By Liz Keller / Scrimmageplaycva.com contributor
FORK UNION – Woodberry Forest has been in its share of close games this season. In fact, entering their Prep League contest against Fork Union, the Tigers had lost seven games by one point.
However, the tide finally turned for Woodberry on Tuesday afternoon as James Long provided the late heroics when he hit a jaw-dropping 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift the visitors to the 60-59 win.
“They’ve been beaten twice at the buzzer, so this was so big for our kids,” Woodberry Forest coach Joel Justus said. “We used [the final play] three times – the start of the game, the beginning of the second half and then that one. The play didn’t work, the kid just stepped up and made an incredible shot. And I wanted to go for the win. I’m happy for us and very happy for [Long], because he’s missed that a couple of times this year.”
Fork Union (8-7, 6-6 Prep League) broke off an 8-0 run to start the second half and led by as many as 11 points in the fourth quarter.
Woodberry went nearly four minutes without a basket in the third quarter, but cut the lead to six (43-36) by the end of the frame as Tim Brisco drained a 3-pointer. The Tigers continued to cut the deficit with another trey from Marshall Deal.
But the Blue Devils answered with free throws from Jonah Dew and Xavier Holland. Joey Alba’s 3-pointer with 5:13 remaining gave FUMA a 50-39 advantage.
However, the Tigers continued to claw their way back into it, as Deal hit another 3-pointer, followed by a mid-range jumper to trim the lead to 52-44. The senior guard finished with 11 points.
Woodberry clamped down defensively, limiting Fork Union’s second-chance opportunities down the stretch. The Tigers (10-9, 7-4) held the Blue Devils to two field goals in the quarter and forced them to the free-throw line often.
C.J. Prosise hit a pair of free throws to cut the lead to three with 1:21 to play. Woodberry closed the game on a 9-2 run thanks to a big offensive putback from Caid Kirven and Long, who scored seven points in the final 35 seconds to cap the wild comeback.
Long finished with 13, while Jack Flournoy paced the Tigers with 16 points and seven rebounds.
“We had to lengthen the game. They were trying to eat some clock and obviously they know what they’re doing,” Justus said. “You’ve got to make free throws. And we made shots – we had to score. We couldn’t go tit for tat with them, but we had to make shots.”
Fork Union struggled from the free-throw line in the game, going 23 for 39, including a 7-for-11 performance in the final 1:50.
Holland led the Blue Devils with 15 points, Alba added 13 and Dew had a complete game with 12 points, eight rebounds and a pair of steals. Kion Brown chipped in nine points and six rebounds.
“We’re where we want to be, but we want to be able to finish that thing out. We played such a good game up to that point, but the kid hits a fadeaway from 25 feet,” Fork Union coach Matt Donohue said. “But that’s basketball. I told my guys afterwards, if that hadn’t gone in, we’d be the people that are happy. We just want to be in a position to win the game and we were.”
Woodberry visits Madison County on Friday, while Fork Union travels to St. Christopher’s.
