Boiled: FCHS steams past Kettle Run

PALMYRA — Forget the scoring woes of Thursday night. The Fluvanna boys’ basketball team scored 18 points in just over five minutes of play, en route to beating visiting Kettle Run 83-58 Saturday night.

The Cougars came out in an agressive man-to-man that the Flucos passed, through leading to lots of play around the hoop. Starting forward Trevonne Bradley ate up the opportunity, scoring seven straight points in a minute and a half. If he wasn’t get the first shot, he cleaned up any miscue.

He was quickly on his way to his first career double-double.

“[FCHS head coach Munro Rateau] said rebounds would count in this game. He told me to go out there and have a good game, grab rebounds,” said Bradley.

After Bradley scored his ninth point at the 2:55 mark of the first quarter, Kettle Run switched to a 2-3 zone. FCHS already had an 18-7 lead.

The Cougars would keept it around a 10-point differential the rest of the first half. It was 43-33 Flucos at the break.

“We played really well all night. We’re still learning how to play against a zone but when we see ourselves on the film get the ball where it is supposed to go, we got guys that can score. We just got to keep learning how to do that,” said Rateau.

Kettle Run head coach Troy Washington said, “Initially we wanted to try to matchup with them, try to play what we like to do which is pressure defense. They had some looks and we had some breakdowns defensively. We tried to slow them down a little bit in the zone.”

It would stay around 10 points throughout the third quarter, twice getting to eight points and ending at the largest difference at 14 points. It was 58-44 heading into the final frame.

Then with five minutes to go in the game, the FCHS scoring attack re-emerged.

It started innocently enough with two Jalen Harrison free throws. The Agee found the basket for two points. Then Dashon Tibbs scored two straight baskets. Harrison flushed down a dunk. Agee hit two more free throws. Tibbs converted a basket plus the foul. Dale Ludwig scored in the lane with two minutes left.

“Sometimes in games we have a hot streak — on fire the whole time,” said Harrison. “That happens a lot for us — if we can have it the whole game.”

The three minute spurt was a 17-0 Flying Men of Flu.Co. run that wowed the Fluco Faithful and ended a tough two days for Kettle Run.

The Cougars played John Handley in Winchester the night before. The Judges defeated KRHS 76-65. Last year Fluvanna beat John Handley in the Region II Div. 3 championship.

“[The Flucos] are really good. We knew they were going to be good coming in. A lot of people focus on Agee and Harrison, for good reason, but they got some supporting parts that really work for them,” said Washington.

Fluvanna was lead by Agee hwith 21 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Bradley ended the night with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Harrison recorded 16 points and five rebounds while Tibbs had 11 points, four rebounds and three blocks. Brad Bullock lead the team with four steals.

The team collectively put up above average stats. The Flucos had 17 assists and 41 rebounds. They are averaging 10 assists and 30 rebounds. FCHS also shot 26-36 from the line for 72 percent, much above the average of 60 percent. Between midway through the first quarter and midway through the third quarter, Fluvanna made 15 straight free throws.

Next up for FCHS is border rival Goochland on Jan. 16. The Bulldogs knocked off Buckingham, ending Buckingham’s perfect record. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. in Palmyra.