Blues Hold Off Eagles, Continue
To Roll
The Parry McCluer High School boys basketball team stretched its winning streak to 12 games, cruising to dominant wins over Smith Mountain Lake Christian Academy and Bath County before earning a 79-66 home win over Auburn on Saturday.
The Blues improved to 12-2 overall and 4-0 in the Pioneer District.
In the nondistrict game against Auburn (5-9), the Blues had a tougher challenge than in their Jan. 5 game on the Eagles’ home court, when PM won 67-47.
Nathan Glass started the scoring for PM with a layup, but Langston Cook built early momentum with two steals and scores to put PM up 6-3 early in the contest. Free throws by Cook and Brody Coleman helped PM take a 19-11 lead by the end of the first quarter.
A 3-pointer by Quentin Rosser started a 13-0 run by the Blues in the first few minutes of the second quarter, and PM stretched its lead to 32-14 before going into halftime up 42-22. “That run in the second quarter really separated us,” said PM head coach Tyler Kerr, “We ran the floor, completed plays, and had some great individual play. Langston [Cook] was getting to the basket, and Nathan [Glass] was great in the paint today. He had a tough matchup and took over there.”
By the end of the third quarter, the Blues extended their lead to 60-36, but Auburn hit two three pointer s and made a three-point play to cut PM’s lead to nine points (7162) with about three minutes left in the game. Rosser and Cook converted from the free throw line to seal the win for the Blues.
Cook led the Blues with 33 points and eight rebounds and made all of his free throws attempts, and he also had five assists and two steals. Glass scored a season-high 26 points and had five rebounds, three assists and four steals. Rosser contributed eight points, six boards and six assists, while Coleman added seven points, and Jamier Jordan led PM with seven steals while dishing out four assists and making one free throw.
PM 85, SMLCA 59
The Blues started the week by scoring their highest point total of the season in an 85-59 nondistrict home win over SMLCA on Monday of last week in Buena Vista.
The Ospreys (2-8) started the game with a 3-pointer on their first possession, but it would be their only lead of the game. PM went on a 14-0 run, with 3-pointers from Cook and Jordan, to go up 14-3 lead, and the Blues led 22-6 after the first quarter.
Jordan scored the first seven points of the second quarter, including his second 3-pointer. With scoring from Cook, Glass and Roster, the Blues extended their lead to 41-25 by halftime.
Kerr credited the large lead to quick transitions. “We always look for our primary break,” he said. “Today we really ran the floor with that. When we did that today, and it wasn’t on, we did a great job getting into the right seats to find good chances.”
In the third quarter, the Blues went on a 9-0 run that ended with a three-point play by Cook, and PM outscored the Ospreys 27-15 in the period to extend their lead to 68-40. “The high-low was there for us, and we had shooters on the wings,” said Kerr. “It was tough for the defense to find eyes on all five of our guys. In the second half, we did a good job of going to the open guys from that.
After Glass closed the third quarter with a slam dunk, stretching PM’s lead to 74-47, the Blues put in most of their reserves to end the game. Newcomer Luke Morris, a junior, sank a 3-pointer near the end of the game.
Cook and Glass led the Blues with 25 points each, with Cook pulling down 11 rebounds, and Jordan scored 17.
PM 71, BC 29
In their only Pioneer District game last week, the Blues built up a large lead early and coasted to a 71-29 road win over Bath County (3-11 overall, 1-5 district).
Cook led the Blues with 26 points and grabbed five rebounds, Rosser scored nine points, and Sam Griffin had seven points. Also contributing was Jordan with four points, five boards and four assists.
Kerr said the game was just a complete performance from the whole team. When you have nine scorers and hold defensively in that way, that’s a good game.”
“No matter the score, you have to build good habits if you want to make it to states,” added Kerr.
Today, Wednesday, the Blues will play host to district rival Narrows, currently 3-1 in the district, and they’ll continue district action at home against Eastern Montgomery on Friday. Both nights are slated to start with junior varsity action at 5:30 p.m., with the varsity games to follow at 7. On Saturday, the Blues, a Class 1 team, will face larger Class 3 school Fort Defiance (7-5) in the Rock the Ribbon Roundball Shootout, with tip-off scheduled for 2 p.m. at Rockbridge County High School. The Blues will return to district action on Tuesday when they play host to Highland County, with the varsity game only at 7 p.m., following the 5:30 p.m. girls’ varsity game.
GOING UP for a shot is PM sophomore Brody Coleman. (Ronnie Coffey photo)
PM JUNIOR guard Langston Cook dribbles down the court toward the basket during the Blues’ 8559 win over Smith Mountain Lake Christian Academy. Cook scored 25 points and pulled down 11 rebounds. (Ronnie Coffey photo)
FIGHTING BLUE junior forward Kyle Smals takes the ball inside while closely guarded by an SMLCA player. (Ronnie Coffey photo)
