By Bart Isley/Scrimmage Play Creative Director
It was close for three quarters.
Then Charlottesville lined up in its 1-3-1 halfcourt trap and just like that it was over — the Black Knights were off and running to a 78-61 victory.
“I did it a little early (in the first quarter) but we couldn’t sustain it,” said Charlottesville coach Mitch Minor. “I knew we’d go back to it. Actually the guys wanted to do it (at the start of the fourth) and I was like, okay, let’s do it.”
Charlottesville exploded out of the new set, forcing turnover after turnover as the Monticello offense broke down against the trap. Dashaun Blakely wreaked most of the defensive havoc during the 13-0 run that opened the fourth. Blakely’s pressure out front created a slew of transition opportunities. The approach is apparently quite popular with the Black Knights’ players.
“The trap is our favorite defensive play to do,” said Charlottesville senior Richard Washington. “But especially the first line — they want to play (the 1-3-1) the whole game.”
Blakely’s length repeatedly created problems for the Mustangs’ young guards who dribbled into trouble or tried risky passes over the zone. Neither tactic worked as Charlottesville intercepted passes or came up with steals.
“He’s so long and he made it tough for them to throw it over and we did a good job of cutting off the passing lanes,” Minor said.
Monticello just couldn’t slow down enough to figure out a way to break down the Black Knights’ change in approach.
“That’s what’s going on with us right now — a team punches us in the face and we don’t fight back, we kind of scramble back,” said Monticello coach Kareem Martin. “That comes from being young and not being used to that kind of basketball.”
Daquan Jones did most of the offensive damage during the run, scoring 10 fourth quarter points as Charlottesville put together 31 points in the final frame to pull away after leading by just one at the start of the third. Jones finished with 19 points on the night including eight field goals—many of those came as he finished off transition opportunities as CHS kicked the game into high gear. Two 3-pointers by Rickquan Jones helped the cause too. He had 10 points on the night while Blakey had 12 and Damarcus Scott had 13. Scott went 6 for 6 at the free-throw line. That offensive balance bodes well for the Black Knights who are putting up stronger performances with Blakely back in the lineup since after winter break.
Jhalil Mosley managed to steady the Monticello offense in the latter part of the fourth quarter and the sophomore scored eight points in the final four minutes of the game. Mosley had 17 on the night. Kevin Archer was red-hot for the Mustangs in the first half, burying three long 3-pointers, but Monticello had trouble getting him involved after the break. Denzel Terry finished with nine points on a trio of 3-pointers.
The Black Knights are now two games out from a rematch with Fluvanna, the only team that’s beaten Charlottesville in Jefferson District play, but they’ll have to get through Western late next week first. Monticello is set to take on William Monroe next Friday.
