James River boys win in quarterfinal playoff game

It all looked so easy…until it wasn’t.

Of course, Coach Jonathan Parker-Smith’s guys from James River knew that defeating William Fleming (Roanoke) in the Region 5C quarterfinal would not be a cakewalk.

That said, their blast-from-the-gate 8-0 lead in the first 1:53 on the strength of 3-point strikes by Will Crisafi and Nolan Anthony, followed by Bodi Corley’s rim-rattling dunk in transition off a Jayden Nichols dime had the look of a blowout in the making.

And, sure, the Rapids’ 64-47 home victory in the Chuck Collins Gymnasium appears decisive enough, but truth be told, they earned it not with ease but with solid execution against the Colonels’ in-your-face, full court man-to-man pressure and their own dominance in the paint, sharpshooting from the perimeter, and defensive intensity plus a heavy dose of will and desire.

“Coming into the game, I knew it would be oil vs. water,” said Parker-Smith. “We don’t mix. Our styles of play are different. We’re big. They’re small and quick.

“I knew if we could hold them to a low-scoring game, we had a chance to really get after them, and we did. Our (1-3-1) zone was really effective. Our guys executed the game plan to a T. This is a big win for our program.”

After Fleming coach Christian Kirchman called time at 6:07 to stop the Rapids’ momentum, Zay Calloway hit two 3-pointers to get the Colonels back in the game.

Then, two more strikes by Anthony from behind the arc to the roar of the boisterous and passionate home crowd sparked the Rapids (17-3) to an 18-12 lead after a quarter.

“My teammates found me. Appreciate them,” said Anthony, a 6-6 junior who finished with four of the Rapids’ 10 treys and 17 points. “We had a game plan. We found the open guy and knocked down shots.

“We knew we had to stay in the game. We knew we’d have a solid lead throughout the game. We had to keep our heads if the game was close.”

Which it was from time to time, at least.

Though the Colonels, whose tallest starter is 6-2, found the paint inaccessible because of the looming presence of Corley (15 points) and Anthony Creecy, both 6-8, they refused to go quietly. 

Jason Moore’s three-point play 13 seconds into the second period cut their deficit to 20-15, and three forced turnovers gave them hope, but the Rapids closed with a 13-3 run highlighted by two more 3-pointers by Crisafi (11 points) to take a 33-18 lead into halftime.

The relentless back-and-forth punctuated by defensive intensity and scrums aplenty continued through the third quarter, and with two minutes remaining, Sterling Tate hit 1-of-2 from the line enabling Fleming (16-8) to close to single digits (40-31).

The Rapids then struck with three 3-pointers (by Corley, Sam Grant, and Anthony) to head into the fourth up 49-35.

Then, as the action became even more intense, the Rapids refused to buckle in the face of the press and finished with an 8-2 run to earn a home date against Highland Springs on Tuesday in the 5C semifinals.

The combination of defenders, shooters, and height makes the Rapids a formidable opponent.

Adding to the mix is Nichols, a fearless 5-6 senior point guard whose responsibility it was to navigate the Colonels’ press, ignite the Rapids’ offense, and distribute the ball to his shooters.

“My job is to run the sets and be a mini coach out there,” he said. “I just make sure everybody is involved in the offense and the defense too.”

How does Nichols (12 points) handle the pressure, not just with a defender playing up-close-and-personal but in his head as well with his team’s hopes and dreams relying on his leadership and basketball acumen?

“Just being patient,” he said. “Just making sure everything’s slowed down and under control.”

The Rapids hit 20-of-41 shots including 10-for-22 from behind the arc, outrebounded Fleming 34-25, and forced 11 turnovers. The Colonels shot 18-for-49 and harried JR into 15 turnovers.

“I love this group,” said Parker-Smith. “They play so hard and commit to each other. I told them this week that the most selfless, connected team is going to win this time of year. 

“These kids have bought into exactly what I’ve asked them to. They love each other. You can tell that on the floor.”