only real bright spot for the Gladiators came in the first quarter as they scored 7 points in a row after ER had jumped out to an 8-0 lead. The visitors even had the ball with a chance to take the lead but did not convert and the Eagles moved out comfortably in front from that point.
The Gladiators could take some consolation from the fact that they continued to hustle and played much better in the second half as they got into the flow of the game. Also nine of the ten scored, and four different guys connected from behind the arc. So if you look at this one realistically, it WAS a first game for a young, inexperienced and probably very nervous team, and they WILL get better. In fact, I suspect they will give a better effort at Luray Wednesday night and hopefully continue to improve from there.
The Gladiator JVs lost also tonight 55-42, but in that case there is DEFINITELY reason to be optimistic. That team has 7 eighth-graders on an 11-man squad and they hustled their butts off, and made the Eagles earn their victory. RHS stayed within single digits almost all the way throughout the game and showed some excellent three-point potential, especially from Braeson Fulton, one of the eighth-graders. He played an all-around solid game, knocked down either three or four from behind the arc, and even drew some personal praise from a college scout in the crowd, who approached him after the game to offer encouragement.
Although this could be a tough year for the Big Red, if you consider the combined youth of those two teams, it could mean that they will be building for the future and that 2-3 years down the road, they could be a force to be reckoned with.
All was not lost for the Riverheads community as the word has come out of Greenville that the Lady Gladiators swept both games from the Eagles tonight. I don't keep up with girls' basketball as well as I could, but considering the dominant girls program that ER has had since its inception, this would have to be one of the very few times (maybe even the first?) that Riverheads has beaten the Lady Eagles.
Happy Holidays everyone. I unfortunately have to miss tomorrow's Big Red trip to Luray, but maybe someone else will give a report on it. Best wishes for an improved effort. The boys then have their home opener next Wednesday against Nelson County.
