.jpg)
Led by Noah Hamm’s career-high 25 points, the Rockbridge County High School boys basketball team earned its first win of the season on Friday, defeating Valley District rival East Rockingham 79-75 at home in Lexington.
The Wildcats (1-5 overall, 1-1 district), coming off a 65-63 road loss to Broadway in the district opener three days earlier, learned how to win a close game after dropping several close games this season. A week earlier, the Wildcats had suffered a 61-53 road loss to Alleghany.
“We had been playing well; we just didn’t get a win,” said RC head coach Rob Winfield. “It’s nice to win on your home court. You make a couple more shots, and role players tend to play better at home.”
In his breakout offensive performance, Hamm, a junior guard in his first season of playing varsity basketball, had the deep ball working, as he sank five 3-pointers. Winfield had nothing but positive things to say about Hamm’s performance the last few games.
“Noah Hamm is a heck of a player,” said Winfield. “He’s been playing his tail off all year. He’s been taking good shots, just hasn’t been making them. But tonight, when you take good shots and you work hard in practice, you make good shots.”
Henry Lambert attracted significant attention from ER’s defense from the start of the game, as the Eagles (4-3, 1-1) held him to 16 points, with one 3-pointer. Winfield was proud of the way his team stepped up as a result.
Winfield said the Eagles “did a heck of a job on Henry. They basically, from the minute that game started, just face guarded him, taking stuff away … and when they do that, other guys have to step up and make shots.”
Also stepping up for the Wildcats was Milo Mulitalo, scoring 21 points, while Sam Ballstaedt scored 10 points.
In a back-and-forth first half, the Wildcats were shooting early and often. The two teams traded runs, but it was the Eagles’ late first-half push that saw them with the lead late in the half.
The game remained tight throughout the third quarter, and the Wildcats entered the final quarter with a 51-49 lead. ER’s Kain Shifflett gave the Wildcats trouble all night, leading all scorers with 27 points. Also stepping up for the Eagles were Camden Clem with 17 points and Dean Robinson with 15.
Commenting on the Wildcats’ shot selection, Winfield said, “I thought early on in the first quarter when it was close, we took some bad ones, and they made that run going into halftime. We took some quick ones, not necessarily bad ones, but quick shots. I think we settled down in the second half and started to get the kind of shots we want to get.”
Winfield said he is seeing improvement in his team each time they step out onto the floor. “Guys get better by playing games, and they’re getting better game in and game out,” he said. The confidence is getting better, the practices are getting better, and those are the keys. We’ve got to have good practices and good games, and the wins will follow.”
BHS 65, RC 63
Broadway held off a strong push from RC to deal the visiting Wildcats a 65-63 loss in the district opener on Tuesday of last week.
The Gobblers, who ended the week at 6-2 overall and 1-1 in the district following a 55-38 road loss to defending Valley District champion Spotswood, got a career-high 20 points from Victor Diaz-Hernandez, while Jet Gonzales added 16 points.
The game was tied in the closing seconds, but Broadway made a layup at the buzzer. Winfield said the Gobblers “made a nice little play” to earn the win.
Mulitalo led the Wildcats with a season- high 23 points and 17 rebounds., while Lambert added 20 points. Ballstaedt chipped in 12 points on four 3-pointers.
The Wildcats were scheduled to play at Harrisonburg last night and will travel to Roanoke for a tournament at Hidden Valley High School on Thursday and Friday.
After Christmas, the Wildcats will play host to rival Parry McCluer next Wednesday, Dec. 27, at 5:30 p.m., following the 4 p.m. girls’ varsity game between the two schools and the junior varsity games that start with the girls’ JV game at 1 p.m.
