Bliss, blues for Crabbers
Boys hold off Huskies late to claim program’s sixth state championship
RICHMOND — Playing for a state title is a lot of pressure.
But it intensified for Hampton High shortly before the Class 4 boys basketball championship game against Tuscarora of Leesburg on Friday.
The Crabbers had just watched the Hampton girls team lose in its state title game.
The focus immediately turned to the boys team.
And Crabbers coach Eric Brown let them know it.
“It put pressure on us, and I put pressure on the kids,” he said. “And I said, ‘Hey, look, we gotta bring one home. Let’s win one for the girls.’ “
The boys delivered as they held off a late Tuscarora rally to beat the Huskies 66-63 at VCU’s Siegel Center. It’s the sixth state title for the program, and the first since 2012. The Crabbers (26-2) accomplished it by winning their last 16 games.
“I’m so proud of the guys,” Brown said. “They did it the same way that we always do — make it interesting at the end. Those kids made some big-time shots, but our guys responded in the end.”
The Crabbers seemed like they were going to run away with the title in the fourth quarter as they stretched their lead to 17 with 3:25 left. They did it by pounding the ball inside to their big men, who included 6-foot-7 Gavin Kay, 6-5 Kahron Clarke and 6-4 Abraham Taft.
“That was the game plan the whole time,” Brown said with a smile. “But the kids get to playing and start going, and we had to remind them that we’re bigger than them, get the ball inside. And once we settled down in the third quarter, I thought Gavin had some big points and Abe did great.”
The Huskies (25-4) didn’t go away as they slowly chipped away at the lead through guards Jayden Johnson and TJ Duggan, who combined for 25 fourth-quarter points. Duggan had the biggest quarter as he scored 18 points on five 3-pointers.
Johnson then hit back-to-back 3-pointers, including one with 34.8 seconds remaining, to make
it 64-63.
Hampton senior Daron Baugh was fouled with 20.3 seconds left and calmly sank both free throws to give the Crabbers a 66-63 lead.
“I just knew I had to lock in and make those,” he said.
Tuscarora set up for one play to try to send the game into overtime, but Duggan’s 3-pointer hit the front of the rim, giving the Crabbers the victory.
“It feels good to only lose two games and be a state champion,” Baugh said. “I’m proud of my
team and I’m proud of Coach. We won this game for our girls because they were supposed to win the state title, too. It feels good to bring one back home.”
The title meant a lot to senior Malik Johnson, too. He played last season at Massanutten Military Academy before he transferred to Hampton this season.
“It means everything. We knew from the jump that we had a chance,” said Johnson, who finished with eight points, 10 rebounds and three steals. “We just had to compete, keep playing, believe in each other and listen to our coaches.”
The best news is the Crabbers are coming home with a title.
“(Tuscarora) had a heck of a year,” Brown said, “but we got one.”
Larry Rubama, 757-575-6449, larry.rubama@pilotonline.com