IWA grounds Fuqua in playoff opener

Published 10:17 pm Tuesday, March 3, 2009

The high-powered Isle of Wight Academy offense had three players score more than 20 points as the Chargers bombed Fuqua School 93-69 in the first round of the Virginia Independent Schools Division III boys’ basketball tournament Tuesday night.

The seventh-seeded Chargers advance to the quarterfinals and will play No. 2 seed Carlisle School in Martinsville tonight at 6:30. The winner of that game will move to a semifinal game at Richard Bland College in Petersburg on Friday night.

Brandon Privette scored 33 points, Brandon Black scored 29 points, and Daniel Brown added 20 points to lead IWA’s relentless motion offense.

IWA opened up a 20-10 first-quarter lead. The quarter was punctuated by two 3-pointers by Privette.

It was more of the same at the beginning of the second quarter, until Fuqua’s LaVon Harper, the tallest player on the court, began to assert himself. The Falcons went on an 18-5 run to take a 40-39 lead with 29 seconds to play in the half on a put-back by Harper. Harper had eight points in the second quarter.

The Chargers were able to regain the lead with a bank shot by Black and two free throws by Privette to give IWA a 43-40 lead at the half. Black ended the half with 17 points.

In the third quarter, Fuqua kept it close early, but IWA outscored the Falcons 26-16 in the period to take command. When Fuqua cut the IWA lead to 48-46 on two free throws by Ryan Gili, the Chargers erupted for an 8-0 run. Black electrified the crowd with a blocked shot and then streaked down the court for a layup at the 4:46 mark to give the Chargers a 56-46 advantage.

Isle of Wight then knocked the lead up to 62-48 with another 6-0 run. At 3:41, Privette drove to the hoop and was fouled. He made both free throws to put IWA up 62-48.

The Chargers (25-8) outscored Fuqua 24-13 in the fourth quarter.

Harper finished the game with 30 points and Coulter Maxey added 18 for the Falcons.