Petersburg sizes up New Kent, squash Trojans to end New Kent’s season

By Robb Johnson | February 23, 2023 7:53 pm

New Kent’s Isaiah Carr (left) finds a challenge from the size of Petersburg center Jaeden Bonner.

Robb Johnson photo

A Feb. 22 quarterfinal matchup in Petersburg saw the visiting New Kent Trojans facing a Crimson Wave team that had a size advantage over the visitors. And while the Trojans did their best early on to keep their distance from the hosts, it was Petersburg’s second quarter swing that closed the chapter on New Kent’s boys’ basketball season.

Petersburg trounced New Kent 89-70 in the Group 3A Region A quarterfinal contest, thus ending the Trojans season with a record of 17-10.

Early on, New Kent had to figure out how to slow down Petersburg’s Christopher Fields. Using his 6’7” frame, Fields got the scoring started in the right direction for the Crimson Wave with a conventional three-point play.

The Trojans countered, going on a 7-0 run behind a baskets from Isaiah Carr and Josiah Reedy, along with a three-pointer from Will Ross. Petersburg tied the game at seven apiece before Trojan guard Kyle Diggs drained two trifectas, providing the visitors a 13-9 lead.

But the magic that carried New Kent for most of the year faded fast. Fields stepped outside the arc to drain a three-pointer of his own, igniting an 18-9 run in favor of the hosts. New Kent halted the scoring at the end of the first quarter with three-pointers from Diggs and Ross, keeping the game close with Petersburg leading by four (27-23) after the opening frame.

Diggs added an early bucket to cut the Crimson Wave’s advantage to two (27-25), before Petersburg went on a scoring spree. With an earlier dunk from Fields carrying over into the quarter, the hosts outscored New Kent 21-10 to take a 48-35 lead into halftime. New Kent got within seven (54-47) with 3:30 in the third quarter, but that would be the closest the visitors would get the rest of the way as the Crimson Wave ran off more baskets to capture the victory and advance in the regional playoffs.

After the contest, New Kent Head Coach Garrett Ross spoke about the contest, saying that the atmosphere was a factor in the play of the Trojans.

“You never want to lose a game like this, but Petersburg is a great team and it’s a great environment to play in,” the head coach commented. “Ultimately, the pressure got to us, and we had too many turnovers early.

“We shot well and handle things,” Ross added. “It was simply turnovers tonight.”

Diggs led the Trojans with 21 points, while Carr and Ross also finished in double figures with 19 and 17, respectively. Reedy added eight, Michael Hetzel tossed in three, and the duo of Kemauri Palmer and Andrew Johnson chipped in with two apiece.