Blue Ridge scored the game’s first 23 points and never looked back Tuesday night, rolling to a stifling 72-21 victory over Peninsula Catholic in the quarterfinals of the VISAA Invitational State Basketball Tournament.
Blue Ridge held a significant advantage in size and athleticism, which enabled them to guard man-to-man without yielding an inch. The Barons suffocated Peninsula Catholic’s offense for the entire first half, allowing just two points on one field goal that came after nearly fourteen scoreless minutes to start the game. Blue Ridge forced many turnovers and had several opportunities for quick offense in transition.
“Locking in, staying focused,” said Blue Ridge’s Zion Clark of his team’s defense. “Sprinting back on defense. Picking up full court and making the team feel pressure causes them to turnover the ball.”
Clark was all over the floor for Blue Ridge, filling up the stat sheet with 16 points, three assists, three rebounds, and three steals.
“I thought that Zion had one of the best games he’s had this year with being aggressive and then being disciplined on the defensive end,” said Blue Ridge Head Coach Cade Lemcke.
Clark led a very balanced scoring attack for the Barons, with three players in double figures and nine players recording points.
“What makes this team special is the depth but also the selflessness that these guys play with,” Lemcke said. “They want to see each other succeed.”
With a dunk by Maliq Brown in the final moments of the second quarter, the game was essentially out of reach, as Blue Ridge held a 31-2 lead at halftime.
Maliq Brown finished with 12 points, four rebounds, three assists, and three blocks. Shannon Simango added 12 points and five rebounds.
“We gotta own the moment,” said Brown. “Can’t be worried about games that are coming up next. We gotta stay focused on the game we’re playing right now.”
Peninsula Catholic managed to find the hoop with some more frequency in the second half, scoring seven points in the third quarter and 12 points in the fourth quarter, largely against Blue Ridge’s bench. The Barons continued to be effective on offense, however, scoring nineteen points in the third quarter and 22 points in the fourth.
“Tonight was a great full team effort,” Lemcke said. “I was really proud of these guys.”
With the victory, Blue Ridge advances to the semifinals of the state tournament. The Barons will face Steward on Thursday with a trip to the title game on the line.
