Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

It was a tale of two halves Friday as the Nansemond River Warriors squandered a 15-point lead and fell to the Western Branch Bruins 76-66 in an overtime classic at home Friday.

Coming into the game, Warrior head coach Ed Young said he was concerned about the matchup without junior starter Izzy Lewis, who was sidelined with an injury. However, in the first half, you would not know the absence of Lewis was a concern as the Warriors jumped out to a 35-29 halftime lead.

Bruins senior Ellis Wright led all scorers with 31 points, and Victor Parsons dropped 16 in the Bruins victory.

Headed into the half, the Warriors had all the momentum fueled by the inspired play of senior Haven Nicholas, who fired up the raucous crowd with a thunderous dunk late in the second period. Nicholas finished the game with 13 points.

Young credited Western Branch for their tenacity and ability to remain focused as the Warriors built a 15-point lead and appeared to be in complete control.

“I credit them for tenacity,” Young said after the game. “Two tough kids, Ellis Wright and Victor Parsons, those kids really hurt us. So, basically, we had two kids beat us.”

To start the final period, the Warriors held a 12-point advantage. That is when the Bruins ramped up its press defense, which proved difficult for the Warriors to break.

Nansemond River managed to stay poised enough to force an overtime period. However, they failed to hit a single shot from the field, scoring only one point from the free throw stripe.

“Second half we got tentative,” Young said. “It was like we played not to lose, and you can’t win like that. I credit Western brands a lot for sticking sticking to it.”

Young said the loss was a tough one to take, but along with the mistakes on the court, he looked at himself, wondering what he could have done better.

“I instantly look myself in the mirror and say, what did you do wrong,” Young said. “It’s bothersome because I’m going to run myself through the drain thinking you had a 15-point lead. When the lead starts going down, did you call timeout, I think I did. Did you switch defense? Did you go to a different person? I think we did. And I’m thinking to myself, I have to go back and replay that game, watch that game myself. Because we shouldn’t have lost a 15-point lead. I just never had a team lose a 15-point lead ever.”

The Warriors fall to 8-3 (2-1) on the season and hit the road to take on Great Bridge on Tuesday, Jan. 16.