RICHMOND — In the first sentence of his opening statement after the game, James River coach Mike Goad could only offer his sympathy to Buckingham. With a group that had won 99 games coming into the Group A Division 2 title game, he’s come and left the Siegel Center without a championship trophy. And in a defensive struggle, Goad’s squad picked up win 100 as Buckingham surged back from a double digit deficit in the third quarter only to watch James River pull away in the game’s last minute, 47-43.
“It’s great being here on the winning side but my heart goes out to coach Russ Gowin and Buckingham county,” Goad said. “Because we’ve been there several times and it’s not a pleasant feeling.”
But it could have been a lot worse. In a game where defenses were dominant, James River looked like it was in cruise control. However, that changed in the second half.
In the first quarter James River was able to build a six point lead as they attacked the paint. Meanwhile, all nine of Buckingham’s first frame points came on 3-point baskets, with sophomore Caleb White hitting two of the team’s three shots from beyond the arc.
James River opened the second quarter with a 7-2 run to get out in front by 11 points.
It took Taylor Boyers more than a quarter to register his first points of the game, but the senior got hot in the middle of the second, scoring seven points in a row and nine of 12 to close out the second quarter.
“We tried to get the ball inside a little bit,” Boyers said. “I knew that I had to step up because it was looking like (James River) was going to run away with it for a minute.”
Buckingham stopped the bleeding and trailed by nine at the half with James River continuing to pile up points underneath the basket while 12 of Buckingham’s first 21 points came on 3-pointers.
Buckingham went on a tear to open the third quarter and outscored James River 12-2 in the period as Boyers, Ayers and Eldridge pushed the tempo of the game to take back the lead for the first time since the opening minute of the first quarter.
“I thought we did a super job for a 14 to 15-minute span where we held them to just two points,” Gowin said. “We got back in it and took the lead but just couldn’t capitalize enough to get far enough ahead.”
To start the fourth, both teams endured a significant dry spell, as neither could register a point until Boyers hit a 3-pointer to put Buckingham up by four with a little under four minutes to play.
But behind guard Ethan Humphries, James River would retake the lead, going up by two points on a 3-pointer of their own with 58 seconds to go.
Buckingham was able to covert their next possession into points, and with the lead, James River was content to spend the rest of their night at the free throw line, and that would mark the end. Between Humphries and Andrew Tucker, James River converted on seven of their eight free throw attempts in the last minute of play to wrap up the title.
And though the Knights leave Richmond wishing their last game of the year had a brighter ending, Gowin pulled no punches – James River “deserved to win,” as they outplayed his team in the end.
“That was just a super ball-game by both teams,” Gowin said. “You’ve got to give James River credit for hitting those free throws down the stretch.”
James River did not make a single substitution in the game, as all five starters registered 32 minutes each. Patrick Bennett, who was the driving force down low, led his team with 15 points and eight rebounds. Humphries finished with 13 points, seven assists and six rebounds.
Boyers paced Buckingham with a 16-point 11-rebound game in his final game in green and gold. Eldridge tallied 11 points. Ayers finished with seven points and five assists. Kevin Bolden had five boards and three blocks.
