Although the attention of the entire Gladiator community is focused mainly on Saturday's state semi-final football game, the basketball season started tonight with an iron man crew of just seven players making the trip to Mountain View for the season-opener. The Generals were of course able to field a full 14-man roster and that disparity took its toll on the Gladiators as the game wore on.
RHS got off to a great start as J P Crawford buried a triple from each corner to stake the Big Red to an early 6-0 lead. But that fired up Senior Johnny Hasley, who is clearly Mountain View's team leader, and he started knocking down threes of his own. The Big Red hung in there for awhile, with a Henley Dunlap give-and-go keeping them in front 12-11 early in the second period. However the Generals closed out the half on a 12-0 run to take a 23-12 lead into the locker room.
At the beginning of the second half, there was a lengthy discussion at the scorer's table, which led to Crawford stepping to the line and making a couple of technical foul shots. It is anybody's guess why, but MV's Coach Sanders did not seem to have a problem with the explanation he received. Crawford, who led the Gladiators in scoring with 15, knocked down two more freebies a few moments later to trim the lead to 23-16, but that was pretty much the last gasp for the Big Red as MV was able to wear them down both physically and emotionally and gradually pad the margin.
With their own Tip Off Tournament coming up Friday and Saturday, the Big Red will have to deal with the low numbers again in those two games. Bath County will be the opponent Friday night, followed by a Saturday night game against either James River or Rappahannock County. Those two teams will open play Friday at 5:30, followed by RHS/Bath around 7:00. The results of those two games will then determine the pairings for the two Saturday night games.
Of course we will know by Saturday afternoon when the Big Red will have reinforcements coming in from the football team. For obvious reasons, fans hope the football team will taste victory again Saturday to make our basketball iron men hold down the fort for a couple more games, as the Gladiators have road games on the 5th and 8th.
The Riverheads JVs had the same low numbers tonight as there are currently only seven on that squad as well. But they fared better as they led from the opening tap and easily handled the Junior Generals 41-21. The foul story was the interesting subplot to that game as the refs were kind to the visiting Gladiators who were not whistled for their first foul until the final minute of the third quarter. They would go on to commit just three the entire game, a fact not lost on the Generals' Coach Councill. His team by contrast fouled often, usually in shooting situations, as the Gladiators seemed to score the majority of their points at the charity stripe.
The JV game ended with a comical moment, but since the young man in question was almost the first to laugh at himself, we can share it with you on here. RHS' Landon Ervin, who probably had the best game on the floor for the Junior Gladiators, rebounded a missed foul shot and stuck it back in for two points in the waning seconds of the game. However, he lost track of where he was and scored those two points at the Mountain View end of the court. Of course they had to count, but fortunately the game had long been decided, so no harm was done other than a good chuckle enjoyed by all.
So a 1-1 evening for the Big Red, considering the short-handedness issue, was probably not a bad evening's work and things will get better as they get used to one another and especially when more players come on board for both squads. Regarding the above-mentioned tournament Saturday at Riverheads, there has been a slight change in plans, but overall it will be for the best.
Since the football game will be over in the 4:30 range, basketball will not start for anyone until 5:30. That should open up some parking for the basketball fans. The game plan will then be to utilize both gyms and play games at approximately 5:30 and 7:00-7:30. The varsity teams will use the main gym with Friday's losing teams playing at 5:30 and the winners from Friday will play after that.
As for the JVs, since they do not play at all on Friday, it is pre-determined that Riverheads will play James River first at 5:30 in the old gym, and then play Rappahannock County in the nightcap, possibly after a longer than usual rest period. That game will of course also be in the old gym.
If I am wrong about any of those details, someone please chime in to correct me, but that is my understanding from talking to several sources.
RHS got off to a great start as J P Crawford buried a triple from each corner to stake the Big Red to an early 6-0 lead. But that fired up Senior Johnny Hasley, who is clearly Mountain View's team leader, and he started knocking down threes of his own. The Big Red hung in there for awhile, with a Henley Dunlap give-and-go keeping them in front 12-11 early in the second period. However the Generals closed out the half on a 12-0 run to take a 23-12 lead into the locker room.
At the beginning of the second half, there was a lengthy discussion at the scorer's table, which led to Crawford stepping to the line and making a couple of technical foul shots. It is anybody's guess why, but MV's Coach Sanders did not seem to have a problem with the explanation he received. Crawford, who led the Gladiators in scoring with 15, knocked down two more freebies a few moments later to trim the lead to 23-16, but that was pretty much the last gasp for the Big Red as MV was able to wear them down both physically and emotionally and gradually pad the margin.
With their own Tip Off Tournament coming up Friday and Saturday, the Big Red will have to deal with the low numbers again in those two games. Bath County will be the opponent Friday night, followed by a Saturday night game against either James River or Rappahannock County. Those two teams will open play Friday at 5:30, followed by RHS/Bath around 7:00. The results of those two games will then determine the pairings for the two Saturday night games.
Of course we will know by Saturday afternoon when the Big Red will have reinforcements coming in from the football team. For obvious reasons, fans hope the football team will taste victory again Saturday to make our basketball iron men hold down the fort for a couple more games, as the Gladiators have road games on the 5th and 8th.
The Riverheads JVs had the same low numbers tonight as there are currently only seven on that squad as well. But they fared better as they led from the opening tap and easily handled the Junior Generals 41-21. The foul story was the interesting subplot to that game as the refs were kind to the visiting Gladiators who were not whistled for their first foul until the final minute of the third quarter. They would go on to commit just three the entire game, a fact not lost on the Generals' Coach Councill. His team by contrast fouled often, usually in shooting situations, as the Gladiators seemed to score the majority of their points at the charity stripe.
The JV game ended with a comical moment, but since the young man in question was almost the first to laugh at himself, we can share it with you on here. RHS' Landon Ervin, who probably had the best game on the floor for the Junior Gladiators, rebounded a missed foul shot and stuck it back in for two points in the waning seconds of the game. However, he lost track of where he was and scored those two points at the Mountain View end of the court. Of course they had to count, but fortunately the game had long been decided, so no harm was done other than a good chuckle enjoyed by all.
So a 1-1 evening for the Big Red, considering the short-handedness issue, was probably not a bad evening's work and things will get better as they get used to one another and especially when more players come on board for both squads. Regarding the above-mentioned tournament Saturday at Riverheads, there has been a slight change in plans, but overall it will be for the best.
Since the football game will be over in the 4:30 range, basketball will not start for anyone until 5:30. That should open up some parking for the basketball fans. The game plan will then be to utilize both gyms and play games at approximately 5:30 and 7:00-7:30. The varsity teams will use the main gym with Friday's losing teams playing at 5:30 and the winners from Friday will play after that.
As for the JVs, since they do not play at all on Friday, it is pre-determined that Riverheads will play James River first at 5:30 in the old gym, and then play Rappahannock County in the nightcap, possibly after a longer than usual rest period. That game will of course also be in the old gym.
If I am wrong about any of those details, someone please chime in to correct me, but that is my understanding from talking to several sources.
