TJ tops Armstrong in winner-take-all boys basketball game

Nothing — I repeat, nothing — could stay Maurice Jefferson and the Thomas Jefferson Vikings from their date with destiny.

Not the best efforts of the scrappy, resilient Armstrong Wildcats, whose inspired second-half comeback changed a potential blowout into an honest-to-goodness thriller.

Not the winner-take-all nature of this matchup between two City of Richmond rivals who have competed against one another since time immemorial. 

Not even the box-and-one with which Coach Darryl Watts’s guys shrouded the 5-7 senior guard in the Region 2A semifinal contested Thursday night in the Leroy “Bo” Jones Sr. Gymnasium at Huguenot High School.

When the final horn sounded and the frenetic, emotion-charged action came to a close, Teejay celebrated a 78-72 triumph paid for with sweat equity, and the Wildcats (15-8) repaired to their locker room for a few parting thoughts before boarding their bus for the quiet ride home.

By virtue of their victory, the Vikings (17-4) earned a spot in the regional championship game Friday at Greensville County (Emporia) as well as a berth in the quarterfinal round of the state tournament Tuesday.

“We’ve been waiting a long time for this,” said Teejay coach Kendrick Warren. “This is a really big win for the (school) community.”

Jefferson opened on fire and propelled the Vikings to a 22-17 first-quarter lead which they extended to 49-36 at the half.

He hit two of his six 3-pointers enroute to a 10-point first quarter, then lit up the Wildcats for 17 more in the second.

His 27 points before the break equaled his career-high scoring output.

He finished with 40.

“Mainly, my teammates trusted me to shoot the ball,” Jefferson said. “Isaiah Harris, Tyion Thomas, Justin Calloway, Anthony Rosser got me the ball. Easy as that. That’s pretty much it.”

The task became more difficult after the break when the Wildcats scrapped their 2-3 zone, returned in a box-and-one, and alternated three different defenders on him.

He scored just two points in the third quarter and added 11 more in the fourth.

How did he create offensive opportunities despite the Wildcats’ resolve to shut him down?

“I’m a dog,” Jefferson said. “Simple as that. I’m a dog.” 

As he attempted, futilely at times, to find an opening, he knew, he said, that his teammates would ultimately win the 4-on-4 contest going on in the same front court.

“I trust all my guys with the ball,” Jefferson said. “We all can score.”

The Wildcats opened the second half with a sense of urgency, which translated into a 12-0 run in the first five minutes.

Anthony Hansom (20 points) sparked the rally with a putback from the paint amidst flailing arms, and K’Quinntel Jarrell followed on the next possession with a jumper from the foul line. 

By the time the Vikings called time to stop the onslaught and compose themselves, Jarrell scored again off an offensive rebound, Ja’Lyn Brown and Keyvon McCloud (13 points) scored from close range, and Hansom hit 2-of-2 from the foul line.

Thomas drove baseline and hit a layup to give Teejay a 51-48 lead, and at 2:08, McCloud struck from behind the arc along the left baseline to pull Armstrong even at 51.

“We were a little bit too comfortable coming out of the half,” said Teejay’s Isaiah Harris, a 6-2 senior guard. “As the game progressed, we knew we had to lock back in. We had some guys step up and help us close out the game.”

With advancing further into the postseason the spoils of victory, the Vikings and Wildcats closed the penultimate period tied 57-57, which meant that their hopes and dreams would be realized or dashed in eight minutes of play.

Whenever one gained a slight edge, the other responded.

The score changed hands five times. Five other times, it was tied.

At 1:25, Rosser scored from inside off a Harris assist for a 72-70 Teejay lead. 

Armstrong’s Tymonte Jefferson’s bucket at 1:15 enabled the Wildcats to pull even.

As the action swirled and the crowd became louder, Teejay’s Jefferson broke free, headed for the bucket, drew a foul, and converted both shots to put the Vikings up 74-72.

After the Teejay defense forced a turnover, the Wildcats were forced to foul.

In the final 16 seconds, Jefferson hit 3-of-4 and Calloway 1-of-2 to hold Armstrong at bay.

Teejay shot 28-for-55 from the field and Armstrong 29-for-58. Each team collected 31 rebounds and surrendered 14 turnovers.

While the Vikings prepare for their next step, the Wildcats will now pack away their gear and, once the disappointment of the moment passes, reflect on the positives of their season.

“We’ve been down since the pandemic,” Watts said, referencing the program’s struggles over the past five seasons. “This year, we’ve built something.

“We have primarily football players, and we got off to a late start (because of the team’s foray deep into the post-season). They were learning on the fly. They were receptive and learned from mistakes. That’s a tribute to them. 

“Disappointment is a part of the game. Nelson Mandela once said, ‘I never lose. I either win or I learn.’ Our upperclassmen can take these lessons for when they go out into the real world. For out underclassmen, it’s an opportunity to learn for not if, but when we’re in this position again.”