Nelson County drops Altavista
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Andy Bitter / Lynchburg News & Advance
Published: February 28, 2008
His mom gave him a big kiss. His dad gave him a hug that nearly broke his back. Most of the faces he recognized. Some he didn't.
"It was the whole county," said Brown, who scored 20 points as the Governors beat Altavista 59-48 in the Region B, Division 1 semifinals. "Some of the people I didn't even know. I'd be like, 'All right, thank you. I'll see you Saturday.'"
That's when the 26-1 Governors will try to continue breaking new ground, playing Page County at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg at 11 a.m. for the region title.
"It feels great," said second-year coach Brandon Garrett, who does not think the Governors have won a region game in their history prior to this season. "It's somewhere Nelson County's never been before. It's a new experience for these guys."
Nelson County, the top-ranked school in Group A, got 19 points from Chris Jones and 13 from T.J. Martin to get past its Dogwood District brethren for the fourth time in five tries this season.
Like all five of the teams' meetings, this one was close. Altavista (21-6) had a golden opportunity before the half, when Brown, the two-time Dogwood player of the year, picked up his third foul, reaching over the back after coming up short on a jumper. He went to the bench with 2:49 left and the Governors leading 18-15.
The Colonels made two free throws and got a layup from Trevor Hall to take a one-point lead but still didn't feel like they took full advantage.
The Governors committed three turnovers in the final three minutes but composed themselves just before the half. Jones hit a bank shot in the lane with eight seconds remaining to send Nelson into the locker room with a 20-19 lead.
"The other guys didn't look down and say, 'Dang, Thomas isn't out there,'" Brown said. "They stepped up and scored. They never gave up and kept playing real hard."
Brown started the second half and kept himself under control. A slasher, the senior weaved through Altavista's defense, but instead of risking an offensive foul by going to the rim, he dumped off passes to open teammates when the Colonels collapsed defensively. Jones, who Garrett described as a "bulldog," repeatedly darted in from the wing for open layups.
"(Brown is) going to take what you give him, and when we run at him, he's going to find open people," Altavista coach Mike Cartolaro said. "And they've got finishers."
The Governors opened the third quarter with a 17-6 run, taking a 37-25 lead when T.J. Martin drained a 3 with under a minute to play.
Altavista got as close as five in the fourth, pulling within 45-40 with 4:42 left on a four-point play by Hall, who led the Colonels with 13 points, and staying within five down to the final minute.
But the Governors, familiar with how Altavista planned to trap them late in the game from their earlier meetings, were able to effectively pass out of trouble throughout the fourth. Nelson County committed just one turnover in the final quarter and made its final six free throws to put the game away.
"Really, that's how it's been in every game," Cartolaro said. "They made plays and we were not able to answer."
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