PM Boys Hold Off Wildcats

Big Blues Lead Mostly Evaporates In Fourth Quarter

The Parry McCluer High School boys basketball team fended off a comeback by rival Rockbridge County once again to complete a season sweep in the series, winning 48-43 in Buena Vista.

It was the fourth consecutive win for the Fighting Blues (6-3) over the Wildcats (1-10). PM, which also swept the season series last year, fended off RC 72-68 eight days earlier in Lexington.

Braedyn Houck led the Blues with 16 points, while Noah Hamm led the Wildcats with 14 points.

Sam Ballstaedt sank a 3-pointer for the Wildcats to start the game, but the Blues quickly took the lead behind 3-pointers from Langston Cook and Quentin Rosser, giving PM an 8-6 advantage. RC p ulled a head 14-10 b ehind scoring from Hamm, but that lead was cut by another Rosser 3-pointer, and the first quarter ended with RC leading 14-13.

After the Blues led briefly to start the second quarter, Luke Eversole drained a three pointer to tie the score at 1717. PM then went on a 13-2 tear to build a 30-19 cushion by halftime.

At the start of the second half, Cook exited the game with a rolled ankle and did not return. After three minutes of scoreless basketball, PM broke the deadlock to tack on six points. Houck scored the Blues’ final points of the quarter, and PM led 40-23 at going into the fourth quarter.

Praising Houck, who scored 12 points in the second half, PM head coach Tyler Kerr said, “Braedyn Houck really stepped up tonight when Langston went down. Quentin Rosser really stepped up tonight too with handling the ball with Langston out, and I thought he played good defense marking [Noah] Hamm tonight.”

RC started its fourth-quarter comeback with Hamm driving to the basket and making a three-point play. Hamm continued his scoring run with a layup, a free throw from a technical foul, and a shot in the paint. Ziegler hit his only 3-pointer to cut PM’s lead to 44-36. In the final minute, the Wildcats cut PM’s lead to 4441.

The Wildcats were forced to foul with time ticking down and the Blues holding possession. Houck was sent to the foul line three times and went 4-of-6 to close the game for PM. The Wildcats came up short, despite outscoring the Blues 20-8 in the fourth quarter.

It was an intense game in a raucous gym, with three technical fouls called, on Hamm and Camden for RC and on Peyton Montgomery for PM.

Highlighting Hamm’s performance, RC head coach Rob Winfield said, “Noah gets really up for this game. He played really well.” Winfield also commended Eversole and Ethen Camden for their defensive efforts.

Other than Houck, PM’s leading scores were Cook and Rosser with nine points each. Ziegler scored seven points for RC, and Eversole, Clement and Brayden Camden each chipped in four points.