Photos by Jim & Regina Devinney
The Lord Botetourt boys basketball team is in the Adam Ward Classic once again. The Cavaliers will play North Cross at the Salem High gym this Saturday at 11:45 a.m.
Since 2016 Salem High School, the Western Virginia Basketball Officials Association and the City of Salem have joined forces to honor the memory of Adam Ward by hosting a basketball classic in his honor. A former Salem student and avid sports fan, Adam was killed on August 26, 2015, while working as a photojournalist for WDBJ-7.
The event is being sponsored by various businesses and organizations throughout the Roanoke Valley. The majority of the proceeds from the event will go to the Adam Ward Scholarship Fund that is administered by the Salem Educational Foundation and Alumni Association. To date, the Adam Ward Classic has contributed over $120,000 to the Adam Ward Scholarship Fund. In addition, the Adam Ward Classic Committee will be making donations to the Make A Wish Foundation and the Special Olympics in Adam’s honor.
This year’s event begins Friday with a tripleheader of Salem-Glenvar games. The jayvee boys play at 5 p.m. followed by the girls and then the Salem and Glenvar varsity boys at approximately 8:15 p.m.
Saturday’s action begins with Roanoke Catholic against Roanoke Valley Christian at 10 a.m., followed by LB and North Cross at 11:45 a.m. The rest of the day includes the William Fleming girls against Abingdon at 1:30 p.m. and the Cave Spring boys against Auburn at 3:15 p.m. followed by boys games featuring Patrick Henry and Spotswood at 5 p.m., Northside and Radford at 6:45 p.m. and Fleming and George Wythe at 8:30 p.m.
Admission is $10 each day and that includes all day. Children under 5 are admitted free.
The LB boys will be playing just 15 hours after a big Blue Ridge District game at William Byrd Friday night. The Cavaliers were 6-9 after defeating Wilson Memorial in Daleville Monday night, 81-75. Blake Lovern had 25 points, Landon Hayes had 20 and Carson Edwards had 10 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Aaron Lyle scored 10 points off the bench.
“A great team effort against a quality opponent,” said LB coach Josh Aliveto. “I was really proud of how we started the game on both ends of the court. Our bench provided quality minutes by contributing with 19 points.”
LB split two Blue Ridge District games last week. The Cavs beat Franklin County at home on Tuesday, 48-38, for their first BRD win. Hayes scored 18 points and Lovern had 15 points and eight rebounds. Edwards led the team with 11 boards.
On Friday at Northside the district-leading Vikings took an 81-56 win. Lovern had 24 points and Conner Dowdy had 15.
The Cavaliers were scheduled to play at Staunton River on Tuesday but results were too late for publication.
