Fork Union pulls away from the Knights

FORK UNION — Fork Union Military Academy’s post-graduate took advantage of an early run in beating visiting St. Ignatios 79-56 on Jan. 11.

“I was happy with the way they came out. That was the difference in the game, we just have to carry that on for 40 minutes or else we are not going to be too successful,” said first-year FUMA head coach Brooks Berry.

Trey Brown (Hampton, Va.) scored seven of the first 11 Fork Union points of the game. The Knights didn’t record a basket for nearly the first five minutes of the game. By then, a double-point lead was in hand for the Blue Devils.

FUMA would lead by as many as 19 in the first half but a scoring drought of 2:30 minutes would allow St. Ignatios to bring the differential back to 10 points, at 33-23 with four minutes left before halftime.

“Defensive lapses, not getting back in transition, not being active and energetic allowed [St. Ignatios] to have hope. They hit some tough shots too but we had some serious defensive breakdowns. It is going to be costly if we continue to make those defensive mistakes,” said Berry.

The second half was too much Blue Devils for the Knights to get back into the game. FUMA started the second half on a 13-5 run to lead by the biggest margin all game at 25. It was 59-34 with just under 15 minutes left in the game.

The closest St. Ignatios would come the rest of the way would be with 2:13 left in the game at 11 points. By then the cadet corps in the stands were jingling keys to reference a ‘start the bus’ chant.

Fork Union was lead by Brown and Isaac Belton (Salem, Va.) with 18 points apiece. Brett Wishon (Concord, N.C.) lead the team in rebounds with nine to go along with his six points. Both of Wishon’s baskets were 3-pointers in the second half.

The game was three days short of a month since FUMA played last, an 87-72 win against rival Hargrave Military Academy. The break didn’t show on the scoreboard but the Blue Devils lost a step towards the end of the first half.

“Anytime you take two and half weeks like we do. The guys go home and they get a rest from Fork Union, they comeback and it takes a while to get that going,” said Berry who was proud of the effort in the first game of the new year.

Next up for Fork Union is a two-day event at Army Prep in West Point, N.Y. on Jan. 17 and 18. The Blue Devils next play at home on Jan. 22 against Richard Bland College. That game is set for 7 p.m. tipoff.