Lebanon Receives
Knights' Attention

Buckingham Resists Temptation To
Look Past Final Four Opponent

By NATHAN KING
HERALD SPORTS EDITOR

   BUCKINGHAM — Cliches are cliches for a reason. They are tried and tested and they're almost always true.
   So, when the Buckingham County High School boys basketball team stresses "one game at a time," it's a safe bet that it's more than words.
   The Knights (20-3) will face Lebanon High School on Friday morning at 10:30 a.m. (WVHL 92.9 FM) in the Group A, Division 2 Final Four at Virginia Commonwealth's Siegel Center.
   At stake is a berth in the State Championship game, scheduled for 5 p.m. on Saturday against the James River/Dan River winner.
   But one would be hard pressed to find any talk about Saturday at Buckingham's practice on Wednesday afternoon. All eyes are cast toward the most important game of the season — the next one.
   "Nobody gets this far along without being a great team," said BCHS head coach Russ Gowin. "And Lebanon is a great team. They beat a heck of a Radford team to get to this level last week, and they're another team that's peaking at the right time."
   Lebanon (23-5) defeated defending Group A, Division 2 state champion Radford 62-61 last week in a fashion at least as dramatic as Buckingham's double-overtime 73-65 win over Middlesex.
   Lebanon sophomore guard Justin Brown scored on a runner as time expired to give Lebanon the victory over Radford.
   Brown is averaging 10 points per game, but plays a supporting role to senior standout forward Jerome Cobb, a 6-3 forward who is averaging 15 points per game, nine rebounds and four blocks.
   His brother, sophomore guard Kaylynn Cobb is averaging 9.3 points per game, while junior guard Ben Hendrickson will pose a threat from beyond the three-point arc. He made seven three-pointers in the Clinch Mountain District Tournament semifinals.
   "Jerome Cobb is an outstanding player, and Hendrickson could give us some trouble if we leave him open," said Gowin. "They're really athletic and can shoot well from the field. They're shooting around 60 percent."
   Lebanon has struggled from the free throw line, according to Gowin.
"But they were pretty good during the regular season, so you have to believe that at one point they'll get that back. It's hard to go this far and struggle from the free throw line, so that points to how successful they are in all other areas of the game."
   Lebanon, the runners-up to Gate City in the Clinch Mountain District, entered the Region D Tournament as the No. 3 seed, before going on to win the Region D title.
   The Pioneers last made an appearance in the eight-team VHSL Tournament in 1991.
   Buckingham is making its second trip to the Final Four in three seasons. Four starters were sophomores on the squad in 2008.
   The Knights are led by senior forward Taylor Boyers, who is averaging 16.9 points per game, and 12.7 rebounds per contest.
   He was held in check by Middlesex, though he did still manage to score 14 points, but was held to just six rebounds, as the Knights had to come from behind to defeat Middlesex in two overtimes.
   Boyers and Jerome Cobb fouled out in their respective contests, as both teams went on to claim victory.
  "We both found a way to win despite the circumstances," said Gowin. They had some players step up, and we did too. I'm sure they're like us in that it's easy to assume that we're one-dimensional, but I think both teams proved that to be incorrect last week."
   Buckingham sophomores Tarian Ayers (10.7 ppg.) and reserve Caleb White (5.3 ppg.) have asserted themselves throughout the tournament season. Both sophomores led the Knights in scoring in the quarterfinals with 18 points apiece.
   Junior center Kevin Bolden is averaging 8.3 points per game, while pulling down 9.4 rebounds per contest. Senior Harry Eldridge is averaging 9.7 ppg., while senior B.J. Jones is averaging 6.7 ppg., while dishing out 6.4 assists.
   "One thing I really like about our team right now is that we're in shape," said Gowin. "Midway through the season, we started to bring fruits to practice and started to work on our hydration. Much like what you would do in football. I think in that double-overtime we saw it pay off. Middlesex looked like it started to tire, while we still looked pretty fresh.
   "We've really been stressing the importance of nutrition and getting enough rest. It's important, and I think that, coupled with the time we've had between games over the last two weeks, has us at 100 percent."
   Should Buckingham get past Lebanon, the Knights will play at 5 p.m. on Saturday. WVHL 92.9 FM will carry that contest, should the Knights advance past Friday's contest.
   "We'll worry about that game if we're able to," said Gowin. "We played Dan River two weeks ago, and we'll have the advantage of seeing both teams play after our game, but for right now, our full attention is on Lebanon."

1975 Banner Fuels Knights' Playoff Run

By NATHANKING
HERALD SPORTS EDITOR

   BUCKINGHAM — Every time Buckingham County High School seniors Taylor Boyers and Harry Eldridge have stepped into the gymnasium, their eyes scan toward the 1975 Group A State Championship banner.
   As often as they go into the gym, it's probably safe to say that the banner gets lost in the approximately 35 other banners that line the top of the gym. But they've been paying close attention to it recently.
   This weekend, the Knights will have an opportunity to give the 1975 banner — Buckingham's lone State Championship title — some company and leave their mark on the school.
   "I look at it when I come into here," said Eldridge on Wednesday afternoon, noting that it looks a little lonely. "Knowing that we can have one hang right beside it motivates us."
   "I've been looking at it a lot," said Boyers. "Picturing a 2010 one up there gives you a sense of what it will mean. Seeing just one of them up there, and knowing all the great teams that have been here between 1975 and now, also shows how hard it is to get one."
   Both Boyers and Eldridge quickly returned to the task at hand. For the Knights to have a shot to play for the Group A, Division 2 title, they will first have to defeat Lebanon High School on Friday morning at 10 a.m.
   Two years ago, the nine seniors on this year's roster were sophomores when Buckingham last made it this far, before losing to eventual state champion George Wythe in the final four.
   Four seniors on this year's roster were a part of that varsity squad in 2008.
   "Those who were a part of the varsity team then remember how losing that game felt," said Boyers. "It was tough. We don't want that feeling again."
   "We were sophomores and it was all new to us," said Eldridge. "It was new to everyone. We now know what it takes to get the job done, and I think that will help us."
   It will be a help, as will playing at the Siegel Center at VCU. The four seniors have played two games on that court, including last week's 73-65 double-overtime victory over Middlesex.
   While it is indeed an advantage to have a game in hand at the Siegel Center (Lebanon played its quarterfinal game at Virginia High School in Bristol), the Knights are careful to not read too much into it.
   "Just because we played one game there doesn't give us a home-court advantage," said BCHS head coach Russ Gowin. "It's not like we played nine or ten games on that court. It's a comfort, but you can't read too much into it."
   "We can't be too comfortable," said Eldridge. "We can't really take a ton of comfort from or experience there two years ago. For the most part, many of us were watching from the bench, waiting our turn. It's an advantage, sure, but we have to be careful not to read too much into it."
   One advantage the Knights expect to have is the home crowd advantage. Last week, around 2,000 Buckingham fans made the trip to the Siegel Center. Though Friday's game will be played during the work/school day, the Knights are hoping for another sizeable crowd.
   "We've had big crowds on neutral courts for our last two games," said Boyers, who noted that the team really noticed Buckingham's fans in the third quarter of last Saturday's contest when a foul call on Middlesex after a long drought of whistles caused the BCHS contingent to rise with sarcastic applause. "They really got behind us and inspired us."
   "It's definitely been a family thing," said Eldridge. "From the team to the school to the community. It's made a difference, and we really feed off of that."