‘T’ time revitalizes Springers

The last thing the Huguenot Falcons wanted to do was put Highland Springs on the ropes on the Springers' home court, then hand them a victory.

That's just what the Falcons, No. 6 in The Times-Dispatch Top 10, did yesterday afternoon against the third-ranked Springers.

Highland Springs won 74-61 in a nondistrict game that had a Central Region tournament feel about it. The teams actually could meet again in the second round of the region tourney.

A good crowd energized by each school's pep band watched the Falcons build a 46-41 lead with 12.3 seconds remaining in the third quarter. The Springers' best player, Natwan Young, was on the bench with four fouls. The Springers weren't shooting well. On one possession, they took five jump shots and missed them all. The next possession they missed twice from inside.

The tide turned swiftly when Huguenot reserve Kent Banks, filling in for 6-6, 365-pound center Jonathan Crawley, committed a hard foul on Trey Williams. Banks compounded the situation by incurring a technical foul.

Williams sank the four free throws. Jeri Mask, scoreless at the time, drilled a 3-pointer just before the buzzer to give the Springers a 48-46 lead going into the last quarter.

Sage Reed scored the first field goal of the fourth, and Mask followed with two free throws. Crawley's field goal halted an 11-0 run, but Reed added another field goal, and Mask contributed a three-point play to make it a 16-2 run.

"After the technical, we got fired up," said Mask, who finished with 15 points, 12 in the fourth quarter. "That really sparked us."

Highland Springs led by five at the end of the first quarter and by three at halftime. Sean Brown and Crawley, who scored nine and 11 points respectively, paced the Falcons.

Huguenot played without Juan Wilson, who had returned to the lineup after missing seven games with an injury. He tweaked it in a victory over Monacan Friday night but will be back for Dominion District action next week.

"They were playing inspired ball and to another level," Springers coach George Lancaster said of the Falcons. "Not only is Jonathan Crawley one of my favorite basketball players, he's one my favorite people I've coached around. He was a monster inside."

Crawley needed a rest, though.

"We are an emotional team, and we play to our emotion," Lancaster said of the Springers' response to the technical foul.

Crawley and David Brown finished with 17 points each for the Falcons. Sean Brown added 15.

Reed paced Highland Springs with 17 points. Sophomore Kevin Judon started and scored 11 of his 13 points in the first half.

"It's hard to beat the champions when you come into this house," Huguenot coach Bo Jones Sr. said. "I felt like it would come down to the last shot. [The technical] turned things around."

Contact Arthur Utley at (804) 649-6559 or .

HUGUENOT (14-3)

Da. Brown 17, S. Brown 15, Woolridge 0, De. Brown 4, Sheppard 6, Crawford 0, Williamson 2, Burke 0, Banks 0, Crawley 17, Fairly 0. Totals 25 7-9 61.
HIGHLAND SPRINGS (16-2)

Parham 8, Hodnett 0, Young 8, Mask 15, Judon 13, T. Williams 9, Hopkins 4, Reed 17. Totals 26 20-22 74.
Huguenot ------------------------- 14 15 17 15 - 61
Highland Springs ------------------------- 19 13 16 26 - 74

3-point goals: H - Sheppard 2, Da. Brown. HS - Judon, Mask.