Lineup changes help CC subdue Windsor

Shuffling his starting lineup before his Panthers stepped on the court to meet Windsor’s visiting Dukes in Tri-Rivers District basketball, Charles City coach Brenner Carter expected the move would ignite his team. He was right.

The Panthers grabbed the lead for good early in the second quarter and held off the Dukes the rest of the way in claiming the Feb. 1 contest 67-56, upping their district record to 3-6 and overall mark to 5-12.

“They played real well,” Carter said afterward. “I stuck a couple of new guys in there to start so that gave us some experience coming off the bench.”

Sitting for the early going was usual starter and team leading scorer Aaronde Williams. But when he got on the floor, Williams responded with 28 points, 20 of those in the second half.

“Aaronde was on fire tonight,” Carter said. “I sat him down tonight and asked him if he really wanted to play. He said yes, and when Aaronde wants to play, he plays real well.”

With reserves in the lineup, Charles City trailed in the first quarter, but not by much. The Dukes owned a 13-12 advantage heading into the second period.

But just under a minute into quarter two, Michael Jefferson’s trey put the hosts in front. Cetha Boone then added a basket from the perimeter and Jefferson followed with a shot in the lane to boost the lead to 19-13. Windsor managed to close within two, but was denied the lead over the rest of the contest.

A 6-0 run to start the third quarter — two Williams free throws and baskets from Boone and Antonio Tabb — pushed Charles City’s lead into double digits for the first time at 34-22. Late in the period, however, the Dukes pulled back within five at 41-36 behind a pair of treys from Xavier Boone.

“I called time and told our guys we had to get the ball inside,” Carter said.

The hosts rebuilt a 10-point margin. Then with just over four minutes left in the game, a 7-0 run put the game out of reach.

Williams buried a three-pointer, his fourth of the night, to start the decisive run. Cody Stewart was then left open under the basket for an easy shot, and moments later, scored on a mid-range field goal to hand Charles City a comfortable 63-46 lead with 2:14 to go.

Williams was the only Panther in double figures. Randall Hopkins scored nine points and Trevor Jones added seven while Jefferson, Boone, and Tabb each ended with five, Stewart had four, and Reynard Black and Welton Smith chipped in two apiece.

Boone tossed in five treys to lead Windsor with 25 points.