Suffolk News-Herald

A brutally efficient second half via host Indian River spelled a tough district loss for Nansemond River on Tuesday night. A flammable 71.4 shooting percentage (15-for-21) in the second half, and a devastating 18-2 run over the last six and a half minutes of the third quarter, turned a tight game into an easy 63-52 win for Indian River.

An 11-0 Indian River run over the last four minutes of the first period and into the first minute of the second gave the Braves a 16-10 lead early in the second quarter.

The Warrior offense relied almost completely on offensive rebounding, mostly with Keith Josey as the source. Josey dominated the glass on both ends of the floor, collecting 11 boards and nine points in the first half.

Nansemond River hung in the game and was down just 28-27 at the half despite shooting 1-for-8 from three-point range, giving away eight turnovers, and having no one except Josey with more than four points in the opening half.

The Warriors got off to a good start in the second half, as a Josey basket in the lane gave the Warriors a 29-28 lead 16 seconds in.

The Braves quickly countered as Steven Kelly hit back-to-back threes from the left corner, Kelly went on to lead the Braves with 19 points, and hitting all four of Indian River’s three pointers on the night.

After Vaughn Wilson answered with trey of his own, pulling the Warriors to within two at 34-32, the home team caught fire, and Warriors had no way to stop them.

With their home crowd growing louder with every step of the massive run, Indian River routed the Warriors for the rest of the third period.

Scoring both inside and outside, and both in half court and in transition, the Braves opened up a 52-34 lead by the end of the third period.

Indian River spread the floor in the fourth quarter, holding the ball and running the clock to fine effect. The Warriors scored on a Josey rebound and put back to cut the lead to 59-48 with 1:48 to go. The Braves kept possession for the next minute, finishing off any chance of a last ditch Warrior rally.

Josey finished with 24 points and 19 rebounds; unfortunately he was the only consistent threat for the Warriors.

Wilson was the next highest scorer with eight points.

Nansemond River (9-6, 6-3) will seek to regain their form with back-to-back home games coming up Friday versus Oscar Smith and Saturday against King’s Fork.