The Gladiators, just five days after capturing their fourth straight football title, relied on their senior leadership tonight as they will all season, doubling up the Bath County Chargers 72-36 in the season home opener. Big Red fans were treated to something in both games tonight that they are quite accustomed to seeing in football but is a little more rare in basketball...the running clock.....as both games were completed in just a little over 2 1/2 hours.
In the JV game, new coach Justin Brake, a former star at RHS in both football and basketball, earned his first victory as a Big Red coach as the Junior GMen easily steamrolled the Baby Chargers 51-5. The Gladiators scored the first 16 points of the game and even more impressively, won without having had a scrimmage. Michael King led the scoring with 16 points, including four triples, and Chris Brooks came off the bench to score 11. Bennett Dunlap scored well in the early going before Coach Brake went to a more frequent substitution pattern and lefty Noah Williams had a nice inside game, especially in the second half.
When the varsity team took the floor, seniors Grant Painter and Zach Adams each stroked a triple in the first minute of the game as RHS jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead. They would ultimately combine for 5 long-range bombs. Fellow senior Honor Robinson, in his second year with the program, had an excellent all-around inside game, scoring 13 to finish behind Painter's game-high 22. Adams finished the night with 10 points and yet another senior, point guard Elijah Dunlap, narrowly missed double figures with 9 points.
All but one Gladiator dented the scoring column tonight as Coach Coffey experimented with a variety of line-ups, as you would expect him to do, in an effort to see what works and who fits in best where. The team has of course had limited practice time due to football so all things considered, picking up such an easy win had to be just what the doctor ordered for their first outing.
The Chargers certainly never quit hustling, even when the game got out of hand. They were led by junior Damian Flenner, who actually led all scorers in the first half with an 18-point effort. But he was handcuffed by foul trouble in the second half, as Bath only manufactured 9 points over the last two quarters.
The Gladiators can now focus on some much-appreciated practice sessions as they are off until next weekend when they will take part in Buffalo Gap's holiday event. There have been some scheduling changes announced for that as it will now be played entirely in the Bison's main gym. On Friday the 27th, the Gladiator JVs will open the action at 1:30 against Altavista, with the two varsity teams playing around 3:00. The Gladiator varsity should have no trouble getting fired up for that one as they have never beaten the Colonels, despite a number of close calls in playoff match-ups. The Bison will then follow in prime time, with their own double-header beginning roughly around 5:00 as they will entertain the James River JVs and varsity.
On Saturday the 28th, the two county teams simply swap opponents but the action begins earlier. The Riverheads JVs will battle James River, starting at noon, with the varsity game to follow around 1:30. The Bison then wrap things up with a doubleheader against Altavista. These two county rivals can hopefully pick up some wins against the visiting teams as well as learn a lot about how they stack up against one another. The Bison varsity squad has been the surprise of the season, having lost only one game thus far while reeling off some impressive wins.
Should be a fun event, and it sounds like the weather is going to be warmer, so come on out to the Gap and support this great weekend of basketball. Riverheads then returns home for a routine 5:30 tip against Luray on Monday the 30th. The Dogs are no longer Shenandoah District members but that should not impact how hard they and the Gladiators will go after one another.
In the JV game, new coach Justin Brake, a former star at RHS in both football and basketball, earned his first victory as a Big Red coach as the Junior GMen easily steamrolled the Baby Chargers 51-5. The Gladiators scored the first 16 points of the game and even more impressively, won without having had a scrimmage. Michael King led the scoring with 16 points, including four triples, and Chris Brooks came off the bench to score 11. Bennett Dunlap scored well in the early going before Coach Brake went to a more frequent substitution pattern and lefty Noah Williams had a nice inside game, especially in the second half.
When the varsity team took the floor, seniors Grant Painter and Zach Adams each stroked a triple in the first minute of the game as RHS jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead. They would ultimately combine for 5 long-range bombs. Fellow senior Honor Robinson, in his second year with the program, had an excellent all-around inside game, scoring 13 to finish behind Painter's game-high 22. Adams finished the night with 10 points and yet another senior, point guard Elijah Dunlap, narrowly missed double figures with 9 points.
All but one Gladiator dented the scoring column tonight as Coach Coffey experimented with a variety of line-ups, as you would expect him to do, in an effort to see what works and who fits in best where. The team has of course had limited practice time due to football so all things considered, picking up such an easy win had to be just what the doctor ordered for their first outing.
The Chargers certainly never quit hustling, even when the game got out of hand. They were led by junior Damian Flenner, who actually led all scorers in the first half with an 18-point effort. But he was handcuffed by foul trouble in the second half, as Bath only manufactured 9 points over the last two quarters.
The Gladiators can now focus on some much-appreciated practice sessions as they are off until next weekend when they will take part in Buffalo Gap's holiday event. There have been some scheduling changes announced for that as it will now be played entirely in the Bison's main gym. On Friday the 27th, the Gladiator JVs will open the action at 1:30 against Altavista, with the two varsity teams playing around 3:00. The Gladiator varsity should have no trouble getting fired up for that one as they have never beaten the Colonels, despite a number of close calls in playoff match-ups. The Bison will then follow in prime time, with their own double-header beginning roughly around 5:00 as they will entertain the James River JVs and varsity.
On Saturday the 28th, the two county teams simply swap opponents but the action begins earlier. The Riverheads JVs will battle James River, starting at noon, with the varsity game to follow around 1:30. The Bison then wrap things up with a doubleheader against Altavista. These two county rivals can hopefully pick up some wins against the visiting teams as well as learn a lot about how they stack up against one another. The Bison varsity squad has been the surprise of the season, having lost only one game thus far while reeling off some impressive wins.
Should be a fun event, and it sounds like the weather is going to be warmer, so come on out to the Gap and support this great weekend of basketball. Riverheads then returns home for a routine 5:30 tip against Luray on Monday the 30th. The Dogs are no longer Shenandoah District members but that should not impact how hard they and the Gladiators will go after one another.
