February 29, 2012

Round Four between the Blue Ridge and Miller boys might have been the best yet.

After the two teams hooked up for two regular-season classics, they again duked it out in the VIC Championship last Saturday with the Barons again winning in the end.

Wednesday night the two teams met yet again in the VISAA Division I quarterfinals and this time it took two extra periods to decide the winner.

Corbyn Jackson drained a baby hook shot with 12 seconds left in double-overtime and Janeil Jenkins' last-second shot was short, giving Blue Ridge a 78-77 win and advancing the Barons to the state semifinals.

But for much of the first half, it looked like the Mavericks who would be moving on. Miller led by as many as eight in the second quarter before a 10-2 Barons run cut things to 29-25 at the half.

The Mavs continued to play well in the third and led by six after three but the Barons held tough in the fourth and came back to tie the game at 51 with just under three to play.

After the two teams traded buckets, Blue Ridge inbounded the ball under its own basket with a chance to win but missed, sending the game into overtime.

In the extra frame it was Miller who climbed back from a five-point deficit with Kansas-bound Andrew White drilling a three to tie the game at 68 and send it into double overtime.

The final point differential between the two teams in all four games played this season was just seven points.

On the girls side, four local teams were in state quarterfinal action, with Miller the lone host team.

The Mavericks took care of business and crushed Eastern Mennonite, 61-24, to advance.

Meanwhile the other three teams all had to travel on the road to No. 1 seeds.

Covenant made the trip to Cape Henry and fell 67-34 and St. Anne's-Belfield traveled to Paul VI and lost 70-31. Tandem Friends was also on the road as the Badgers fell to Williamsburg Christian, 59-31.

Boys
Blue Ridge 78, Miller 77, 2OT

Girls
Miller 61, Eastern Mennonite 24
Cape Henry 67, Covenant 34
Paul VI 70, STAB 31
Williamsburg Christian 59, Tandem Friends 31