Loudoun Teams Finish Strong in Tourney

By Kevin Myrick

Saturday, December 15, 2007

The second round of the Loudoun Times-Mirror Dulles/Northwestern District Challenge tournament got underway Friday as Loudoun County took on James Wood to gain its sixth win in a row with a 67-51 victory over the Colonels.

Then, Park View took on Sherando in the final game of the tournament and pummeled the Warriors in a 68-50 win.

Raiders Ride on to Six Wins

Loudoun County (6-0) kicked off the second night of the tournament at Park View as it took on James Wood in its sixth game of the season.

The Raiders tipped off with a strong start after Donne Lucas helped the team go up by 19. Lucas ended the first period after dunking the ball with 26 seconds left on the clock.

Notably missing from Friday's game was junior guard Tim McLister who was injured in Thursday's game against Sherando. McLister wasn't ready for the game, head coach Brian Blubaugh said.

"Timmy's just a battler and he came up to me and said 'coach, just let me warm up,'" Blubaugh said. "But things just didn't work out."

McLister's injuries will keep him out of Monday's game against George Mason, but Blubaugh said he'll return for Tuesday's matchup when the Raiders play Park View in their first conference game of the season.

The Raiders made up for McLister's loss by scoring another 12 points in the second to put Loudoun County up by 31-24 at halftime.

Lucas, who scored 30 points in Thursday's game against Sherando, put 23 on the board for the Raiders to help Loudoun County run over the Colonels, 67-51. Blubaugh said he's happy with Lucas' performance on both sides of the court.

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Tip-off in the first game Friday in the Loudoun Times-Mirror Dulles/Northwestern District challenge saw the 6-0 Raiders facing off against James Wood. (Kevin Myrick)

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Raiders' guard Joe Bushrod shoots from the free throw line during the first quarter in Loudoun County's game against James Wood Friday in the Loudoun Times-Mirror Dulles/Northwestern District Challenge. (Kevin Myrick)

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The Colonels' bench looks on from the sidelines during the first quarter of Friday's first game against Loudoun County. (Kevin Myrick)

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Loudoun County's Brett Tagg shoot for three during the first quarter of Friday's game against James Wood. Tagg would later go on to shoot two more from behind the line in the Raiders' win. (Kevin Myrick)

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Loudoun County's Donne Lucas rises above the competition Friday to put a lay-up in the basket during the game. Lucas scored 23 points for the Raiders' Friday and has been integral in their six wins so far in the season. (Kevin Myrick)

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Donne Lucas goes for the dunk Friday late in the second period to help the Raiders maintain their lead over the Colonels at the end of the first half. (Kevin Myrick)

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James Wood players look on as Loudoun County's Mike Howard shoots for two from the foul line. (Kevin Myrick)

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Park View kicks off Friday's second game with player introductions before the game. (Kevin Myrick)

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Going up for two, Park View's Thomas Mulabah gets the basket and the foul during the first period of the Patriots' game against the Sherando Warriors Friday. (Kevin Myrick)

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The Warrior's found themselves in tough positions against Thomas Mulabah and Marcus Freeman Friday in the second game of the Loudoun Times-Mirror Dulles/Northwestern District Challenge. (Kevin Myrick)

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Loudoun County watches from Park View play in the stands Friday against Sherando, the team the Raiders defeated the night before. Loudoun County faces off Tuesday against Park View back in the same gymnasium they defeated James Wood in the first game. (Kevin Myrick)

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The Patriots' CJ Leizear goes up for two Friday during the second period against Sherando Friday. (Kevin Myrick)

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"He has a great touch around the rim," Blubaugh said. "His shooting percentage is around 50 percent."

James Wood tried to make a comeback in the third period, but the Raiders stayed on top of the Colonels for the entire game. James Wood sophomore Trae Tinsman led the Colonels in the second half with 11 points, giving him 16 total points in the game and the highest point total for James Wood.

Brett Tagg dominated behind the three-point line, hitting 50 percent of his three-pointers.

Loudoun County heads to George Mason Monday, hoping to extend its six-game winning streak.

Patriots Pummel Warriors in 68-50 Win

In the final game for Park View at home in the tournament, the Patriots found themselves evenly matched with the Sherando Warriors for much of the game.

Park View outscored Sherando by six points by the end of the first period.

Marcus Freeman, Danny Foley and Thomas Mulabah were a big part of helping fend off the visiting Warriors in the first half, but the second half was when Mulabah shined for the Patriots. He scored on 10 of 18 attempts for lay-ups and two-pointers, putting a total of 19 on the board in the game.

Mulabah scored half of Park View's 20 third-period points, outscoring Sherando by 13. CJ Leizear kept Sherando from getting within reach of Park View in the end, landing two three-pointers that helped secure the win for the Patriots.

The Patriots (4-2) next will face the undefeated Raiders in the two teams' first conference showdown at Park View on Tuesday.

Freedom Rallies With Big Second Half

It was the Henry Brisbe and Troy Dockett show once again for the Freedom-South Riding boys' team.

Brisbe and Dockett teamed up for 30 points to help the Eagles rally a 50-40 victory over visiting Manassas Park in a nonleague game Friday night.

Held to five second-quarter points, Freedom fell behind 28-21 at halftime. But in the second half, the Eagles (1-2) held the Cougars to 12 points in the second half.

Dockett, a senior guard, had a game-high 16 points and Brisbe, a senior forward, finished with 14.

Felix Clement led Manassas Park (1-2) with 14 points.

--Washington Post Staff

Heritage Loses to Brentsville

Heritage kept it close for one quarter, but it was all Millbrook after that.

Playing in a Dulles/Northwestern District Challenge game at Handley High School, Millbrook beat Heritage for the second time in less than a week, this time by an 86-51 score on Friday night.

The Pioneers (4-0) had beaten Heritage, 78-57, on Dec. 8 at home.

The Pride (1-2) trailed 17-14 after the first quarter, but was outscored 28-5 in the second.

Mike Massey led Heritage with nine points.

--Washington Post Staff

Park View Takes Care of Handley

Shernise Disney scored 17 points and Rachael Miller added 15 to help Park View beat visiting Handley, 54-49, Friday night in a Dulles/Northwestern District Challenge matchup at Potomac Falls High School.

Disney, a freshman guard, scored 17 points for the third time in four games this season for Park View (3-1).

Handley, playing its third Loudoun area team in four days, once again dropped a close one despite the best efforts of its top scorer, Jacqueline Brewer. Brewer had a game-high 25 points against Park View after scoring 21 in a double-overtime loss to Broad Run on Tuesday and 20 in a four-point loss to Loudoun County on Thursday.

Handley (3-3) trailed 29-19 at halftime and 44-31 after three quarters before making it close in the final period.

--Washington Post Staff

Loudoun County Cruises to Victory

Brittany Batts and Samantha Akers combined for 36 points to help Loudoun County handle Millbrook, 71-54, in a Dulles/Northwestern District Challenge game Friday night at Heritage High School.

Batts, a freshman guard, had 21 points while Akers, a senior guard added 15 for Loudoun County (4-2).

Millbrook (2-1) fell behind, 39-25, at halftime.

--Washington Post Staff

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