As tight as the race is getting and as many teams are involved, every win counts in the James River District.
But Buckingham’s 63-58 win over fellow contender Randolph-Henry Tuesday night mattered more than most as the Knights protected home court and pulled out the victory in overtime.
The Knights struggled in the fourth quarter and relinquished a seven-point lead going into the frame. But Buckingham woke up during overtime and came up with the five-point win.
Tarian Ayres and Timmy Randolph finished with 18 points each to co-lead the Knights. Ayres checked in with 12 rebounds to post a double double.
The Knights only shot 25 percent as a team from beyond the 3-point line and missed 13 free throws to shoot just barely north of 50 percent. But Ayres and Randolph’s scoring provided enough punch to hold off the Statesmen.
Randolph just missed a double double of his own with nine rebounds while Cam Johnson had eight boards. L.A. Briley set the table for his teammates with six assists to go with his nine points. He only turned the ball over twice.
Buckingham steps out of James River play Thursday night with a road game against nearby rival Appomattox County before getting back to the district slate against Central Lunenburg Friday night on the road.
