It’s high praise from Western Albemarle head coach Darren Maynard.
“I told him in the locker room that he played like a man down the stretch,” Maynard said. “You expect your stars and your big players to play big in big games and that’s certainly what he did.”
The Warriors’ junior leader Chase Stokes scored 11 of his 16 points in the final frame, taking over in the closing minutes and sparking Western to a 52-41 win over Fluvanna County in both squads’ Jefferson District opener.
While Stokes carried the load down the stretch on the offensive end, it was the defensive effort from the Warriors that carried the day. The Warriors managed to hold the Flucos, who’d been scoring mostly in the 60s to just 41 points and just 15 in the first half.
“I thought we had a really good night defensively all around,” Maynard said. “To hold that kind of offensive firepower to 41 points I thought was excellent.”
The Warriors were particularly strong against Jalen Harrison and Vinny Agee, who managed 14 points each but had to scratch and claw their way for every last one of them.
“I thought Will Mason had a really nice game for us on (Jalen) Harrison,” Maynard said. “We started denying Agee late in the game when he started making a couple.”
The Flucos certainly felt the impact of Mason and the rest of the Warriors’ defense. Western’s approach threw a previously unbeaten Fluvanna squad out of sync from the opening tip.
“They took us out of everything we tried to do on offense,” said Fluvanna coach Munro Rateau. “As a result, we didn’t get the shots that we usually do.”
That included a stretch early in the second quarter where the Flucos held onto the ball for a couple of minutes and couldn’t create many great scoring opportunities. It was out of character for a team that usually runs an efficient offense in both transition and in the halfcourt set.
“They were more physical than us and they didn’t let us make our cuts or dribble penetration where we wanted to and as a result we stood around and watched,” Rateau said. “That’s something we’re going to have to go into and learn how to adjust.”
Western took a six-point lead early in the fourth quarter, but the Flucos refused to go quietly. Agee hit three free throws after being fouled on a 3-pointer and Harrison scored in transition to pull Fluvanna within one at 34-33.
That was too close for comfort for Stokes, who immediately seized control for the Warriors and dominated in the closing minutes. The Warriors’ leading returning scorer is enjoying his new role as the leading man.
“I really try to take over at the end and help out with the guys who are a little newer,” Stokes said. “They were kind of pushing and we needed to push back.”
Stokes finished with five steals and four assists in addition to his 16 points. He got some offensive help from Sam Chisholm, who had 11 points, eight boards and three blocks, and Jake Maynard who also checked in with 11 on the night.
