No one thinks it’s easy to win 400 games as a high school basketball coach, and James River coach Mike Goad is finding that elusive 400th win to be as tough as any of the first 399. His Knights came up short on four tries in a week’s time and things don’t get any easier.
The Knights lost three straight road games last week with Goad sitting on 399 wins. River lost at Glenvar, at Alleghany and at Radford last week. Then, on Monday, the Knights lost to defending Class 2 state champion Radford again at home.
“I’m not worried about 400, right now we just need a win,” said Goad.
The Knights have two more games on the road this week, tonight at Carroll County and Friday at Floyd. Carroll comes into the week at 9-6 and that won’t be easy, especially in Hillsville. Floyd is 12-5 and has lost just one Three Rivers District game to date.
River goes to Lord Botetourt on Monday, and that would be a fitting place for Goad to pick up the milestone win. Mike was a standout player as a student at Lord Botetourt High School.
“I don’t care who it’s against, we just need a win,” he confirmed.
River came close a couple times last week. At Glenvar the Knights trailed just 35-31 after three quarters before the Highlanders went on a run for a 57-43 win. Patrick Clevenger led River with 14 points and Ryan Steger had 12.
At Alleghany last Thursday River had a 33-30 lead at the half before being outscored by 20 points in the second half for a 74-57 loss in Low Moor. Clevenger had 23, Isiah Moran had 13 and Steger had 11.
On Friday at Radford the Bobcats won 69-47 as Clevenger scored 18 and Steger 17, but on Monday in Springwood the Knights played one of their best games of the season despite falling 55-44.
“I was really pleased with our effort Monday,” said Goad. “We were very physical and our intensity level was much better. It was anyone’s game.”
Moran had 16, Clevenger a dozen and Steger 10 as the Knights fell to 4-14 on the season.
“We’re a young team,” said Goad. “The effort’s there, we just need to put four good quarters together.”
