A season that was historic for unpleasant reasons came to an end for Nansemond River High School’s boys’ basketball team on Friday in the first round of the Ironclad Conference tournament at King’s Fork High School.

No. 3 Phoebus High School defeated the No. 6 Warriors 81-67, giving them a final 2014-15 overall record of 9-14.

“From what I’m being told and what I understand, it’s the first losing season in Nansemond River history,” Warriors coach Ed Young said.

He said it is only the third time in his 25 years of coaching that he has had a team that did not win at least 10 games.

Young noted 9-14 is not terrible for some programs, but given the success to which Nansemond River is accustomed, “it felt like we got one win.”

There was anticipation that this could be an unprecedented down year for the Warriors after graduating eight players last June and seeing expected returning stars, Scott Spencer and Kevin Davis, transfer to other schools.

But actually experiencing an inaugural losing season was nonetheless disappointing.

“We’re going to use that as motivation for next year that this cannot happen again,” Young said.

He liked how the Warriors started out on Friday, executing the game plan well. They had given up 32 points to Phantoms junior Robert Smith in an 80-54 road loss on Monday and were employing a defense designed to help limit him on Friday.

But by the middle of the second quarter, Nansemond River broke down against Phoebus’ pressure, the Phantoms turned Warrior turnovers into points and Smith started getting into the paint.

“When he gets in the lane, you can pretty much forget it,” Young said.

Smith shot 14-of-19 from the floor and finished with 38 points, which Young said is the second-most points Nansemond River has given up to a player in his 11 years as coach.

“They killed us on the glass,” Young said, noting Phoebus benefited from a 44-22 rebounding advantage.

He was pleased with his team, though, for making things interesting in the fourth quarter, twice narrowing the Phantoms’ lead to six points.

As he has been all season, Warriors junior Josh Covington was his team’s most consistent offensive threat. He contributed a career-best 30 points to Nansemond River’s effort before fouling out with 3:25 remaining in the game.

“He just was worn out after the game, him and Aaron Parker,” Young said.

The coach praised Parker, a senior, for his defensive performance. Young said Parker was tired, but refused to come out of the game, insisting he would rest during free throws.

“He was determined to try to do something about the outcome of the game,” Young said, adding that Parker also contributed 10 points.

Young noted that Nansemond River senior Matt Allmond has not been playing very well lately and came off the bench on Friday, but still made an important contribution with 10 points.

Sophomore Nate Foster started in Allmond’s place, and Young said it gave Foster a preview of next season, when much will be expected of him.

The Warriors finished 1-9 in the Ironclad Conference during the regular season. They will move to a new conference next season when the school moves up to the Group 5A classification.