Photo by Leigh Downey
The James River girls basketball team will host the Second Annual Knights Winter Classic at James River High School this week. The tournament is for both jayvee and varsity teams and runs from December 18 through December 21.
The tournament opens tonight, Wednesday, with Staunton River playing Auburn in the varsity opener at 6 p.m., followed by Wilson Memorial against Jefferson Forest at 8 p.m. In the jayvee bracket the same schools are matched up, with Wilson Memorial playing Jefferson Forest at 6 p.m. and Auburn taking on Staunton River at 8 p.m. The varsity tournament is held in the main gym and the jayvees will be playing in the old gym at James River.
On Thursday host James River will play Amherst at 8 p.m. in the varsity tournament and take on the Lancers at 6 p.m. in the jayvee tournament. Craig County has a 6 p.m. varsity game against Northside in the main gym and an 8 p.m. jayvee game against the Vikings in the old gym.
All semifinals are Friday and the championship is Saturday. Every team is assured three games as there will be a consolation bracket for both the varsity and jayvee tournaments.
James River was undefeated after three games and had a home game with Waynesboro on Tuesday of this week with results too late for publication. Last week the girls defeated Heritage in overtime in Lynchburg, 64-55.
River trailed by two with under a minute to go in regulation but Caitlin Canada made two free throws to tie the score at 53-53. She stole the ball and had a chance to win the game but two shots wouldn’t fall and the game went into overtime, where River outscored the Pioneers 11-2 to pull away.
“In overtime our defense stopped Heritage and we made clutch free throws to seal the victory,” said River coach Don Eggleston. “In overtime we went six for eight from the line.”
Canada finished with a game high 29 points and a dozen rebounds, Audrey Benson had 11 and Kelsi Maydian had 10 points before leaving with an injury late in the game.
“She will be out of action for four to six weeks,” said Eggleston of Maydian. “She’s an important player who will be missed. ‘Next player up’ to take up her missed offense and defensive production.”
After Christmas the Knights will return to action on Monday, December 30, to host Cave Spring.
