Fluvanna County’s YaYa Anderson glanced up at the score just as the final buzzer sounded in Fluvanna’s 82-75 Group AA, Division 3 quarterfinal victory over Culpeper and smiled, ever so slightly.
How could he not? The Flucos had a victory and a trip to the state semifinals locked up, and next to Anderson’s name in the scoring column below on the JMU Convocation Center scoreboard? Forty-seven points, good for a new single game Group AA tournament record and tied for the all-classification mark.
“It really wasn’t me (that noticed or kept track of his outburst), it was my teammates on the bench — every time they were like ‘yo, you have 47, you have 47’,” Anderson said. “But I just knew we had to go out there and play even harder. I just went out there and played defense and did everything my coach told me to do.”
Anderson’s electric night, coupled with an incredible second half effort from his teammates on the defensive end lifted Fluvanna past a taller Culpeper squad. The Blue Devils actually led by 11 at the break and Fluvanna appeared to be in deep trouble as Culpeper’s perimeter shooting dominated the first half. But an 11-0 run kickstarted by transition baskets from Jamal Tolliver and Josh Hinkle evened the game and gave Fluvanna a chance.
“We missed some easy shots in the beginning of the game which kind of spread the score out,” said Fluvanna coach Munro Rateau. “But I thought we did a better job in our zone offense (in the third quarter) and got out and ran.”
As Anderson continued to pour it on, late in the third, Josh Majors started to answer him, scoring on a slew of drives into the lane and piled up 11 fourth quarter points. Majors, an all-Region I selection and the co-player of the year in the Battlefield District took over the Culpeper offense down the stretch.
“I think he counterpunched tonight,” said Culpeper coach James Thompson. “I don’t think he came out and wanted to supplant himself saying ‘hey, I’m one of the better players too.’ I think he waited a little too long. When it was time to flip on the switch it was a little too late.”
By the middle of the fourth, it was knotted at 66-66 and Culpeper had a chance to go up, but a turnover led to a Jordan Green runout, and then a mirror image play followed immediately after. Anderson followed with four quick points, and suddenly, Fluvanna was up by eight.
“I think that was because we got the 50-50 balls,” Rateau said. “The ball was loose out front and somebody came up with it and got it out to Jordan. It was critical for us to come up with those 50-50 balls, it changed the whole game around.”
Fluvanna held on from there, holding Culpeper at arm’s length even as the Blue Devils cut the lead to two points at 77-75. Anderson buried free throw after free throw, missing just one late, one that could’ve broken the cross-classification record.
“Missed free throw! The missed free throw, man,” Anderson said with a huge laugh after he was told he was a point short of setting a new mark. “The missed free throw!”
Drayton Shanks had 21 points for Culpeper while Nik Stewart tallied 18. Fluvanna got nine points each out of Jamal Tolliver ans Josh Hinkle, who returned to the lineup after an ankle injury in the Region II semifinals against Woodgrove.
Anderson’s performance, however, rightfully dominated the conversation during and after the game. While Anderson would prefer to spread the scoring among his teammates — he is, after all, a natural point guard that’s adept at setting the table for other players — he knows when he has to take over too. Saturday he sensed that moment and did just that. He certainly made a believer of the opposing coach.
“I had a few calls about him in the offseason, some of my colleagues or coaches I played for in college just asking about players in the area,” Thompson said. “I guess when they call again I can definitely say ‘As good as advertised.’”
That’s something the Fluvanna County faithful already knew, but they may have seen the most compelling proof Saturday afternoon.
