Trojans outlast Panthers in overtime thriller
A triple team by New Kent’s Blake Kelly, Jamar Murray, and Travis Claytor stands in the way of Charles City’s Antonio Harris this time, but Harris went on to scorch the Trojans for 42 points.Alan Chamberlain photo
A rivalry basketball game — notably Charles City versus New Kent — is special. Even though nothing is on the line district standings-wise, both teams leave everything on the floor in a quest for bragging rights. And the first installment of this season’s annual home-away series failed to disappoint.
Overtime decided the Dec. 15 clash on New Kent’s court with the host Trojans eking out an 84-83 triumph over the Panthers. It was a contest that could have gone either way, and in the end, both teams unwittingly tried to give the game away.
“It was a strange game,” said winning coach Ronnie Cox. “We had kids out there who have never played in situations like this. Charles City has a lot of experience in these types of games since they went deep in last year’s state tournament. I’m just happy we pulled it out.”
“It was a great game, and I’m proud of our guys,” said Charles City coach Sharone Bailey. “We’ve had a huge week beating Sussex and Surry and then come in here for this rivalry game. My guys fought hard, and I’m proud of them. We’ll learn from this, and we’ll be fine.”
New Kent placed four players in double figures led by Travis Claytor’s 27 points. Charles City, meanwhile, countered with Antonio Harris’ 42, including 22-for-26 accuracy from the free throw stripe.
“He’s very talented,” Cox said pointing to Harris. “I had six different players trying to cover him and we put our best defenders on him, but it didn’t make any difference. He hit his free throws and put on a clinic. We had no other recourse but to try to make him give up the ball, and that was all that played in our favor.”
Harris’ coach expected nothing less from his star guard.
“He played his game,” Bailey said. “He’s real crafty, and he’s worked hard all summer. Scoring 42 points and grabbing 10 boards, he did exactly what we asked him to do.”
Harris nearly won the game in regulation. With a mere four-tenths of a second left on the clock, Harris hauled in a perfect length-of-the-court pass from teammate Avery Jones. He got off a shot, but was positioned too far under the basket. The bad angle caused the ball to peak just short of the rim, sending the affair into overtime, deadlocked 75-75.
Overtime also came down to the wire after Charles City rallied from a 79-75 deficit forged by a Claytor three plus a free throw. To recover, the Panthers picked on Trojan point guard Jamar Murray who was having a miserable night at the foul line. In OT, he missed a pair of double bonus situations.
But with the final seconds ticking away and a second extra period looming, the Panthers’ Jaelan Cotman carried his team’s strategy a bit too far, fouling Murray with just 2.6 seconds remaining. Murray stepped to the line for another double bonus, missing the first but swishing the second to break an 82-all tie.
Charles City’s subsequent inbounds pass sailed into the New Kent stands. With the turnover, the New Kent student section broke into the “Naa Naa Hey Hey” victory chant and some Charles City fans headed for the exits, albeit a bit prematurely.
The Panthers fouled Blake Kelly on the Trojan inbounds pass with 1.6 seconds left. Kelly sank the first of a double bonus, but missed the second. Claytor, however, fouled the Panthers’ Gavin Cotman on the rebound.
One second remained as Cotman calmly sank the first of a double bonus. The shot to force a second overtime, though, rolled off the front of the rim. New Kent’s Rashad Bentley and Charles City’s Jones battled for the rebound, crashing to the floor with the ball as the final horn sounded.
“I hope my guys will sit down and think that if we get in that position again, we won’t make these same mistakes,” Cox said.
Murray and Parrish Braxton each finished with 17 points for New Kent (2-5) while Kelly cracked double figures with 12. Bentley chipped in seven followed by two each from Micah Scorsone and Drew Ashford.
Daron Jones scored 10 for Charles City (4-4) followed by Avery Jones’ nine, Jaelan Cotman’s eight, Khairi Wyatt’s six, four from Ryan Jones, three from Gavin Cotman, and JeQuan Carroll’s one.
In the JV contest, the Trojans jumped out to a 22-1 first quarter lead and held the visiting Panthers to one first half field goal en route to a 66-31 victory.
Trenton Orie and Trey Cox led New Kent with 14 and 13 points, respectively. R.J. Morris scored nine while Ryan Lugg and Darren McCoughan added six, and the trio of Steven Carpenter, Austin Pierce, and Tyler Jenkins scored four apiece. Justin Cox pumped in three, James Weaver two, and Zack Ford chipped in with one.
Charles City’s Jaquane Wyatt was the lone player to reach double figures for the guests with 10 points. Mason Jefferson scored seven and Charles Vaden added three. Brian Hicks, Devonte’ Strong, Eugene Crump, Jestin Harris, and Walter Gordon each scored two, and Tyler Allen contributed one.