By Sara Page, Midlothian Exchange
spage@midlothianexchange.com

If someone had told the James River boys’ varsity basketball team that they’d be holding an 18-point lead at halftime in a game against regionally ranked district foe Monacan, they might have though the person was crazy.

Or they might have been just crazy enough to believe it themselves.

Last Friday night, as they hosted the Chiefs in a 66-62 win, the Rapids played more like a 9-2 team than the 4-6 team that their record said they were.

The big difference in the game was a player who did not even make a high school squad four years ago.

Senior guard Sean Dougherty was cut from basketball teams his 7th-, 8th- and 9th-grade years, but made his mark as one of the best distance shooters in the region Friday night. He hit 7 of 12 attempts from beyond the arch and scored 28 points to lead the Rapids to their third district win.

“I think it’s one of the best stories in the region,” James River coach Tracy Hamner said. “He’s a young man who’s only been playing now for three years, and he plays like a kid [who got cut]. Now he’s one of the best players in the region and one of the best shooters in the region … He’s our leader and he just makes everybody so much better.”

Dougherty even completed the rare four-point play in the second quarter.

The Rapids swung the ball right to open up the left side of the court. As the Chiefs’ zone collapsed right, Dougherty collected a pass on the top left side of the 3-point arch. He released just as a defender flew left trying to get a hand in his face. Momentum sent the defender squarely into Dougherty, who caught nothing but net with the shot. He swished the foul shot to complete the play.

Dougherty and guard John Luter combined for six 3-pointers in the first half and helped James River out to an 18-point lead.

Monacan, which went scoreless in the final two minutes of the half, hit the first basket of the second half as they pushed the tempo and attempted to dig themselves out of a hole.
The Chiefs added height to their line-up with forward Derrick Cates. He pulled down three offensive boards in the third quarter and put up nine points to cut the Rapids’ lead to 10 going into the fourth quarter.

The Chiefs held their opponents scoreless for nearly three minutes while Cates and guard Anthony Brown cut into the James River lead with nine points. A basket off two offensive boards by Brown cut the lead to two with 2:07 left in regulation.

But the Rapids slowed their offense down and turned back to their distance game.

Dougherty attempted another 3-pointer. He missed the shot but was fouled in the process and hit all three free throws.

On the other end, Ben Hauck pulled down a big rebound for the Rapids and sent the ball ahead to Reggie Somers who opened the lead back up to six.

With 1:01 remaining, Monacan was forced to foul.

James River players hit 3 of 8 attempts from the charity stripe in the final minute, but held Monacan to just one bucket.

“You have to give credit to James River,” Monacan head coach Bill Roberson said. “They played well, they made the right passes, they knocked down shots when they had to. Our kids played hard, but we just got [behind]. You can’t give a good team an 18-, 20-point lead in the second half.”

Dougherty led all scorers with 28. Luter added 14 points for the Rapids and Hauck pulled down nine rebounds.

Cates led Monacan with 19 points and 13 rebounds; Brown added 14 points and 10 rebounds; and Bradley Riester put up 12 points.