Cavalier’s three point shooting outpaces Eagles

Lord Botetourt HS, Daleville,VA – The Lord Botetourt Cavaliers (4-0) extended their unbeaten streak to four games Tuesday tonight in a 82-62 thumping of the visiting Blue Ridge District opponent, Franklin County Eagles (0-1). It was the Eagles first game of the season. This win followed a Monday night Botetourt win at Buena Vista knocking off Parry McCluer by a score of 78-64.

The big story on the night had to be the Cavalier’s torrid three point shooting. Burying fourteen three’s, was too much for the Eagles to keep pace with. The long distance bombs were led by Junior 15 Conner Tilley with five. The Cavs were 14/25 from behind the arch with six Cavaliers having a hand in the total. In the first three games, Lord Botetourt had started slow and then came on strong to win the games.

Botetourt Coach Andrew Hart noted that this contest was a little different, “That’s what we have been looking for. We we’re averaging forty-seven points in the second half the last three games, but we were spotting the teams in the first half. Didn’t really get it going in the first half. We really started to click last night (vs Parry McCluer). We made some shots last night. The guys came out with confidence and it spilled right over. “Botetourt’s firepower was spread out across the team. Forward’s 4 Kyle Arnholt and 15 Conner Tilley led the team with fifteen points. apiece. Guard 3 Dylan Salvi had fourteen,

while Senior Forward 11 Tanner Selkirk notched twelve.Franklin County was led by Guard 4 Kalik Witcher with thirteen, and Forward/Center 33 Eli Foutz contributed eleven.

 

First Half –
Botetourt Forward 11 Tanner Selkirk started the Cavs off with a three pointer for the home team’s first bucket. From there ‘LB’ was off and running. Tilley made three, three-pointers in that first quarter which put a lot of pressure on the Eagle’s to defend the deep ball. When you shoot eight for eleven from ‘three’, which Botetourt did, you’re going to put some distance between you and your opponent on most nights. Coach Hart had a lot of respect for the Eagles and was glad to see his team start quicker, “Every year, they are quick, they’re scrappy, they are strong. Their guards are big, a lot bigger than our guards and they have some tough guys down low. Every game is just a different challenge and this year more than any other year. You just have to ready to fire on all cylinders no matter who is across the court from you. And fortunately we made some shots early and it snowballed from there.” Eagle Guard 4 Kalik Witcher hit two “three’s” to try and keep up, but Botetourt pushed out to a 30-16 lead at the end of the first break.
The home team maintained that sixteen point lead in the second quarter. Guard 3 Dylan Salvi knocked down two-threes from the right corner as Botetourt began to move the ball around. When the Cavs find the open guy, and they knock it down, they are tough to beat. Arnholt and Selkirk drove the ball into the paint and dished it back out on several drives. Both Arnholt and Tilley had twelve points by halftime.
Franklin County Guard 10 Samir Elliott came off the bench to give the Eagles a boost with five points in the quarter, but the Cav lead was 43-27.

Second Half – Botetourt didn’t let up in the second half. Franklin County turned up their defensive pressure but the result was more shots from the free throw stripe for the Cavs. And the home team took advantage of it, going 9/11 in the third quarter alone. Guard 12 Owen Prince was 4/5 from the line. The onslaught of fouls put Eagle Guard 2 Bryce Witcher on the bench at the 5:36 mark of the quarter. Botetourt extend their lead to twenty-two at 66-44 by the end of the third. As good as Lord Botetourt has played so far, last night a few more players joined them on the sidelines.

Coach Hart, always looking to improve, will be happy to have his whole team together, even in practice,“We had a couple kids out, everyone has some kids out for a variety of reasons. We got a couple kids back. We haven’t had a full team practice yet with everybody. Then we can utilize some more guys and see some improvement. Hart’s troops moved their game inside the arc in the

final quarter, and a lot of guys who don’t play as much, got to see some extended action. Coach Hart knows that his club needs to keep improving to keep winning though, “We just have to get better on defense and other things because some nights you’re not going to shoot the ball well. It’s icing on the cake when we shoot the ball that well. That’s two straight games where we’ve made fourteen ‘threes’ , I think… you’re tough to beat. We just need to keep getting better, and understand what’s making us good , and keep getting that done.”

In this crazy season, Lord Botetourt’s next game will be this Friday at Pulaski County. The Cavs beat the Cougars last Wednesday 66-57.

Lord Botetourt– Arnholt 15pts (3-FGs, 2-3ptr, 3/4 FTs)  Tilley 9pts (5-3ptr) Salvi 14pts, (4-3ptrs, 2/2 FT)  Selkirk 12pts (3-FGs, 1-3ptr, 3/4 FT) O Prince 7pts (1-3ptr, 4/7 FTs) Crawford 5pts (1-FG, 1 3ptr) A Bramblett 4pts (2-FGs) Lovern 3pts (1-FG, 1/2 FT) Meade 2pts (1 FG) L Bramblett 2pts (1 FG) N Prince 2pts (1 FG)  Harrison 1pt (1/2 FT)

Franklin County – K Witcher 13pts (1-FGs,  3-3ptrs, 2/2 FTs) Foutz 11pts (4 FG, 1 3ptr) Luckett 8pts (3 FG, 2/2 FT) A Holland 7pts (2 FG, 1-3ptr) Elliott 5pts (2 FG, 1/2 FT) Bowling 5pts (1-3ptr, 2/2) Hudson 4pts (2 FG) B Witcher 3pts (1 FG, 1/1 FT) N Holland 3pts (1 FG, 1/1 FT)  Wright 2pts (1 FG) Mcheimer 1pts (1/2 FT)

“What we have been looking for…”