Photo by Jim Devinney
The James River boys wrapped up the regular season with a “Senior Night” basketball win over Waynesboro Monday night. The Knights took a 46-42 win in Springwood.
The win snapped a five-game losing streak for the Knights and improved their overall record to 12-10. Senior Ryan Steger led the way with 23 points and seven assists. Senior Sam Bell had 14 points and senior George Toliver had seven points and eight rebounds.
“It was good to get back in the win column and get the job done on Senior Night,” said River coach Ethan Humphries. “We need to keep taking steps in the right direction and take advantage of this stretch of preparation before the playoffs.”
River lost two Three Rivers District games last week. Last Wednesday they dropped a 57-35 game to district leading Radford on the road. Bell had nine points but no one on the Knights scored double figures as River fell behind 42-15 at the half while committing 14 first half turnovers.
“Radford was a good old-fashioned beat down,” said Humphries. “We were down a starter but, honestly, we came out scared and that was puzzling to me. We had a nice film session the next day and then turned the page, so I was happy to see us come out in a better mindset versus Alleghany.”
The Knights hosted Alleghany on Friday and took a 54-49 loss despite 20 points and nine rebounds by Bell. Steger had 14 points and Brian Moran had eight rebounds. River led by a point at the half and the score was tied, 49-49, with a minute left before the Mountaineers scored the last four points.
“We took a step in the right direction against Alleghany,” said Humphries. “Offensively, we had some great looks that didn’t fall and that happens. Defensively, we had some lapses that gave up a few easy buckets and those mistakes ultimately cost us. At this point in the year we can’t have mental lapses and expect to win.”
Monday’s win ended the regular season and the Three Rivers does not have a district tournament, so the Knights will now look toward the Region 2C tournament. That’s scheduled to begin on Friday, February 17, and the Knights will open at home against either Appomattox or Nelson County.