Blue Comets capture tourney title after another hard-fought battle with Randleman

ASHEBORO — Brian Nance wasn’t particularly pleased with a loss earlier this season to the Randleman Tigers, which saw the Blue Comets put up a total of 25 points in a 14-point setback on Dec. 18. So on the morning of the boys championship game of the SportsTone.net Christmas Invitational, he showed his team that first quarter, when the Blue Comets could get nothing going because of turnovers.

The tutorial paid off handsomely for the Blue Comets as they recorded a 43-38 victory over the Tigers to claim their second SportsTone.net Christmas Invitational championship in the three years of the tournament. RHS captured last year’s event, which means it was the third straight year the two teams have played for the tournament title.

The championship game started out a lot like the first encounter as RHS led 8-5 after one quarter and 15-14 at halftime.

“The only difference was at the start of this game, we weren’t turning the ball over,” Nance said after watching his team improve to 10-4 on the season with its fifth win in the past six games. “We watched the first quarter this morning and we had seven turnovers, just as many turnovers as we had shots. We hit one 3 and nothing else. 
“Tonight, we had shots. They just weren’t going in, but we weren’t turning the ball over so I was okay.”

RHS (6-5) led 26-25 after three quarters and extended that lead to five in the fourth quarter.

Then the Blue Comets took over, partly because of their play and partly because RHS became undisciplined.

“We were up by four or five early in the fourth quarter and they may have just scored to cut it to three and called a timeout and I figured they would go to a man or extend the zone and he extended the zone and we moved the ball well and got a layup,” RHS coach Daniel Mitchell said. 

“Then, instead of doing what we did the last time and making them chase the ball, we forced the issue, forced some shots and did some silly things. We didn’t handle it right.”

AHS took a 36-35 lead late before Zac Blackwell added consecutive buckets for a 40-35 lead with 1:34 to go. RHS’ Trey Burnett, who finished with 15 points, nailed his fourth 3-pointer of the game with 1:10 left to make it 40-38, but the Tigers couldn’t score again and AHS point guard Darrion Johnson hit three of four free throws for the final margin.

AHS’ Nirey White, who had four points in the fourth quarter to help establish the lead for AHS, and Jewell Barrett-Riggins, who was named the most valuable player of the tournament, finished with 13 points, including seven in the second half.

“Me and my team have been putting the work in,” Barrett-Riggins said. “The amount of young people we have on this team and they have stepped up. Every day, they have stepped up. When I’m down on myself, they pick me up. I’m giving it my all for this team.”

Jewell-Barrett was the only senior who played in the game for the Blue Comets. Starting senior point guard Eli Johnson suffered a high-ankle sprain in Saturday’s first round win and Darrion Johnson, a sophomore, played solid minutes in relief.

“We did better on the boards,” Nance said of his team’s effort. “They bullied us at Randleman. They had second shots and we were one-and-done and tonight we had some second-chance points. We eliminated a lot of their stickbacks.”

Darrion Johnson had 10 points for AHS, while Burnett finished with 15 for the Tigers. Connor Cassidy added seven.

Most Valuable Player

Jewell Barrett-Riggins, Asheboro

All-Tournament Team

Darrion Johnson, Asheboro
Nirey White, Asheboro
Connor Cassidy, Randleman
Damari Garner, Randeman
Zaeon Auguste, Jordan-Matthews
Breylan Harris, Chatham Charter
Kenan Sugg, SW Randolph
Avery Ivey, Wheatmore
Noah Jordan, Eastern Guilford
Mason Ingram, Trinity

Sportsmanship Award

Carson Wood, SW Randolph