PREP HOOPS: JSB boys advance in CMD with win over Lee

LEBANON, Va. – John Battle advanced to the semifinals of the Clinch Mountain District boys tournament Tuesday night as the No. 4 Trojans knocked No. 5 Lee High out with a 39-35 opening-round win at Long Gymnasium.

“This is a real good win for us,” said John Battle coach Tim Sholes. “We got down, but these guys didn’t lose their composure. In the second half, we really played some defense.”

It was a very slow, methodical offense for the Trojans against the 2-3 zone of the Generals. It didn’t appear the strategy would work.

Derek Maiden scored the first basket of the game for John Battle. They didn’t score again the rest of the first quarter as Lee High raced out to a 12-2 lead. The Trojans were finally able to get some shots to fall in the second quarter. It was a four-point game at halftime with the Generals leading 17-13.

After playing zone throughout most of the first half, John Battle switched to a man defense in the second half and it paid big dividends. With the Generals leading 22-17, Maiden had a steal and raced down the floor for a layup. Alex Posey had the next big defensive play when he swiped the ball and pulled the Trojans to within one with a transition layup.

Battle wasn’t through. Junior Brent Tipton picked Lee point guard Josh Lawson’s pocket and the result was a layup to give the Trojans their first lead since early in the contest.

“Even with a patient attack, if we have a break we’re going to run,” Sholes said. “When we changed to the man-to-man we really got after it. It was just a great team effort.”

Lee High came back to tie the score at 28 early in the fourth quarter on a bucket by Adam Pendleton. But Tipton came through. Tipton dropped in a jumper as the Trojans took the lead and in the next possession dropped in a long 3-pointer for a workable margin.

“We were really moving the ball well and I felt I was open,” Tipton said. “We really tried to step up our defense, that’s what we’re all about – defense.

“We were leaving too many people open in the zone. In the man, we know who to get and who to box out. It was a great team win that will really help us as we advance in the district and region.”

 Battle missed some free throws late to give Lee High the opportunity to get back in the game. Dustin Powers made a 3 for the Generals as they pulled to 36-35 with less than a minute to play. But Maiden made two critical foul shots to put the lead to three for the Trojans. Lee High missed their last two shots and Battle went home the winner.

John Battle made 54 percent of their shots from the floor while Lee High made only 34 percent of their field goal attempts. That helped offset a 28-21 General rebounding edge. Lee High also finished with 17 turnovers.

“Battle took advantage of our weaknesses,” Lee High coach Steve Collier said. “We’ve had problems all year with our guard play. We couldn’t get into any kind of offense because of turnovers.”

Tipton finished with 12 points and Maiden 10 to lead the Trojans. Pendleton led the Generals with a 14 point outing.

John Battle will play regular season champ Gate City in the CMD semifinals on Thursday.

GIRLS

Lebanon 68, John Battle 45

In the opening game the Lebanon girls knocked John Battle out of the tournament with a first-round win. Five-foot-six junior Kati Simmons put on a show for the Pioneers finishing with 26 points. Simmons was 6-of-9 from beyond the arc for Lebanon.

“Everything just felt good tonight,” said Simmons. “I think the whole team played well and played with a lot of confidence.”

The game was really over early.

Brooke Rutherford scored for the Trojans to make it a two-point game, 8-6, with 4:27 to play in the first quarter. Lebanon closed out the quarter on a 13-0 run to take control with a 21-6 advantage. Battle played close to even with Lebanon in the second half but the game was already decided.

“We played really well the second half, but I wasn’t very proud of them the first half,” said acting head coach Ike Anderson who was filling in for Kevin Perrigan who was assessed a two-game suspension. “Our effort just wasn’t there early. I don’t know how you can’t get up for a district tournament game.”

Chloe Harris tossed in 18 points and Rutherford 11 for the Trojans.