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KF’s big boys lead way in summer league
Published Friday, July 3, 2009
Photo by Andrew Giermak
Nansemond River’s Shannon Evans looks at his options on a fast break for the Warriors against Churchland Thursday evening during the King’s Fork Summer League. Churchland edged NR 57-56.
King’s Fork, Lakeland and Nansemond River were all in action Thursday night during a night-full of games in the King’s Fork Summer Basketball League.
The Bulldogs, with many players returning from their state championship, including two “big” returning seniors in Davante Gardner and Jay Copeland, got a definite test from a Churchland squad which barely had a player over six feet tall. King’s Fork, with 47 points total from the 6-foot-8 Gardner and the 6-foot-6 Copeland, prevailed 69-63.
As for Lakeland and Nansemond River, the Cavs and Warriors have young squads playing in the summer league, teams which are made up largely of the JV Cavalier and Warrior rosters from a season ago. Churchland edged the Warriors 57-56, and Hampton beat Lakeland 45-27.
Churchland led Nansemond River through most of the first half before an 8-0 Warrior run, capped by a driving three-point play by guard Ashton Moore, gave NR a 21-18 lead. The teams were knotted, 25-25, at the half.
Morris Johnson, one of the view returners to see significant varsity minutes last season, banked in a 75-foot shot at the horn to close the first half. Even without the long-range bomb, Johnson had an active game for the Warriors. As one of the only big guys the Warriors can depend on, Johnson tallied nine points, 14 rebounds and three blocks.
NR broke out to a 34-30 lead in the first few minutes of the second half, but Churchland fought back to gain the lead going down the stretch.
In the final minute, the Warriors lost the ball on turnovers three times instead of getting shots which could’ve tied the game or put NR in front.
Moore led the Warriors with 18 points, including three three-pointers. Michael Copeland scored 12 points.
Hampton and Lakeland played a frenetic, scrappy game which was close until early in the second half when the Crabbers found some steady play on their offensive end.
Jaquon Beamon scored eight of Lakeland’s 16 points in the first half, but Hampton stretched a five-point halftime lead to double digits within the first three minutes after halftime. The Crabbers held the Cavaliers to 11 points in the second half, including two in the last seven minutes.
In the late game, King’s Fork and Churchland showed contrasting styles. Churchland scored effectively against the Bulldogs with long-range shooting, in transition before KF’s defense could get back, and with darting drives into the lane.
The Bulldogs relied on feeding the ball into Gardner and Copeland and got great results.
After the Truckers raced out to a 10-4 lead, KF went on a 17-2 run to move ahead. The Bulldogs led 37-31 at halftime. Gardner already had 17 points and eight rebounds while Copeland, who added back-to-back three-point plays during the 17-2 run, had 10 points.
Gardner finished with 24 points, 12 rebounds and three assists. Copeland had 23 points, nine rebounds and four blocks. Dion Bivens, who played last season for Nansemond River, was the primarily outside threat for the Bulldogs as he made two three-pointers and finished with nine points.
The King’s Fork Summer League has two more regular-season dates, July 8 and July 9, before having its league tournament the next week.
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