Petersburg boys pull away from Hayfield

Nationally-ranked Petersburg is in the semifinals of the Virginia High School League Group AAA tournament for the second year in a row because of its talent.

Hayfield, the Northern Region runner-up, challenged the Wave with a scrappy, quick-hands defense last night in a state quarterfinal at the Siegel Center.

The Hawks forced the Wave into 21 turnovers and drew six offensive fouls, but the Hawks shot just 37 percent.

Petersburg found some patience, shot 70 percent from the floor in the second half (thanks to five dunks) and defeated Hayfield 59-48.

The Wave (30-0) will play the winner of the George Washington-Danville-King's Fork game Wednesday at 9 p.m. at the Siegel Center.

"This was a hard-fought game. In the first round of the state tournament, everybody brings their 'A' game," Petersburg coach Bill Lawson III said. "I don't think we brought our 'A' game. Hayfield was physical and athletic, and they played very well tonight."

The Wave rushed their shots and tried to force the ball inside to Cadarian Raines in the first half. Raines scored just one field goal, a stickback with 24 seconds left before halftime.

Hayfield (21-8) led by a point after the first eight minutes, but the Hawks didn't score their first points in the second quarter until 4:05 remained.

Usually a good-shooting team, the Hawks were 1 of 12 from 3-point land. With the outside shots missing, they drove against the taller Wave with some success.

Petersburg took the lead on a steal and dunk by Chris Evans and used 3-pointers by Evans, Tyre Desmore and Drejon Scott to go into the break up 26-23.

"They ran their stall offense to score and got some easy baskets," Lawson said. "We didn't do a good job on the boards and gave them too many second chances."

The Wave eventually won the battle of the boards with all three of their big men -- Raines (6-9), Du-Vaughn Maxwell (6-6) and Evans (6-6) -- in the lineup at the same time.

"We had Cadarian and Maxwell on the block and Chris up top," Lawson said. "It's hard to guard all three."

The Wave took the lead for good on a dunk by Raines that began an 8-0 run at the outset of the third quarter.

The defining play came early in the fourth quarter after Petersburg was called for its fifth offensive foul.

Off a missed Hayfield shot, Petersburg took off in transition. Evans passed to Maxwell, who was moving right to left on the baseline. Maxwell received the pass and in one motion flipped the ball over his head to Raines for the jam. The crowd estimated at 5,200 loved it.

"Coming off the bench, I bring the energy. I go out and play hard," Maxwell said.

Raines dunked on the next possession, and after another offensive foul, Raines assisted on a dunk by Evans. That gave the Wave a 49-40 lead.

Maxwell and Evans finished with 13 points each. Raines had 12. Evans and Maxwell had seven rebounds apiece, and Raines contributed three blocks.

Chad Canady paced Hayfield with 11 points. Laurent Newsome added 10.

"I think we played a lot better than people thought we were going to play," Hayfield guard T.J. Wilson said. "Petersburg came in thinking they were going to blow us out, and the game was going to be a dunkfest. In the fourth quarter we kind of broke down and left the game plan."

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

HAYFIELD (21-8)

Winbush 2, Wilson 8, Rigans 4, Newsome 10, Canady 11, Gibson 9, Renner 0, King 4, Tate 0. Totals 22 3-6 48.
PETERSBURG (30-0)

Desmore 8, Moore 4, Evans 13, Scott 7, Raines 12, K. Green 2, D. Maxwell 13, E. Maxwell 0, Hoosier 0, Spain 0. Totals 23 10-15 59.
Hayfield ------------------------- 13 10 15 10 -- 48
Petersburg ------------------------- 12 14 17 16 -- 59

3-point goals: H -- Canady. P -- Desmore, Evans, Scott.