Visiting Hopewell hung tough with the unbeaten James Monroe girls basketball team for a half in Tuesday night’s Virginia High School League Class 3 state quarterfinal matchup, even pulling within two points midway through the second quarter.
But as it has all season, JM’s athleticism and size proved to be too tall of a challenge for its upset-minded opponent.
Kiyah Lewis scored 39 points and Daysha Salgado added 18 as the Yellow Jackets pulled away down the stretch for a 94-70 victory over the Blue Devils.
JM (24-0) will now play in the state semifinals for the first time since 2005 when it travels to Grafton (22-3) on Friday evening. The Clippers defeated Brentsville 41-29 on Tuesday night in Yorktown.
The Jackets led from start to finish against Hopewell, jumping out to a 24-16 lead after the first period. Four players tallied four points or more in the stanza, with Lewis leading the way with eight.
Lewis, who scored 30 points in a 64-34 win over Brentsville in last Thursday’s Region 3B championship game, only got stronger as the contest wore on. She had nine points in the second quarter, 10 in the third and 12 in the fourth.
“What is there not to say about Kiyah?” JM head coach Tameka Christopher said after the game. “Like I’ve said before, she isn’t afraid to step up in these big moments.”
The play of Blue Devils’ star Erin Edmonds almost certainly forced Lewis’ hand.
Edmonds poured in a game-high 40 points, connecting on six 3-pointers and just as many acrobatic layups in the process. The senior guard scored her squad’s first six points of the contest and accounted for 11 of its 16 first-period points, prompting Christopher to double-team her early in the second quarter. Edmonds calmly responded with a step-back 3 and an assist during a 9-3 run that pulled Hopewell (15-6) within 27-25 with 5:33 remaining in the first half.
“She’s a completely different beast,” Christopher said of Edmonds, who entered the evening averaging 27 points per game.
But Edmonds picked up her third foul with 3:29 to go before intermission, forcing her to the bench for much of the remainder of the half. The Jackets took advantage of her absence with a 12-3 run, resulting in a 39-28 halftime advantage.
JM led by double-figures for much of the second half, with senior forwards Lewis and Salgado combining for 34 points—many of which came from close range.
“Our post game is unstoppable,” Christopher said. “The chemistry that Kiyah and Daysha have in the post is definitely something.”
Not to be outdone, the Jackets’ starting backcourt of sophomores Melanie Johnson and Jaylah Black finished the night with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Edmonds, who’s committed to play collegiately at Division I Mount St. Mary’s (Md.) University, fought hard until the end, scoring 24 points after intermission.
Sophomore April Winfield chipped in 16 points for the Blue Devils, with 13 of those coming in the second half. No other Hopewell player scored more than six points total.
The game was halted briefly in the fourth quarter after a Hopewell player punched a JM player who taunted her after making a basket. Both players were ejected as law enforcement stopped fans from rushing the court. Coaches and administrators quickly took control of the situation and play resumed.
Having withstood Edmonds’ barrage, JM must now prepare for another star player in Grafton’s Taylor Ragland. The junior forward is averaging an eye-popping 23 points, 11 rebounds, six steals, five assists and three blocks.
Christopher seemed unfazed by the challenge of facing Ragland and the Clippers on the road with everything on the line.
“It’s just like any other game,” said Christopher, who played on the Jackets’ last Final Four team 20 years ago. “That’s what we stress to the girls: we take it one game at a time.”
Hopewell 16 12 21 21 — 70
James Monroe 24 15 24 31 — 94
Hopewell (15-6): Erin Edmonds 40, April Winfield 16, Kierra Prince 0, Keeniya Kelly 6, Dionne Morris 2, Sky Briggs 2, Jazara Frye 0, Ke’maria Banks 4. Totals: 25 12-20 70.
James Monroe (24-0): Jaylah Black 10, Melanie Johnson 12, Alexia Robinson 2, Kiyah Lewis 39, Finè Swain 1, Laila Taylor 6, Harmony Jones 6, Daysha Salgado 18. Totals: 37 17-29 94.
3-pointers: Hopewell 8 (Edmonds 6, Winfield 2). James Monroe 3 (Johnson 2, Salgado).
Boys basketball
Class 5 semifinals
Albemarle 67, Riverbend 46
The Bears’ quest for the first state championship in program history came to an end at the hands of a hot Patriots team on Tuesday evening in Charlottesville.
Makai Ragland scored 12 of his game-high 19 points in the first half to buoy Albemarle (24-3) to a 39-23 lead. Teammate Azareon Claxton took over from there, rallying 14 of his 18 points after intermission.
The Patriots have won 10 games in a row and 19 of their last 20.
Donovan Tate paced Riverbend (18-8) with 13 points in his final high school game.
“I felt like our lack of outside shooting caught up with us,” Bears head coach Nat Jackson said, referring to his squad’s two 3-pointers in the contest. “When you make it to this point in the playoffs, everybody has a few guys that can knock down open shots. We just couldn’t score enough points to have a chance.”
By contrast, Albemarle knocked down seven treys.
“That will be the next phase for our program,” Jackson added. “We have to develop more shooters.”
Jackson praised seniors Tate, Amani Gipson, Nate Tyler, Noah Jackson, JoJo Thomas and Elijah Joyner for their efforts in taking Riverbend to the first state tournament in program history, while also looking to the future.
“At the end of the day, I’m proud of our senior class for leaving a legacy, and I’m excited for the guys we have returning,” he said. “They get a chance to take the next step.”
In the Class 6 state quarterfinals, Colonial Forge’s season ended with a 75-50 loss to Oscar Smith.
Riverbend 13 10 9 14 — 46
Albemarle 23 16 9 19 — 67
Riverbend (18-8): Kaeden Hardison 0, Nate Tyler 4, Noah Jackson 5, Chris Eggleston 2, JoJo Thomas 0, Iyan Rowell 1, Trè King 9, Reid Senkus 0, Tucker Lattimore 0, Elijah Joyner 0, Amani Gipson 8, Donovan Tate 13, Jaivion Rose 4. Totals: 23 8-12 46.
Albemarle (24-3): Isaiah Harris 6, Makai Ragland 19, Azareon Claxton 18, Tristan Smith 4, Isaac McLaughlin-Raddle 0, Xzaivon Carter 2, Zevion Robinson 2, Julien Sims 0, J Kai Ragland 0, MarJaylen Jackson 13, Darius Vandross 3. Totals: 27 6-8 67.
3-pointers: Riverbend 2 (Jackson, King). Albemarle 7 (M. Ragland 2, Jackson 2, Harris, Claxton, Vandross).
