Entering Friday’s showdown with its crosstown rival Monticello, Charlottesville knew its focus had to be on Kiana Scott.
The senior drained six threes and finished with a game-high 23 points in the teams’ previous meeting, which the Black Knights won last month.
This time, Charlottesville contained Scott and used a first-quarter run to jump out to a big lead and never looked back en route to the 56-36 victory.
The Black Knights (17-5), which had already secured a share of the Jefferson District crown, clinched the top seed in next week’s district tournament with the win.
“We had to mainly focus on Kiana,” said junior Destinee McDonald, who finished with 15 points. “When she’s in the game, we have to know where she is at all times even when she doesn’t have the ball. We know when she does get the ball, she’s going to pull it, wherever she is.”
Charlottesville led 8-7 before going on a 14-0 tear to end the first quarter. Alaijah Ragland nailed a 3-pointer to open the run and McDonald converted a nifty layup before Kajesha Taylor and Kaniyah Key got in on the action with baskets of their own. Alexis Henderson connected from beyond the arc to give the Black Knights a 20-7 lead.
Charlottesville was able to limit the visitors to just one shot during that stretch as Taylor came up with several big rebounds on the defensive end.
The Black Knights carried that momentum into the second quarter as they continued to extend the lead with some easy baskets in transition.
Monticello, which went nearly five minutes without a field goal, was held to three in the quarter.
“I thought we were able to let our defense lead to some offense,” Charlottesville coach Jim Daly said. “We had a couple of tips and steals and I think that relaxed us. Then the ball movement and execution was so much better.”
CHS led 31-17 at halftime and maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way.
Ragland, who has made a habit of turning it up a notch late in the game, was no different on Friday. In one stretch in the fourth quarter, the junior grabbed a defensive rebound and took it all the way for a layup at the other end, then immediately got a steal and dished it to Daeja Wade for a basket underneath. Minutes later, Ragland got another steal, raced down court for another layup and drew the foul. Ragland finished with 15 points and was one of seven players to reach the scoring column for Charlottesville. Key added eight points, while Henderson tallied six (pair of threes).
Mariah Brown paced the Mustangs with 12 points, nine of which came in the second half. Kirstena Lilley had nine and Scott finished with seven points each.
Charlottesville will host a semifinal tournament game on Monday at 8 p.m. as the top seed in the JD tournament.
