Handley's long-range shooting stops Millbrook in district title game
- By WALT MOODY | The Winchester Star
Handley’s Gus Wise shoots over Millbrook’s Ben Curtin during the Class 4 Northwestern District boys’ basketball tournament final on Friday night at Handley. The Judges won 80-56. Wise scored 15 points.
- Ginger Perry/The Winchester Star
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Handley’s Keevon Martin gets a shot off past Millbrook’s Trammell Anthony (right) during Handley’s 80-56 victory on Friday.
- Ginger Perry/The Winchester Star
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Millbrook’s Jordan Funk shoots between Handley’s Ra’Shaad Morris (14) and Tyson Long (24) on Friday night. Funk scored his 1,000th career point during the loss to the Judges and had 17 points Friday.
- Ginger Perry/The Winchester Star
WINCHESTER — The last time Millbrook played boys’ basketball against Handley, the Pioneers used a variety of zone defenses to hold the Judges to 27 second-half points in nearly pulling off an upset.
So with the Class 4 Northwestern District title on the line Friday, it wasn’t a stretch to repeat the strategy that was so successful.
But this time, Handley’s shooters were ready and on target.
The Judges drilled 11 3-pointers, making at least two in every quarter, and ran away to an 80-56 romp before a packed house at Hunter-Maddex Gymnasium.
Handley (21-3), a state semifinalist last season, clinched a home game in the opening round of the Region 4C playoffs. The Judges will host Woodgrove (15-10) at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. The Pioneers (20-5) will travel to defending state champion Loudoun Valley (23-1) at 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday.
Six different Handley players connected from long distance on Friday, led by three each from Gus Wise and Tyson Long, who came in off the bench. Long had two and Wise added another in a 25-point second quarter that allowed the Judges to extend a five-point lead to 15 at the half.
“We’re a good three-point shooting team I would say,” said Long, a junior. “Once we see a team go to zone, we feel comfortable.”
Handley coach Jason Toton said the Judges spent some time watching film of the 64-61 triumph against Millbrook, but did not devise new ways to attack the Pioneers. Friday’s win was all about execution.
“We didn’t do anything different,” Toton said. “We didn’t make our easy baskets last game. Tonight, we did.”
Millbrook coach Rob Harris said his squad threw the kitchen sink at the Judges.
“We played a multitude of zones against them this evening,” Harris said. “They did a very good job of playing high-low and executing. It caught us in some bad situations early on.”
The contest couldn’t have started much worse for Millbrook. The Pioneers went 0 for 4 from the floor and had three turnovers as Handley raced out to an 11-0 lead. Five different Judges scored in the spurt.
But like they had in the last meeting, the Pioneers, led by Jordan Jackson, fought back. Jackson scored eight points in the period, including a three-point play with 0.4 seconds left on the clock. Jackson’s layup and free throw, set up by a tremendous block from Trammell Anthony, cut the Handley lead to 19-14.
It was 25-19 in the second quarter when Handley started to pull away. First Long nailed a 3-pointer after a steal and pass from Michael Brown. Then D’Andre James made an excellent pass out of the post to Wise, who drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key to push the lead to 31-19.
Millbrook never got closer than eight after that.
Handley closed the period with a 6-0 run in the final minute on consecutive layups from Ra’Shaad Morris, Long and Kevin Curry to push the margin to 44-29.
“I thought we did a great job of coming back in the first half, but we had several turnovers in a row,” said Harris, whose team gave the ball back to the Judges 10 times in the half. “Against a great team like Handley, you cannot turn the ball over because they take those turnovers and in transition turn those into points. I thought that’s where the lead got away from us.”
Wise opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer and the Judges continued to extend the margin. Long and Colin Smith sank 3-pointers and Morris converted a great no-look pass from Sam Wise to push the lead to 64-42 entering the final period.
Millbrook did have something to celebrate in the period.
Senior Jordan Funk knifed to the basket and kissed a layup high off the glass for his 1,000th career point.
“He’s had a great career,” Harris said of Funk, who led the Pioneers with 17 points on Friday. “As a freshman he played varsity for us. He’s been tremendous for us. He’s been able to embrace the way that we want to play in terms of getting up and down the court and playing free.”
Keevon Martin started the final quarter with a 3-pointer as the Judges continued to shoot well from beyond the arc.
“It’s definitely important for us,” Gus Wise said of the Judges’ marksmanship on Friday. “It gets our confidence up. Going into the region, it’s really important for us to have our confidence shooting the ball. I was really happy with the way we shot. Hopefully we can just transition into the regions.”
Wise paced a balanced Handley attack with 15 points. James netted 12. Long (11) and Morris (10) led the Judges’ reserves, who put up 30 points.
“We have a bunch of guys coming off the bench that could start, honestly,” Wise said. “All of the other teams can go like seven deep and we can go 10 deep. It’s so great. The other teams get tired and we stay fresh.”
The Judges were happy to secure a home game Tuesday with an elimination clash looming.
“Now, it’s one-and-done,” Toton said. “Now, we’ve got to have the mindset to know we’re not moving on to the next game unless we take care of business. ... I think we’re a lot of good things on both ends of the floor right now. We’re getting a lot of people contributing. That’s what you want at this time of the season.”
Wise, a senior, said the team feels it is ready. “Definitely if we continue to shoot the ball like we’re doing, we’re looking pretty good.”
Jackson added 16 for the Pioneers, who must bounce back from a rough night to compete with Loudoun Valley.
“Usually we do a great job of knocking down shots,” Harris said. “That’s one of the great things about this team. Today, we just didn’t hit them.
“It was a great atmosphere, a great community event,” Harris added about district title game. “We were happy to be a part of it. We’re going to move on. It was a good Northwestern District year for us and I’m proud of my kids.”
Tickets for Region 4C tournament games will be $7. The only accepted passes are VHSL, VHSCA, and VIAAA.
— Contact Walt Moody at
wmoody@winchesterstar.com Follow on Twitter @WinStarSports1
