Ashe Mountain Times

Ashe County's 62-44 victory over Alleghany Wednesday night in the Mountain Valley Conference high school boys basketball tournament at Wilkes Central earned the Huskies a second championship opportunity.

And Husky seniors Zeb Richardson and Sam Gammons confirmed, “earned” would be the operative word.

“We needed a game like this,” Gammons said.

“They came to play,” Richardson said of the fourth-seeded Trojans. “They get up for this game with us. And they know how to play defense against us as well as anybody else that has played us.”

Alleghany (10-16) packed the low post against Richardson, a state all-star selection who found maneuvering tough. The Huskies, ranked sixth in the state this week by N.C. Preps, helped out with 4-for-18 shooting in the first quarter and were only up a point with five minutes left in the half.

Three straight baskets created a six-point margin, and the Huskies seized momentum when Alleghany couldn't score on its last possession and Gammons banked in a half-court shot at the buzzer for a 30-18 lead.

Ashe (24-2) held the Trojans scoreless for more than seven minutes bridging intermission and rifled in 65 percent of its shots (13-for-20) in the first 11 1/2 minutes of the second half. Quickly, Alleghany went down 41-18 and eventually 61-33 on back-to-back baskets by Anthony Federico with 5:38 to play.

“Alleghany did a good job,” said Ashe head coach Marc Payne, who collected win No. 573 in a 37-year career. “We looked like we were rushing ourselves early, but we did a fine job defensively all game. We settled in, and then we had some issues with possession around the basket.

“I thought Gammons' Hail Mary was a boost going into the half.”

The potential six-point swing was followed by better execution on passes to Richardson from Ashe perimeter personnel Gammons, Andrew Lopp and Nehemiah Stafford.

“When he keeps it high and turns and shoots, nobody in the conference can get to it,” Gammons said of Richardson's handiwork in the post.

Richardson finished with 10 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks. Gammons drained four 3-pointers, scoring 14 of his 21 points in the second quarter. Stafford had a trio of 3-pointers, 16 points and seven assists.

Lopp and Eli Gambill, another workhorse on the glass, were pivotal defensively.

Jeremy Mabe led Alleghany with 10 points.

Ashe, which has won 35 of 39 stretching back to last year, tips in the tournament championship Friday night about 8 after the 6:30 girls final at Wilkes Central. The Huskies face either second-seeded host Wilkes Central or third-seeded Starmount, who tangle Thursday night at 8.

 

ASHE 62, ALLEGHANY 44

Alleghany County (44) — Jeremy Mabe 10, Hadden Williams 8, Jimmy Pine 6, Alex Taylor 4, Trey Edwards 4, John Billings 4, Austin Sprinkle 4, Fabian Santos 2, Jacob McKnight 2, Eric Lyons, Chase Galyear, Nick McKnight.

Ashe County (62) — Sam Gammons 21, Nehemiah Stafford 16, Zeb Richardson 10, Andrew Lopp 8, Anthony Federico 4, Eli Gambill 2, Seth Sheets 1, Anderson Moore, Cole Price, Sam Bowers, Jordan Spell, Tucker Goodman, Hawkens Flanagan.

Alleghany                 10              8            13            13—44

Ashe County            11            19            23               9—62