It will be a big week of basketball for Botetourt County teams as the local hoopsters wrap up the old year. Lord Botetourt will host James River in a big boys’ game Friday after the Cavaliers play in the two-day Spotswood Invitational tonight and Thursday.
The Spotswood Invitational includes four teams. Today, Wednesday, Lord Botetourt will open play with a 2:45 p.m. game against E.C. Glass, followed by host Spotswood against Staunton High. On Thursday the Wednesday losers will play a third place game followed by a championship game between Wednesday’s winners.
The Cavaliers will rush back to Daleville for their second meeting of the season against county rival James River on Friday night. It should be a good one, as LB was 5-1 prior to the Spotswood event and James River comes into the week at 7-1, having only lost to Lord Botetourt in their first meeting in Springwood.
The Knights had a home game on Tuesday against Rockbridge, but results were too late for publication. Last Thursday, River hosted Class 3 Christiansburg of the strong River Ridge District and took a 52-30 win, making for a Merry Christmas in north Botetourt County.
Photos by Jon Fleming
The Knights won every quarter, taking a 27-20 halftime lead. They upped that to 41-27 after three periods and won going away. Ryan Steger and Sam Bell had 18 points each while Steger had 13 rebounds and four assists and Bell had nine boards and five dimes. George Toliver contributed eight points and six rebounds.
“The first half we missed some rotations defensively and Christiansburg bailed us out with some missed shots,” said River coach Ethan Humphries. “However, our guys stepped up after halftime and held them to 10 points in the second half. Any time that happens it’s hard to lose a game. This group is working extremely hard and we know we have to keep pushing ourselves for what’s next.”
Last Wednesday Lord Botetourt played a Class 4 River Ridge team and came out with a win. The Cavaliers won in Blacksburg, 75-64.
Botetourt led 16-12 after the first quarter, then outscored the Bruins 23-14 in the second quarter to open a 13-point lead at the half, 39-26. The Bruins rallied to whittle the lead down to eight after three quarters but LB finished strong for the win.
Tyler Meade had a big game for LB, scoring 22 points while shooting nine of 11 from the floor, including three-for-three from behind the arc. Jackson Crawford had 21 points and dished out six assists. Blake Lovern had 12 points on four-for-six shooting and Conner Dowdy was a fourth Cavalier in double figures with 10 and he led LB with eight rebounds.
Photos by Jim & Regina Devinney
When the Cavaliers host James River Friday it will also be “Alumni Night” for former LB players. The event is for any former boys basketball players and coaches to come back, watch the current Cavs, and visit with former teammates. There will be a hospitality room for the former players and coaches to gather.
To register for the event or for more information, call or text Rodney Spickard at 540-793-1341 or email him at rodspickard@gmail.com.
Next Tuesday James River will play at Floyd at 7:30 p.m. in the second game of a doubleheader with the girls. The Cavaliers will open the New Year on Thursday, January 5, with a home game against William Byrd.
