Zoe Collins Rath
Jan 12, 2022
Prince George had their crown after winning the Tri-City Holiday Tournament on Petersburg's turf, but the Crimson Wave boys basketball team took it right back in a 67-66 overtime finish.
Petersburg started strong out front going on a 9-0 run. Chris Fields had an easy layup followed by jumpers from senior Tylik Lawerence. Lawerence had six three-point shots, capitalizing on his success the previous week against Meadowbrook.
"Coaches told me just find my shot," he explained.
But Prince George settled into a groove. The squads traded layups and a few coming from Fields going coast-to-coast to make it 13-4; he had 11 points on the night.
But the difference with this game was Petersburg shooting heating up from Lawerence who drained another three from the arc to make it 16-4. He had a season-high of 22 points.
While Petersburg basked in the success of their shooter, Prince George crept back with far more consistent field goal shooting and making and-1's to make it 16-11 at the end of the first quarter.
The game became a lot tighter.
Coming out of the huddle Prince George hit jumper after jumper to capture the lead by two. Petersburg was still in it but shots were not clicking and were losing at the battle of the boards.
But Prince George shooting kept retaking the led. It was a hard battle on defense for Petersburg because Claiborne would take a charge, then Prince George would take one. But Lawerence found his shot.
"... and if I hit it, they said to keep shooting it," Lawerence explained of his coach's words of encouragement before the game.
Petersburg took the half 28-27. Both teams wanted to win and in the third quarter the game tied, five times.
Junior Jamar Hodges and other Crimson Wave bigs worked on their post moves in practice, which made appearances during the game. Or, any one of the five players pulled up and shoot at the elbow.
Lawerence tied the game at 41's after draining a three-point shot. Lundy, who had 12 points, followed up with a layup, driving through contact to take the lead. But the Royals still had life.
A three from the arc recaptured a one-point lead but a Hodges put back made it 47-44. Then in the final seconds, a Lawerence three sealed the deal as they headed to the fourth quarter.
With a score of 50-46, all Petersburg had to do was not foul or make mistakes on defense.
Shooting fouls sent the Royals to the line many times and they closed. Petersburg made layups and field goals to minimize Royal's damage because Prince George turned up the heat on defense.
By swarming the top of the key the Royals forced turnovers by making Petersburg guards uncomfortable and were able to tie the game. Prince George came back with back-to-back ones to tie it and exploited Petersburg's defensive gaps.
"When they were penetrating and we would stop them and they would dump off the ball for an easy layup," Massenburg explained.
Fields worked down low by putting up easy bank shots to extend the lead and did just that in the closing seconds to send the game into overtime tied at 60.
It was the first time Petersburg saw overtime this season and Petersburg had four minutes to win.
Fields started the Wave with a 4-0 run in the opening seconds with bank shots. Lawerence forced travel call and Petersburg looked like they were in control. But in came the Royals, defending their honor.
Fuller missed both free throws and the clock started counting down the five seconds left in overtime with the game tied at 66's.
Fuller got his own rebound and passed it to Fields on the other side of the paint. Fields put up a shot that did not go but Fuller got it on the rebound for the putback. But there was a slap of contact on his arm. As the buzzer went off the referees were turning blue blowing on their whistle to signal for a shooting foul.
Fuller went to the line once more with a chance to win it. If he made one of his free throws, with .8 seconds added to the clock, the Crimson Wave had a chance to win. If not, then it would be double overtime.
Fuller took a deep breath at the line and took his time. With cheers, jeers, and the clanging of a cowbell, the jeers escalated when he missed the first one. But the beauty of the bonus round is another shot, which sank for his 16th point.
.8 seconds left with Petersburg up one point.
Prince George's first inbounder passed to the next person who launched it past half court. It was a scrum to get there but Fields made the catch in a sea of people for the road game victory.
"This is really going to help them grow," said Massenburg.
Petersburg extends their season 9-3 and they play Matoaca on Friday.