New Kent survives Rams’ comeback, takes down Lafayette in overtime thriller
New Kent’s Dillon Mickles (2) gets airborne for an easy score over Lafayette’s Asa Fehrenbach (4).Robb Johnson photo
New Kent’s Trojans continue to be battled tested every time they take the floor. This time, it was the visiting Lafayette Rams who pushed the home team to the limit during Friday night’s Hall of Fame game.
After seeing a double-digit lead evaporate, New Kent held on in overtime to edge Lafayette 75-71 in a battle of top teams in the Bay Rivers District.
After a back-and-forth first half, New Kent began to take control of the contest. Leading 31-26 at the start of the third quarter, New Kent’s defense led to easier transition shots for the hosts. Jordan Howard’s putback off a teammate’s miss capped a 10-3 run for the Trojans, providing them their largest lead of the contest (41-29).
New Kent led 46-36 at the end of the frame when Lafayette sliced into the advantage. A jumper by Ram Wayne Santos Jr. was followed by a pair of free throws from teammate Jarquez Garrett. A steal and score by Kordell London had dwindled the home team’s advantage down to four (46-42) by the end of the frame.
The Trojans continued to keep the lead against Lafayette, as a basket in the paint by Howard provided a five-point lead (54-49) with 2:59 remaining on the clock. The hosts built the lead back up to six (58-52) when Santos Jr. was fouled on a three-point attempt by the Trojans. He sank all three freebies to cut the deficit in half (58-55).
New Kent’s Josiah Reedy and Kyle Diggs were able to elude defensive pressure from Ram defenders, extending the hosts’ lead to 62-57 with a minute to go. However, Lafayette countered by scoring four straight points to trail New Kent by a mere point (62-61) with 20.7 showing on the clock.
The Trojans’ lead increased back to three (64-61) after Marty Wray was intentionally fouled by Lafayette. The Rams’ three-point attempt missed, with Diggs securing the rebound and was fouled with less than five seconds on the clock.
Diggs went to the line for free throws, but two consecutive misses allowed Lafayette to secure the rebound and burn their last time out with 2.6 seconds remaining. The Rams drew up a perfect play scheme, with Shamar Welsh finding himself in the corner for a three-point attempt. Despite the outstretched hands of New Kent defenders, the Rams’ guard drained the basket as the clock expired, sending the game into overtime with the score knotted at 64 apiece.
But in the extra period, New Kent’s defense came out refocus and clamped down on Lafayette. A basket by Jordan Carr late in the frame extended New Kent’s lead to 74-71. A three-point attempt by the Rams’ London fell short, with New Kent’s Kemauri Palmer securing the rebound. Palmer would sank one of two free throws with 1.2 seconds remaining on the clock, providing the hosts a four-point advantage and enough room to seal the win.
After the contest, New Kent Head Coach Garrett Ross spoke briefly about the victory.
“You need moments like this with close games and finding ways to win,” he said. “This team rose up and we responded in overtime.”
Diggs led New Kent (10-2) with 20 points. Dillon Mickles and Will Ross also finished in double figures with 13 and 11, respectively. Reedy pumped in eight, Carr and Wray both tossed in seven, Palmer contributed with five, and Howard finished with four.