by James J. Lidington

ISLE OF WIGHT
Isle of Wight Academy closed out its 2017-18 regular season last Friday night with a rousing 66-38 win over Blessed Sacrament-Huguenot in Jester Gymnasium.

The Chargers were led by senior Brandon Casey’s 22 points. Grant Worthy, the team’s leading scorer for the season, pitched in 18 points; William Fricke had 13.

The teams seemed evenly matched, with IWA holding a slim advantage, 16-13, after a quarter. But the Chargers had taken a 34-22 lead by halftime, thanks to a 6-point second quarter by Worthy. He and Casey combined for 12 points in the fourth quarter has the Chargers put the game away, 19-10, en route to the final score.

Worthy will likely maintain his hold on fourth place in the Metro Athletic Conference scoring standings, in which he averaged 15.5 points per game.

The win raised IWA’s overall record 7-15. Charger basketball teams will play this week in their respective Metro Conference tournaments. The girls team plays the winner of the Portsmouth Christian Patriots versus Broadwater Academy Vikings tilt at 7:30 p.m. on Friday in Hampton Christian. The boys play Broadwater at 6:45 p.m. on Friday in Denbigh Baptist.

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Last Thursday, IWA lost to Broadwater Academy 67-46. It was the Chargers’ second loss to the Vikings this season.

Worthy had 14 points for Isle of Wight and was his team’s only scorer in double figures. Broadwater’s Nathan Crumb had 22 points; teammates Ahmod Scarborough had 12 and Jackson Rose had 10.

IWA and the Vikes were tied at 7 after a quarter and the Chargers trailed only 26-19 at the half. But Broadwater distanced itself in the third quarter, which they claimed 20-14 on 8 points by Jashawn Wharton. Their 21 fourth-quarter points also helped them outscore IWA by 14 points in the second half.

After scheduled games at Kenston Forest were called off due to illnesses at that school, IWA returned to action last Monday night versus Metro front-running Williamsburg Christian, a contest the Eagles won, 85-48.

Fricke’s 13 points were the most of any Charger player.

The Eagles were paced by Dexter Radcliffe’s 26 points, which all came from a 2-point range. Da’Shawn Cook, the conference’s second-leading scorer, had 18 points. Cle’Von Greene had 17, despite his conference-leading 22.3-point-per-game average.

IWA also claimed the Metro Conference JJV boys tournament crown, defeating Portsmouth Christian 33-14 on the Patriots’ home court last Saturday.

The Charger JJV girls team lost to Hampton Christian in the conference tourney final, 23-9.

JAMES J. LIDINGTON is a teacher at Isle of Wight Academy. Contact him at 357-3866.