Amherst boys win thriller, clinch top seed in Region III, Division 4

Amherst’s boys basketball team overcame a 10-point halftime deficit before beating Heritage 54-53 in a Seminole District clash Friday night at home, clinching the top seed and home-court advantage in the newly split Region III, Division 4, playoffs.

“It was a real thriller,” Lancers coach Eddie Carter said.

The Lancers (10-7, 7-4 Seminole) tied the game on a dunk by Anthony Rose, off one of Mario Vaughn’s five assists.

“ I think he’s getting his basketball legs back,” Carter said of Rose, Amherst’s quarterback in football. “I like seeing that. It gets everybody excited and gets us going.”

Moments later, the Lancers took the lead for good on a free throw by Jordan McCray with 18 seconds left in regulation.

Heritage never got a potentially winning shot off as Amherst’s Sage Mays made a nice defensive play, creating a loose ball that the Pioneers finally came up with as time expired.

Heritage (7-13, 3-8), playing without Tevan Crews who suffered a broken nose in a loss to Brookville on Wednesday, got a game-high 22 points from Sylvon Jones and 17 from Omar Pannell.

“(They) put on quite a show,” Carter said. “We couldn’t stop them.”

McCray led the Lancers with 19 points and Phil Bowling contributed 11 points and nine rebounds.

LCA 59, Lord Botetourt 51

In the opening game of the one-night, eight-team Member One Classic hosted by Franklin County, Liberty Christian Academy led by 14 at the half en route to the win over the second-best team in the Blue Ridge District.

Lord Botetourt tied it up early in the fourth quarter before the Bulldogs (13-6) sealed the victory at the foul line. Gorgi Branov, who matched the Cavaliers’ Hunter Foley for game-high scoring honors with 22 points, shot 9-for-9 for the game including 8-for-8 in the fourth, when LCA shot 12-for-13 as a team.

“We hit our free throws down the stretch,” LCA assistant coach Marty Chandler said. “That was the difference.”

Rick Alderman added 20 points for LB and Vik Jankov (11) and Brandon Elrod (10) each reached double figures for the Bulldogs, who were making their second consecutive appearance in the Classic. Franklin County hosted Blacksburg in the second came and Blue Ridge, the top team in the Virginia Independent Conference which LCA is a member of, challenged nationally ranked Oak Hill Academy in the night cap.

Girls basketball

Chatham 41, William Campbell 40

Erin Ricketts knocked down an open 3-pointer with 30 seconds left to give Chatham a Dogwood District win over William Campbell, which was hosting its first game of the New Year on Friday night after water damage over the holidays left their floor unplayable.

The Generals (4-15, 2-7) missed an open jumper with 4.8 seconds left. The Cavaliers (7-11, 5-5) were 4 for 8 from the free throw line and made two open 3s in the closing minutes.