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Courtland's Josh Hairston (center) gets off a shot against Orange's Quintin Hunter (left) and D. J. Brown during the Group AA, Division 4 quarterfinals yesterday.
The Cougars' Lamar Giggetts battles his way through the Hornets' defense. Giggetts scored 17 points yesterday.
Courtland's Mario McMorris (left) rejects a shot by Orange's Tyler Seal during yesterday's quarterfinals at the Siegel Center on the Virginia Commonwealth University campus. |
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
RICHMOND--
The Courtland High School boys basketball team was feeling a bit of pressure.Orange, a team it beat by an average of 21 points in two regular-season meetings, was in no mood to back down in last night's Group AA, Division 4 state quarterfinals.
The Hornets pulled within six points heading into the fourth quarter after trailing by as many as 16 at Virginia Commonwealth University's Siegel Center.
But that's when Courtland junior guard Avery Green had seen enough.
Green, the Cougars' fourth-leading scorer, stepped up with 12 of his 17 points in the final frame to help lift Courtland to an 82-64 victory and its first-ever trip to the state semifinals.
The Cougars (24-2) will take on Charlottesville on Tuesday night at the Siegel Center in an effort to reach the state title game. The season comes to an end for Orange (16-12).
"I was getting frustrated and I kept telling myself to calm down because it's going to be games like this," Green said of the third-quarter run Orange made. "I said to myself, 'We've just got to get through this if we want to reach our goal.'"
The Cougars got through just fine with plenty of assistance from 6-foot-8 post player Josh Hairston.
Hairston scored 34 points on 11-of-24 shooting, and pulled down 21 rebounds.
He helped Courtland overcome 26 points from Orange senior guard Quintin Hunter and 21 from senior forward D.J. Brown, who converted seven 3-pointers to tie a state tournament record.
"I was just feeling my shot tonight," Brown said.
The Hornets couldn't play as effective defensively.
They rarely double-teamed Hairston.
Instead they elected to guard the Duke University commit one-on-one with Robert McBrayer, Chad Galimore and Romie Powell.
"That was a pleasant surprise," said Courtland head coach J.T. Nino.
Hairston was equally taken aback.
It was far different from the way Tabb defended Hairston in the Region I championship game, when he was held to a season-low 11 points.
Orange coach Keyode Rogers said he wanted to throw all three players at Hairston, and he wasn't totally disappointed in the results
Hairston had an edge in quickness on all three of Orange's centers.
"I like to use my quickness and speed to my advantage when I have bigger defenders on me," Hairston said.
Despite Hairston's big game, the Hornets hung around.
They trailed Courtland 55-42 after Jarrell Spencer connected on a 3-pointer midway through the third quarter. Moments later, Hunter connected on a 3 to pull his team within 57-48. After a Powell free throw with 25 seconds left in the quarter, the Hornets trailed just 57-51. Orange seemingly had all the momentum.
"We believed that those last eight minutes, we were going to leave it on the court," Hunter said. "At times in the fourth quarter we played to the highest level and at times we played lazy."
It was the lazy moments that did the Hornets in, but it was also a major dose of Green. He connected on two layups to open the frame and give the Cougars a 61-51 lead.
He later added a fade-away jumper with two defenders hanging on him to put Orange away at 65-52.
"He was scoring on some of the hardest shots I've ever seen in my life," Hairston said. "He does it all the time in practice and open gym, and he showed it tonight."
Senior forward Lamar Giggetts added 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting for the Cougars. Standout guard Luke Sellers scored eight.
"Top to bottom," Rogers said, "they have kids who can play and who can step up when they need to."
Orange | 8 | 20 | 22 | 14 | -- | 64 |
Courtland | 17 | 22 | 18 | 25 | -- | 82 |
Scoring
Orange (16-12): Quintin Hunter 26, Spencer Jarrell 7, Tyler Seal 2, Mike Nixon 4, D.J. Brown 21, Josh Pugh 0, Carnell Williams 0, Travis Braxton 0, Romie Powell 1, Chad Galimore 0, Robert McBrayer 0. Totals: 22 11-18 64.
Courtland (24-2): Mario McMorris 0, Avery Green 17, Luke Sellers 8, Lamar Giggetts 17, Josh Hairston 34, Joe Pertell 0, Kyle Brooks 6, Dan Young 0.. Totals: 30 18-29 82.
Three-point goals: Orange 9 (Brown 7, Hunter, Jarrell), Courtland 4 (Green, Sellers, Hairston, Brooks)
Rebounds: Orange 26 (Hunter 8), Courtland 46 (Hairston 21)
Taft Coghill Jr.: 540/374-5526
Email: tcoghill@freelancestar.com
| STATE QUARTERFINALS
Yesterday's games Group AA, Division 4 boys
Courtland 82, Orange 64 Group A, Division 1 boysColonial Beach 70, Loudoun County 90, Freedom 64, |
