You can hardly blame Charlottesville’s Jamar Pierre-Lewis for the huge smile on his face after the Black Knights’ 74-65 victory over top-seeded Fluvanna County in the Jefferson District semifinals.
Underestimated on every level and even mocked by opposing crowds for his lack of size, Pierre-Lewis played huge for Charlottesville, changing the entire equation for the Black Knights while sparking them to a victory that certainly kept the Black Knights’ season alive in front of a near-capacity crowd at Western Albemarle.
“(Fluvanna) had a hard time defending him and they couldn’t corral him or trap him,” said Charlottesville coach Mitch Minor. “And I think that was the difference.”
Pierre-Lewis, who logged six assists, had a ripple effect on the lineup, setting the table for Darius Watson’s incredible night from beyond the arc. With Pierre-Lewis drawing defensive attention, particularly after halftime, Watson went 7-for-14 from 3-point range while pouring in 25 points for the Black Knights. Watson’s shooting, which got going early as he buried three 3-pointers in the second quarter alone, stretched out Fluvanna’s defense, allowing Charlottesville’s Dashaun Blakey and Daquan Jones (who finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds) to dominate the boards.
Pierre-Lewis’ solid play also allowed Minor to play Demarcus Scott at the off-guard spot. He certainly looked comfortable there, scoring 15 points and hitting a string of clutch baskets by going right at Fluvanna’s defense down the stretch.
“I think we played very intense and I could get the ball, penetrate through the gaps and that left (Scott) and Darius open,” Pierre-Lewis said. “Demarcus is more comfortable playing the two than the one so that’s what coach did.”
Scott was thrilled about the lineup change.
“I think (the lineup shift worked) because when I’m at the two I’m just so comfortable because I’ve played the two all my life,” Scott said. “When I’m there I can do anything I want.”
For a night, everything, quite simply, clicked when Pierre-Lewis was orchestrating the offense. It was an intriguing development because the junior has been used largely as a change of pace to Scott at the point.
“I’ve been thinking about doing that for awhile and I just so happened to do it tonight at the right time,” Minor said. “You’ve got to have a little something up your sleeve.”
For Fluvanna County, who’s spot as Region II’s top seed was likely assured before the game, it was a frustrating experience. For a second straight year the Flucos won the regular season title but didn’t finish out the tournament. Last year it was a forfeit due to an unintentional rule violation by using junior varsity players in a blow out that cut short a tournament run.
This season they ran into a red-hot Charlottesville squad that is perhaps the district’s most dangerous from a talent perspective.
The Flucos held the five-point halftime advantage after YaYa Anderson’s half-court buzzer beater, but cracks were already starting to show for Fluvanna. On the boards, in particular, the Flucos couldn’t find an answer for Jones.
“I knew we had to rebound the ball and we got out-rebounded,” said Fluvanna coach Munro Rateau. “(But) I thought a big difference for them was in the first two games we played, (Pierre-Lewis) didn’t play much at all. He adds a real dimension to their team that they didn’t have earlier in the year. He gives them that ball-handler so their shooters don’t have to handle the ball.”
Anderson finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Flucos and Fluvanna actually had solid offensive balance with Vinny Agee, Taylor Lintecum and Brad Bullock all in double figures. But Fluvanna wasn’t able to create many second chance opportunities or end CHS possessions without great team rebounding. That focus also left Watson with some open looks.
“We tried to stay around the basket so that we could rebound, but then (Watson) goes out there and shoots the lights out,” Rateau said. “He’s a good shooter but he hasn’t shot like that all year.”
Charlottesville will face Western Albemarle Friday night in the Jefferson District final at 8 p.m. in Crozet while Fluvanna County will await its opponent in the Region II tournament next week.
