HS Hoops Blog - Hampton 63, Heritage-NN 53

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Greetings from Newport News as the Heritage Hurricanes at 8-4 overall are getting set to play host to the Hampton Crabbers (9-2) in a Peninsula District Boys Basketball matchup.

Heritage comes in hot, riding a five-game winning streak. However, Hampton won the previous matchup 55-45 in come-from-behind fashion on December 5th.

Updates to come...

 

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Heritage burns the first time-out after consecutive Hampton baskets by Jaquez Yow and Zaiyen Chapman give the Crabbers a 4-2 lead with 5:40 to go in the opening stanza.

 

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Boy, Hampton has hit Heritage with a burst, forcing Canes Coach Mike Gardner to burn his 2nd time-out. The Crabbers lead it 15-6 - on an 11-0 run - with 3:19 left in the opening quarter after Avin Hawkins drains a 3-pointer. Jaquez Yow hit a trey moments earlier.

Quishon Harris orchestrates the Crabbers attack with swift, fancy handles.

 

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Khairiq Grogins making his presence felt for the Crabbers with some aggressive takes - he has 6 points and Hampton leads Heritage 20-8 late in the opening quarter.

The Crabbers have gone to a 1-3-1 zone on defense and it is giving Heritage some fits as they are getting deflections and a host of steals - 4 so far. Very active play out of that zone defensively by Hampton. Plus, the Crabbers have drawn 2 charges.

 

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Trovel Blizzard has 9 of the 12 points for Heritage through one quarter of play.

But Amari Lee - who lit North Stafford up for 27 points and 9 steals in last Saturday's Bruin Classic at Western Branch - is quiet.

Lee is just 0-for-3 from the field as we head to the 2nd period...

 

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Hampton has started to settle just a bit for perimeter jumpers, but their defense is keeping Heritage from going on a run to cut into that lead. They continue to contain Lee, who just got his first bucket off a put-back, and Blizzard has been the lone offensive threat for the Canes thus far.

Jacquez Yow just scored to give him 9 points and Hampton a 25-14 lead on Heritage with under 5 minutes till half-time.

 

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We've got 1:18 before the half and Hampton leads Heritage 31-21.

Both teams have been somewhat sloppy with the ball. Hampton has 14 turnovers and Heritage has 13 turnovers. The difference? The Hampton defense has not let Heritage get a boatload of points in transition as they did last Saturday vs. North Stafford, plus the Canes are just 0-for-4 on three-pointers.

 

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Some numbers forthcoming...

 

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I know this sounds like a broken record, but if Heritage can get Amari Lee - just 2 points, 1-5 from the field - going, then they can take this one given how sloppy Hampton has gotten with the basketball after their blistering hot start.

 

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Heritage, which was 0-for-5 from long distance in the first half, connects from deep on a trey by Teko Dunlap. This is the closest they've been since the early going as the host Hurricanes cut the Hampton lead to 33-28 just a minute and change into the third period.

Hampton was up as many as 13 in the second quarter.

 

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Bad time for Heritage's Trovel Blizzard - who has been splendid otherwise - to pick up a Technical Foul. He must not have liked a call or no call by the officials as Jacquez Yow scored to give Hampton a 38-30 lead.

With Blizzard's Technical, Quishon Harris goes to the line for the Crabbers and sinks 2FT's to push his team's lead to 40-30 with 5:26 left in the third quarter.

 

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With 3:49 left in the third period, Hampton leads Heritage 44-30. A nice slicing move to the cup for a basket moments ago by Zaiyen Chapman, the slashing wing for the Crabbers who from time to time evokes visions of Cyone Melvin (Virginia State). Khairiq Grogins also blew by a defender and drained a pull-up jumper.

Heritage is in real danger here of this getting away. They have to get someone else besides Blizzard to step up offensively.

 

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The turnover fest continues - Hampton with 24 of them and Heritage with 21 of them. Yet, it's the visiting Crabbers of Hampton High up 46-35 with under 10 seconds left in the third quarter.

 

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With 6:40 to go, it's Hampton cruising 54-37 here at Heritage.

The Crabbers reserves - namely James Harris (8 points, 4-5FG, 6 boards, 3 steals) and Avin Hawkins (5 points, 3 boards and an assist) - have really given them a lift in this turnover-filled ballgame.

Harris just had a nice slam on a feed from Quishon Harris, dropping his 6th assist.

For years, the Crabbers have had their fair share of studs, the likes of Ronald Curry and Anthony 'Cat' Braber coming to mind. But when they win Championships, it's the role players that make a difference in big, tight games. Those are the guys they count on to do the little things, make the hustle plays, run the floor, get deflections, etc.

 

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Hampton is sharing the ball better down the stretch - 6 baskets, 5 assists in this fourth period. Really good passing from both Quishon Harris and Jacquez Yow, both playing unselfishly.

Yow splits a pair of foul shots and the Crabbers lead Heritage 61-39 with under 4 minutes in the fourth quarter.

 

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59.3 seconds to go - Hampton 61, Heritage 48.

So no quit in Heritage - they are on a 9-1 run after trailing by 21. Hampton leads this game by double-figures despite 30 turnovers. Of course, the Canes have 28.

Not the prettiest of games here. A physical battle nonetheless though.

 

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FINAL - Hampton 63, Heritage 53

We'll have some numbers later....

Final turnover count for those that are wondering - 32 for the Crabbers, 28 for the Hurricanes.

Pictured is Hampton junior Avin Hawkins

 

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Postgame Video Interview with Hampton Head Coach Eric Brown: