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Yellow Jackets' Josh Tasker (foreground) finds his path to the basket blocked
Culpeper's Karl Majors makes a beeline for the basket during last night's game against James Monroe. Majors led the scorers as Culpeper won its second game in two nights.
Culpeper's swarming defense made the game difficult |
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
James Thompson didn't become head coach of the Culpeper boys basketball team until September.
But it hasn't taken long for the former Blue Devils assistant coach to put his imprint on the team.
The Blue Devils finished last season 5-17, but have already doubled that win total after last night's hard-fought 66-57 nondistrict road victory over James Monroe.
It was the second win in as many nights for the weary Blue Devils (10-3), who never trailed after a 12-2 first-quarter run gave them the lead over James Monroe (3-7).
"It's been all about attitude and work ethic," Thompson said of the reasons for the Blue Devils' success this season. "We wanted to keep it simple and establish that as our identity. We wanted that to be our foundation."
The message has certainly gotten through to Thompson's players.
Last night, Culpeper was paced by 16 points from guard Kyle Majors, one of four players in double-figures.
Solomon Francis added 13 before he left the game in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury, Eric Washington had 12 and Odie Veney contributed 10 (all in the second half).
"We're just coming out trying to work hard every day," Washington said. "I know teams are going to think we're sorry [because of last season], but we want to prove that we're somebody."
The Yellow Jackets are certainly believers after their second loss to the Blue Devils this season.
They kept pace in the first half, which featured both teams going on significant runs, but the Yellow Jackets fell behind 49-35 after three quarters.
The deficit grew to as many as 16 points before JM turned up the pressure defensively.
With back-to-back baskets from sophomore forward Shakim Armstead, the Yellow Jackets pulled within 62-57 with one minute remaining in the game.
"I'm proud of the guys," Yellow Jackets head coach Antonio Coghill said. "They could've folded up, but they didn't quit."
Culpeper was nursing its five-point lead after guard Stevie Strother missed two free throws with less than a minute remaining.
Veney pulled down the offensive rebound at the end of that sequence, but the Yellow Jackets had another chance to foul Strother.
However, with Coghill and his assistant coaches urging their players to take the foul on Strother, they allowed Majors to get the ball.
He promptly made both free throws, giving the Blue Devils a seven-point lead with 44 seconds remaining, ending the Yellow Jackets hopes for a comeback.
"That's one thing we've got to work on," Coghill said of knowing how to handle end-of-game situations.
Nine players scored for the Yellow Jackets, who were led by Armstead's 12 points.
Armstead added six rebounds, five steals and two blocks.
He also made several impressive hustle plays.
"We know he can do those types of things for us," Coghill said.
Senior forward Josh Tasker contributed 10 points and 14 rebounds for JM, but shot just three-of-15 from the floor.
Coghill said his team would've had a better chance of pulling off the upset if it was able to convert several easy baskets in the first half.
For the game, the Yellow Jackets shot 26-of-65 from the floor and 5-of-13 from the free throw line.
On the other end, the Blue Devils made 16-of-20 free throws and converted several lay-ups, leaving Thompson pleased with his team one night after its road victory over district rival Fauquier.
"Since we played [Tuesday night] and we had another road trip, I thought it was going to be like we were running in sand," Thompson said. "But we made a lot of lay-ups, and that helped us."
Culpeper returns to Cedar Run District action Friday when it hosts Loudoun Valley. The Yellow Jackets open their Battlefield District slate Friday with a trip to Courtland.
Culpeper | 18 | 12 | 19 | 17 | -- | 66 |
JM | 17 | 6 | 12 | 22 | -- | 57 |
Scoring
Culpeper (10-3): Kyle Majors 16, Stevie Strother 6, Eric Washington 12, Solomon Francis 13, Odie Veney 10, Steven Reynolds 5, Jermaine Pettyjohn 2, Andrew Hoffman 2. Totals: 24 16-20 66.
James Monroe (3-7): Zhavelle Roberts 2, Farkeem French 4, Shakim Armstead 12, Tralante Lucas 7, Josh Tasker 10, Devontae Atkins 10, Stephon Seeimon 6, Kevin Parker 2, Jamel Brooks 4. Totals: 26 5-13 57.
Three-point goals: Culpeper 2 (Majors). JM (none).
Taft Coghill Jr.: 540/374-5526| CULPEPER 66 JAMES MONROE 57 |
