Forget playing spoiler. Charlottesville High is still hunting for a share of the Jefferson District title.
The Black Knights put together a big first quarter to take a seven-point lead and from there held Monticello at arm’s length to grab a 63-53 victory.
“We knew what it meant coming into this game tonight,” said Charlottesville coach Mitch Minor. “I’m proud of how we’ve come back.”
In the process, the Black Knights further complicated a wild Jefferson District race that enters the final day of play with four possible outcomes.
Charlottesville’s Darius Watson kickstarted that early run with a game-opening 3-pointer. From there he put together a 16-point, 10-rebound outing that helped push the Black Knights past the Mustangs.
“We knew we had a lot on the line,” Watson said. “Our offense just came with our defense. We’re such a young team it took us a little while to get going. But now we’re getting the right lineups in and the right players making the right plays at the right time.”
Jordan Saylor showed a steady hand at the point and dished out six assists to go with his 14 points. On several occasions, Saylor hit either Laquarius Warfield or Isaiah Green for easy buckets during unsettled situations created by the Black Knights’ ease in breaking down the Monticello press. Green finished with 12 points while Warfield chipped in seven points.
The Mustangs couldn’t claw out of the early hole, and fell for the second straight game after losing narrowly to Western Albemarle last week.
“Any time you get a slow start in an away gym in a district game with the playoffs approaching — when it rains it pours,” said Monticello coach Robert Shelton. “We played hard to get back in it, but ultimately Charlottesville made some plays. They were better than us tonight.”
Jhalil Mosley’s 20 points led the way for the Mustangs while Jahvon Shelton finished with 13. That tandem didn’t get much offensive support though as the offense sputtered against solid halfcourt pressure from Charlottesville.
The Black Knights host Western Albemarle Wednesday night while Monticello looks to bounce back at home against Fluvanna. For a breakdown of the implications for the standings, click here.
