YORK – Gloucester thrived from 34 points from Demariya Sills and defeated Tabb 60-56, to earn a berth in the title game against an improving Poquoson team. The Islanders toppled York 63-52 and will face the Dukes in tomorrow’s championship showdown at the Bayport Credit Union Holiday Tournament, which began on Wednesday at Tabb High. The championship game will tip-off at 7:30, preceded by the consolation matchup between York and Tabb at 6.
POQUOSON 63, YORK 52
J.D. Costulis scored 30 points, as Poquoson raced to a 23-point lead in the first half and held on for a 63-52 win.
The first game started in an unusual manner, not with a jump ball, but two free throws, which were earned by Poquoson when York’s Jared Dawson was nailed with a technical foul for dunking in warmups.
J.D. Costulis drained both free throws, a foreshadowing of what was to come on the first quarter. Costulis and Tucker Schuhart scored the first 15 points for Poquoson, who jumped out to a 15-3 lead in the game’s first three minutes. The Isles stretched the lead to 23-3 before York’s Yomarius Eley drained the first of two free throws after being fouled. Still, it was Poquoson who led 27-4 after the first quarter.
The Falcons started to chip into the tremendous deficit in the second quarter. A steal and half-court drive and lay-in by York’s Rayvon Patrick cut the lead to 30-16. A three-pointer from the left wing by Ramsay Hayyat negated Poquoson’s next basket and held the lead at 14. Poquoson led 35-19 at halftime.
The Falcons continued to dig into the lead. A drive and finger roll lay-up by Josh Martiniez put York within six points at 39-33, forcing Poquoson coach Erik Johnson to call a time-out. Baskets by Costulis, Brody McDevitt and Keith Erb put Poquoson back ahead by 12, and the Islanders enjoyed a 49-36 lead at the end of the third.
But York continued to fight back, drawing within six points one more time at 58-52 with 1:55 remaining in the game. But a Costulis lay-in pushed Poquoson ahead 61-52 with 1:15 left and cemented the win.
“Bobby (York Coach Pearce) made some great adjustments in the second half, and they followed them and caught us on our heels,” said Coach Johnson. “Thankfully, Keith Erb and Preston Callaway made some great shots for us to stop their runs.”
Jesse Kimrey led York with 16 points, while Patrick added 14.
Poquoson 27, 8, 14, 14 -- 63
York 4, 15, 17, 16 - 52
POQUOSON (5-4): Costulis 30, Erb 7, Callaway 3, Schuhart 12, McDevitt 11. Totals 23 15-25 63.
YORK (1-6): Patrick 14, Kimrey 16, Marteniez 2, Hayyat 3, Torrence 10, Eley 1, Dye 6. Totals 19 8-12 52.
3-point goals: Poquoson 2 (Costulis). York 6 (Kimrey 2, Dye 2, Patrick, Hayyat).
GLOUCESTER 60, TABB 56
Tabb opened up the game in control, relying on a strong inside scoring presence from Arthur Smith and a pair of long range bombs from Nick Thomas to build a comfortable 17-8 edge after the first period.
But Gloucester responded in the second quarter with a stronger dose of Demariya Sills. Sills scored 11 points in the second and finished the first half with 18, including a perfect nine for nine from the free throw line. In the last minute alone, the junior buried a three-pointer from the left wing, scored on two free throws, and with time running out, drove through the lane for a scoop-and-bucket to tie the game at 31. The Dukes ended the half on an 11-2 run.
Entering the second half, the Tigers could not contain Sills, who added ten more points in the third quarter, as the Dukes edged to a 46-43 lead. However, Tabb continued to claw back. Gloucester stretched their lead to seven points, but two short jumpers, the second by Butch Camithier, cut the margin to 54-51.
In the end, it was Sills who played a key role in the game’s two clinching baskets, but it was his assists that set up the scores, first on a drop-in pass to Trey Fortner, and then a steal and outlet pass to Xander Cooke which put Gloucester ahead 58-51 with 1:10 remaining.
Speaking of his early scoring outburst, Sills said, “I knew it needed to be done for us to get through,” With regard to his final two assists, the junior guard changed course saying “I trust my teammates to make those shots.”
Sills was also a perfect 11 of 11 from the free throw line. Speaking of his prowess from the charity stripe, Sills admitted “I’m usually not 100 percent from the line, but I was feeling them tonight.”
Gloucester 8, 23, 15, 14 -- 60
Tabb 17, 14, 12, 13 -- 56
GLOUCESTER (3-7): Cooke 14, Sills 34, Durren 2, Simmons 2, Fortner 5, Womble 3. Totals 21 14-19 60.
TABB (5-4): Thomas 9, Cooper 1, Jordan Eleby 13, Javon Eleby 11, Knapp 3, Olson 2, Camithier 7, Smith 10. Totals 19 14-21 56.
3-point goals: Gloucester 4 (Cooke, Sills, Fortner, Womble), Tabb 4 (Jordan Eleby 2, Thomas, Knapp).
Now in its fifth year, the tournament, sponsored by Bayport Credit Union, has been dedicated to the memory of Dale Lucado since his passing in February 2012. Lucado was a star and captain of the 1967 Newport News High School Typhoon football team. However, in 1971, he broke his neck while making a tackle in an alumni football game against Hampton High, and the injury made him a quadriplegic. In spite of his health situation, Lucado’s dedication to youth athletics and optimistic approach toward life made him an inspiration to many kids on the Peninsula. In Lucado’s name, all proceeds from the Bayport tournament are donated to the scholarship fund of the Boys and Girls Club.
