By Brennan Waldorf
No lead is safe when it comes to the Eastern Shores boys’ basketball games. The Nandua Warriors traveled to Eastville last Friday for a “Pack the House” game that was a thriller all the way to the finish. For the second time in a row, the Warriors pushed a district opponent to the brink forcing another overtime game on the Jackets home court.
The first quarter of the game was the cleanest quarter of the entire game with minimal fouls on both teams.
The Warriors were first on the board with a pass in the lane from Jason Blake to Gerald Pitt. Senior guard Vonte Coston, who celebrated his 1,000 point before the tip off, went right back to work for the Jackets burying a 3-pointer for the teams first lead. Northampton built a 5-point lead in the beginning of the quarter but Nanduas’ defense generated turnovers that kept the score close. The Jackets pulled away at the end when Jeremiah Major assisted Brayden Washington on a 3-point attempt. Northamptons’ defense forced a steal and an outlet pass to Coston resulted in a hard contested layup. Gerald Pitt led the Warriors with 6 points in the first and the Jackets ended with a comfortable 19-13 lead.
The second quarter saw a more pressed defense from both teams and fouls started to increase. Nanduas’ Pitt went coast-to-coast to start the quarter followed by a Warrior steal and floater by Pitt cutting the Jackets lead to 2. The Jackets then forced a turnover of their own that resulted in Keshawn Robinson-Taylor hitting a difficult reverse lay-up, igniting his team as they began to pull away. The Jackets defense was stingy and played physically putting the Warriors at the charity stripe often. Nandua struggled at the line hitting only 33% of their shots which put them down at the half 37-25.
Nandua came out of the half down but quickly made ground opening the quarter with a 3-point shot by AhkTavius Harmon. Harmon then stepped up on defense and recorded back to back steals that turned into transition buckets for the senior. With 3:10 remaining, Nandua was back in the game with the score locked at 39. The Jackets responded with a couple jump shots by Braden Justice followed by a Coston 3- pointer and the game shifted momentarily with Northampton ahead. Gerald Pitt then responded with some circus like layups that put defenders in bad positions and Pitt at the line. The quarter ended with the Jackets ahead 51-50.
The final quarter saw both teams go back and fourth with Northampton still maintaining its lead. The game began to intensify as the quarter dwindled down. Vonte Coston hit a floater in the lane with 1:43 remaining giving the Jackets a two possession lead, but Nanduas’ Summerville answered with a hard layup resulting in a foul and the senior tying the game at 70. The next possession Nanduas’ Zykeese Davis set his feet and took a charge resulting in Jeremiah Major fouling out. One play later, Summerville was fouled at mid court and sent to the line. His two foul shots plus a foul shot by Davis put the Warriors up 73-70 with 14 seconds left. Northampton then called a time out and drew a play that resulted in freshman Braden Justice nailing a long three and ultimately sending the game into overtime.
Overtime continued with tight play, but it was Northampton that pulled away in the final seconds. Braden Justice and Vonte Coston were the overtime heroes for the Jackets combing for 14 of the 17 points scored. With 12 seconds remaining and a one-point lead, Northampton called a timeout. Their next possession ended with a put back basket by Erionte Harmon on a broken play ending the game, despite the Warriors balanced attack.
The Jackets ended the game with three players fouled out and 21 total fouls. Despite the foul trouble they had four players in double digits. Vonte Coston ended the game with 27 points and 5 rebounds. Freshman Braden Justice who was clutch in the final moments of the game, ended with 20 points and 8 rebounds. Keyshawn Taylor-Robinson finished with 10 points and 8 rebounds. Ahmad Scarborough finished with a double-double leading in rebounding with 10 while also netting 10 points.
Nandua’s Gerald Pitt was the games point leader totaling 38. AhkTavius Harmon recorded 16 points, Jaquan Jones added 15, and Tremere Summerville ended with 13.
