The Gladiators came within just a few seconds of sweeping Fort Defiance tonight as they fell ever-so-short of pulling off a win that would have given them valuable ratings points. But the Indians somehow held on for the one-point road win, avenging Riverheads' earlier seven-point win at the Fort.
The Indians actually led the entire game, except for a brief 5-4 lead by RHS. Once the visitors regained the lead, they held it the rest of the way and fought off one continuous, game-long comeback from Riverheads. Every time the Fort would open up a bit of breathing room, the Big Red would find its way back into contention.
The first quarter was slow and deliberate with the Indians' big center Josh Whelan scoring their first six points and freshman Braeson Fulton connecting from the deep corner to give RHS its only lead. The quarter ended 8-7 in favor of the Fort.
The second quarter was the biggest of the night for FD as they took their largest lead of the game at 23-13. But just when it looked like they might blow it open, RHS scored the final six points of the first half and the first basket of the second half to close to within 23-21.
The Indians countered to make it 27-21 before another Riverheads surge tied the score at 27. However from there, the Gladiators could never get that key hoop to either tie again or take the lead. But the Indians certainly could not shake them either. The margin hovered around the 3-6 point range the rest of the way until Riverheads made one final stab at victory.
The final minute was frantic and RHS had its chances to pull out the win. They had trimmed it to 40-38, when the Indians hit them with a gutsy full-court home run pass and lay-up that made it 42-38.
Riverheads pressed full court and got a couple of steals, the last of which got them a foul call and put freshman Grant Painter on the line with the score 43-41 and a chance to tie with just 5.6 seconds left. He stripped the net cleanly on the first one, but came up short on the second one and the Gladiators fouled in desperation with the clock reading 4.4 seconds.
The Indian player missed the first and after a little clock confusion, also missed the second, leaving RHS the full 4.4 to possibly pull off the game-winner. They were unfortunately out of time outs as the Indians were attempting their shots and therefore could not plan a final play. Fulton raced up the court and fired a pass to Painter near the foul line but it was too little too late as the Indians escaped with the win.
Whelan tied for high point honors for the Indians with 12, matched by Clint Cox. The Fort also got a couple of timely threes in the first half from Kenneth Gragg that helped build that 10-point lead. Fulton and Painter led the way for Riverheads with 15 and 11 respectively.
Although any loss is disappointing, some good came out of this one as the Gladiators certainly did not give up and kept fighting to the bitter end. But the best news of all is that they re-discovered their shooting touch, as four different guys combined for six triples, including F & P hitting two each. Prior to tonight the Big Red had hit only one trey over its last two games.
Riverheads has another tough one Friday as they travel to Page County. On paper that might appear to be a relatively easy Panther win, but you can bet that Page is well aware that RHS traveled to nearby Luray just a week ago and thoroughly pounded the Bulldogs by 33 points. So if there is something about that Page County air that Riverheads found refreshing that night, the Gladiators just might catch another whiff of it Friday.
In tonight's JV game, Riverheads trailed 10-8 early in the second quarter but closed out the half on a 12-3 run and coasted from there to a 39-28 win. Zack Adams, whom the Indians did not see the first time around because he was on the varsity squad briefly at the beginning of the season, led the scoring with 16 points. The Junior G-men are on a nice little roll, having won four of their last five games.
The Indians actually led the entire game, except for a brief 5-4 lead by RHS. Once the visitors regained the lead, they held it the rest of the way and fought off one continuous, game-long comeback from Riverheads. Every time the Fort would open up a bit of breathing room, the Big Red would find its way back into contention.
The first quarter was slow and deliberate with the Indians' big center Josh Whelan scoring their first six points and freshman Braeson Fulton connecting from the deep corner to give RHS its only lead. The quarter ended 8-7 in favor of the Fort.
The second quarter was the biggest of the night for FD as they took their largest lead of the game at 23-13. But just when it looked like they might blow it open, RHS scored the final six points of the first half and the first basket of the second half to close to within 23-21.
The Indians countered to make it 27-21 before another Riverheads surge tied the score at 27. However from there, the Gladiators could never get that key hoop to either tie again or take the lead. But the Indians certainly could not shake them either. The margin hovered around the 3-6 point range the rest of the way until Riverheads made one final stab at victory.
The final minute was frantic and RHS had its chances to pull out the win. They had trimmed it to 40-38, when the Indians hit them with a gutsy full-court home run pass and lay-up that made it 42-38.
Riverheads pressed full court and got a couple of steals, the last of which got them a foul call and put freshman Grant Painter on the line with the score 43-41 and a chance to tie with just 5.6 seconds left. He stripped the net cleanly on the first one, but came up short on the second one and the Gladiators fouled in desperation with the clock reading 4.4 seconds.
The Indian player missed the first and after a little clock confusion, also missed the second, leaving RHS the full 4.4 to possibly pull off the game-winner. They were unfortunately out of time outs as the Indians were attempting their shots and therefore could not plan a final play. Fulton raced up the court and fired a pass to Painter near the foul line but it was too little too late as the Indians escaped with the win.
Whelan tied for high point honors for the Indians with 12, matched by Clint Cox. The Fort also got a couple of timely threes in the first half from Kenneth Gragg that helped build that 10-point lead. Fulton and Painter led the way for Riverheads with 15 and 11 respectively.
Although any loss is disappointing, some good came out of this one as the Gladiators certainly did not give up and kept fighting to the bitter end. But the best news of all is that they re-discovered their shooting touch, as four different guys combined for six triples, including F & P hitting two each. Prior to tonight the Big Red had hit only one trey over its last two games.
Riverheads has another tough one Friday as they travel to Page County. On paper that might appear to be a relatively easy Panther win, but you can bet that Page is well aware that RHS traveled to nearby Luray just a week ago and thoroughly pounded the Bulldogs by 33 points. So if there is something about that Page County air that Riverheads found refreshing that night, the Gladiators just might catch another whiff of it Friday.
In tonight's JV game, Riverheads trailed 10-8 early in the second quarter but closed out the half on a 12-3 run and coasted from there to a 39-28 win. Zack Adams, whom the Indians did not see the first time around because he was on the varsity squad briefly at the beginning of the season, led the scoring with 16 points. The Junior G-men are on a nice little roll, having won four of their last five games.
