by James J. Lidington

ISLE OF WIGHT
Greenbrier Christian was 7-for-11 from the foul line in the final quarter to outpace Isle of Wight Academy 61-58 here on Friday night.

The visiting Gators were led by J.T. Inskeep’s 23 points; the Chargers, by Grant Worthy’s game-high 24 points.

The two teams were tied at 25 at halftime, but IWA scored the first eight points of the third quarter on 3-pointers by Russ Wells and Worthy, and a field goal by William Fricke to take an 8-point lead, 33-25, with 6:29 left in that period.

The Gators rallied with nine of the last 11 points before the end of the quarter and IWA held on to a slim lead, 41-39, by the end.

Greenbrier Christian took the lead for good when Michael Giles hit a field goal to make it 53-51 with 2:17 left in the game.

Giles also had an old-fashioned 3-point-play — made a basket, was fouled and hit the foul shot — with 38.1 seconds left, giving the Gators a 61-57 lead. Fricke hit a foul shot to cut the lead to 61-58 with 20.2 seconds left.

The Chargers regained possession with 2.3 seconds left and were to inbound the ball under their own basket. They tried to set up a game-tying 3-pointer as time expired, but their shot was errant.

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Isle of Wight Academy fought but was easily bested by local rivals Nansemond-Suffolk Academy 81-37 on Thursday.

Sophomore Russ Wells led his team with 10 points. Teammates Worthy and Fricke, among the scoring leaders in the Metro Athletic Conference, were held to eight and zero points, respectively, by the Saints, out of the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools.

N-SA was paced by George Pettaway’s 21 points and Jaden Freeman’s 20.

The Saints raced out to a 21-0 lead in the first 5 minutes of the game. IWA trailed 26-6 after a quarter and 43-23 at halftime.

Another sizable scoring binge by N-SA, 17-0 in the third quarter, including a trio of three-point plays, widened the margin to 60-26 in favor of the home team.

The 12 3-pointers by the Saints are the most against the Chargers this season since Fuqua converted on 13 in a game that the Falcons dominated, 73-47, Dec. 7 at the Jester Gymnasium.

The Chargers returned to Metro Conference action with a game on Tuesday against StoneBridge at IWA, and will play Hampton Christian on Friday, Jan. 11. Varsity contests tip off at 7 p.m.

JAMES J. LIDINGTON is a teacher at Isle of Wight Academy. He can be reached at 357-3866.