PALMYRA — It remained to be seen how the weather imposed break would impact Fluvanna County. The Flucos went into the break riding high after beating Charlottesville, and they were able to get right back to business, looking poised and confident as they held serve at home against William Monroe in the Jefferson District quartefinals, 68-59.
“I thought we played a lot better early in the game than I thought we would — after what — a month off or so,” said Fluvanna coach Monroe Rateau. “We had our district meeting today at Monticello and I walked in and the calender said ‘Today is January 29th.’”
It didn’t look like basketball went on sabbatical. Behind YaYa Anderson and Cameron Coles, the Flucos got out to a hot start and was able to take a double-digit lead in a stretch between the first and second quarters. From there, Fluvanna was able to keep Monroe at distance going into the half.
“Once we started to rebound late in the first quarter and early in the second, that’s when we were able to stretch (the lead) our a little bit,” Rateau said. “It was a great effort by our kids and a hard fought game. And I thought Zach Miller shot the lights out.”
Monroe came out in the third quarter looking to put together a run to cut into the Fluvanna lead, but every time it appeared the Greene Dragons were getting hot, Miller would hit a 3-pointer to squash the notion.
“It seemed like every time we’d get a bit of momentum Miller would come up and hit a big jump shot,” said Monroe coach Mike Maynard. “Coach Rateau had his team ready to play tonight, they played well all game. I thought we played well in stretches.”
Maynard’s team’s defense zeroed in on Anderson and Coles, but Miller, D.J. Burton and Damien Harris were able to step up offensively and push the Flucos out by as many as 19 in the 3rd quarter.
Desmon Shaver, Markel Faulkner and Markees Towles helped Monroe battle back to within eight points of the lead by the midway point of the fourth quarter. However, with time the enemy, Monroe was forced to foul, and although the Dragons were able to bring Fluvanna’s offense to a halt, they were unable to capitalize on their own offensive end, particularly underneath the basket, nor did they take advantage of the foul differential.
“We did not finish,” Maynard said. “We did not finish at the rim and we were just horrible at the free throw line.”
Shaver led all scorers and rebounders with 24 points and 10 boards. Faulkner contributed 17 points and nine rebounds. Towles had 10 points.
It was a balanced night for the Flucos. Anderson led Fluvanna with his 18-point game. Miller hit four 3-pointers and finished with 15 points.
“We drew a play for me in the beginning of the second half and I hit the shot and got some confidence,” Miller said of his scoring run in the third quarter. “It was about confidence. The shots kept going in so I kept shooting.”
Coles put up eight points and seven rebounds. And Harris, Burton and Bertram Zeek gave the Flucos six players with atleast six points.
Fluvanna will advance to play Western Albemarle on Wednesday at 6 p.m in the JD semifinals at Monticello.
Monroe ends its season.
