Eagles clinch Bay Rivers District championship
YORK — Jamestown High’s 49-36 girls basketball victory at Grafton on Thursday came with more than its share of rewards.
The Eagles (19-0, 16-0 Bay Rivers District) clinched their first district title in five years, all but nailed down the top seed in next week’s Class 4 Region A Tournament and remained on track for an unbeaten regular season. A solid second half by sophomore Maddie Leach (12 points) added another item to her bulging résumé for Bay Rivers Player of the Year honors.
But, for a rare occasion, Leach was not the Eagles’ star. That designation went to 5-foot-3 senior Vision Pretlow, who scored most of her career-high 17 points in the first three quarters to keep the Clippers (16-4, 13-3) from running away and earning the chance to make Monday’s rematch at Jamestown a showdown for first place.
“Honestly, I was feeling a little confident today,” Pretlow said. “So I said, ‘Why not go ahead and shoot the ball?’ And that’s what I did.”
So too did the Clippers’ Alonni Wells. Wells drained three 3-pointers in scoring 11 of her game-high 22 points as the Clippers forged a 15-3 lead to start the game.
Meanwhile, the Clippers’ triangle-and-2 defense was stifling Leach (21.8 ppg) and Raini Mayo (15.9), who combined for just three points in the first half.
“Alonni is a streak shooter, and when she gets in her groove she’s one of the best shooters in the district,” Grafton coach Tommy Bayse said. “She knew it was a big game and she did a good job.”
But Grafton’s star, sophomore center Taylor Ragland (19.6 ppg), could not buy a shot and would finish with a season-low four points. Pretlow, who averages about four points per game, scored five on a 3-pointer and long two-pointer to cut the deficit to 15-8.
“Vision came off of the bench,” Jamestown coach Shaquanda Williams said. “She’s started most of the year, but we had a change in the starting lineup and she didn’t let that affect her.”
The Eagles pecked away at the lead from there, pulling to within 19-17 at intermission as Leach closed the second quarter with her first basket of the night. Pretlow scored a basket to open the second half, pulling the Eagles into a tie for the first time.
Wells scored nine more points early in the second half, her length-of-the-court drive for a layup giving Grafton its final lead at 30-28. Pretlow’s midrange jumper tied the game at 30, launching a 13-point run that put the Eagles in control.
Pretlow’s layup courtesy of a Leach assist, followed by her 3, made it 41-30. Leach contributed 10 second-half points and Mayo eight, but Pretlow was the star.