The Nansemond River High School boys’ basketball team found itself in a discouraging fog of uncertainty after a 68-44 loss to visiting Heritage High School on Tuesday night.

“It’s a hair pull-out game for the coaching staff,” Warriors coach Ed Young said. “We came into this game somewhat excited.”

While Nansemond River entered the game with an 0-5 conference record, it had shown signs of gaining positive momentum overall in its past two outings.

The Warriors lost to visiting Lakeland High School on Friday, but played much better than in the teams’ first meeting this season. The next day, NR defeated visiting Gloucester High School by 20 points.

Additionally, the Warriors were getting to host their rematch on Tuesday against the only remaining undefeated team in the Ironclad Conference, a team that they almost beat on its own home floor on Jan. 16.

“I’ve been in this game 32 years, I can’t figure this out. I can’t figure this team out,” Young said, later adding, “We just didn’t show up. There was no energy. I’m just so disappointed.”

The Hurricanes broke the game open early and led 18-6 by the end of the first period. The second quarter was nearly identical as Heritage outscored its hosts 18-7 to take a 36-13 halftime lead.

Young said the focus of his team’s defensive practice and pre-planning coming into this contest was Hurricanes senior Romello Anderson.

At halftime, Anderson had 20 points, and he was “beating us by himself,” Young said, adding he was 7-for-9 from the floor and 6-for-6 from the foul line at that point.

Nansemond River managed to outscore Heritage 18-14 in the third quarter, during which Warriors junior Josh Covington scored 12 of his 22 points on the night.

But the Hurricanes produced their third 18-point quarter of the night in the final period, and NR could not keep up.

Senior Matt Allmond of the Warriors finished the game with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Nansemond River shot 36 percent from the field (18-for-50), including 3-for-13 from three-point range (23.1 percent). Meanwhile, Heritage was 24-for-50 from the field (48 percent) and only attempted two three-pointers.

Of the 24 buckets the Hurricanes made, “easily 16 or 17 of them were inside the lane,” Young said. “We just did not challenge them on defense.”

Anderson finished the game with 30 points and 11 rebounds.

Heritage outrebounded Nansemond River 44-23 on the night.

Among the few bright spots for the Warriors was senior Aaron Parker’s defense against senior Marcus Van Hook.

When the Hurricanes defeated Nansemond River 73-66 on Jan. 16, Van Hook had a career-high 21 points. On Tuesday, he was held to eight.

“Aaron’s our best defender,” Young said.

Nansemond River has four regular season games remaining, the next two completing a five-game home stand. But the Warriors have not played as well at home compared to previous years, currently possessing four losses while playing host.

“It’s the most we’ve lost (at home), by far, in a season since I’ve been there,” said Young, now in his 11th year as coach.

Nansemond River (8-10, 0-6) hosts Denbigh High School on Friday.