Wire-to-wire lead casts CC into Tri-Rivers tourney final

Charles City’s Ryan Jones (32), Gavin Cotman (3), and Avery Jones deny access to the hoop for the Eagles’ Arkiel Baker.

Andre' Jones photo

In the first two meetings between the third-seeded Chesterfield Community Eagles and the second-seeded Charles City Panthers, the team that opened a big lead in the first quarter won the game. It was no different in the Tri-Rivers District tournament semifinals.

The Panthers jumped out on a 9-0 run and never trailed as they hung on for a 59-50 victory to advance to the tourney finals.

In a twist of irony, it was the designated visiting Eagles who gave the Panthers the lead for good. After the opening tap, Eagle guard Jaki Clanton drove the ball in for a lay-up, but at the wrong basket, giving the Panthers a 2-0 lead.

The rest of the first quarter would belong to a pair of Cotmans. Jaelan Cotman dropped in two threes, the second quickly giving the Panthers a double digit lead [16-5] at the three minute mark. Teammate Gavin Cotman would score the last six points of the quarter, including a spinning post jumper to give Charles City a 22-7 lead after one period. The Panthers would maintain that lead heading into halftime, 32-19.

In the third quarter, Panther top scorer Antonio Harris emerged to take over scoring duties. He tossed in the Panthers’ first nine points of the frame to help his team maintain a double digit lead [45-34] heading into the closing quarter.

The Eagles gradually chipped away at the Panther lead as a pair of Jordan Wilkins free throws had the visitors within striking distance at the 1:45 mark with the scoreboard showing 49-43.

Harris, however, would be the deciding factor, converting a three-point play and adding three more free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

Charles City head coach Sharone Bailey expressed how he focused on his team playing a different style of offense in the contest.

“We are working on getting better as a team,” he said. “We wanted to use this game to be able to play in a half court set because of our future games.”

Benefitting the Panthers was the Eagles’ inability to convert from the free throw line. Even though the Eagles converted 23 of 36 attempts, the misses came at inopportune times, including the closing quarter where a missed pair would have cut the Panther lead to one possession.

“We’ve just got to play at our pace,” continued Bailey, speaking on the team’s ability to slow down the Eagles’ offensive attack. “We want teams to adjust to our style.”

Charles City (15-9) received 25 points from Harris. Avery Jones also finished in double figures with 11 points. Gavin Cotman and Jaelan Cotman scored eight and seven, respectively. Daron Jones added four and JeQuan Carroll and Jovan Howard scored two each.

Chesterfield Community (13-10) was led by Antonio Davis’ 10 points.