Amherst claims first Seminole title in 20 years

After Amherst beat E.C. Glass on Friday night 56-45 to clinch its first Seminole District regular-season boys basketball title in 20 years, Lancers coach Eddie Carter noted how difficult it has been to win at what has been predominantly a football school.

If anything, though, some of that football toughness has rubbed off on the basketball Lancers.

“Our defense is the key to our team,” said guard A.J. Richerson, who scored a game-high 18 points and hit 14 of his 17 free throws, including 11 straight to end the game. “It creates easy offense for us. That’s why we succeed. We’re a defensive-minded team.”

Defense can be a base, but there has to be some talent to turn a team into a champion. The Lancers have it in Richerson, guard Ashton Brown and forward Marcus Thomas. The 6-foot-1 Thomas grabbed 12 rebounds and showed off his defensive prowess in the fourth quarter when he came in from behind to block an easy layup attempt from 6-9 Glass center Karl Overstreet.

Carter said more Amherst students have bought into playing year-round basketball, rather than treating hoops as a segue between football season and summer football conditioning. That’s helped the Lancers build a poised, veteran team that has run through the Seminole schedule nearly unscathed.

To claim the title, though, Amherst had to survive a tough trip to Glass’ energized gym. Students from both schools packed the baseline stands, chanting side-by-side throughout the game. The energy was palpable, and both teams played with shaky nerves early. The Lancers (17-2, 10-1 Seminole) finally broke out midway through the second quarter. Glass led 20-14 after an Overstreet free throw before Brown got hot. He drained back-to-back 3-pointers and grabbed a steal that set up a fast-break basket.

Jeremy Darby capped the 10-0 run with a jumper, Amherst took a 24-23 lead, and the Lancers stayed in front the rest of the way.

Glass (9-10, 6-3) threatened in the fourth quarter, pulling within six points. Najee Culver, who led Glass with 16 points, missed a shot and Amherst rebounded. Two Glass defenders appeared to have a Lancer ballhandler trapped in the corner, but he fired a wild pass to Darby at the top of the key, and he drained the 3 to put the Lancers up 41-32 with 6:29 left.

“Big shot,” Richerson said. “We count on Darby to hit big shots, and that’s what he does.”

Glass simply didn’t hit enough shots, period, to stay in the game. The Hilltoppers missed numerous easy opportunities right near the basket, and they were woeful at the free-throw line, going just 12-for-29.

“We’ve got to make layups and free throws,” Glass coach Roy Roberson said. “It sounds very basic and elementary. But any spectator, anybody that was in the gym watching the game had to see the same thing we did. You shoot 18-for-22 [as Amherst did], which a good team does, you win. We didn’t have anybody to make them.

“We had one guy 5-for-8, one guy 4-for-10, one guy 3-for-10. That’s not good enough. It’s something we practice every day. Tonight, we couldn’t throw one in the James River.”

Carter said he warned his team that Friday’s game was going to be the toughest the Lancers would face all year. He said he was proud of his team’s toughness down the stretch.

“It’s E.C. Glass,” he said. “The place is packed. Everybody’s going to be playing hard. Whoever gives in first is going to get beat. It wasn’t going to be us.”