HHS’s Smart Start
Sampson Nets 23 In 61-53 Win
Posted: February 2, 2013
Harrisonburg’s Seth Kardos shoots as Broadway’s Dane Spitzer defends during the second quarter of Friday’s game at BHS. The Blue Streaks won 61-53. (Photos by Michael Reilly)
Harrisonburg’s Nitahji Alford (right) defends a shot by Broadway’s Kenley Lohr during the first quarter.
“Damien was just getting better and better, and we’re like, ‘Why is he sitting by me so much?’” Joyner said.
The decision looked especially smart Friday.
On Broadway’s senior night, Sampson torched the Gobblers for 17 first-half points and finished with 23 as the Blue Streaks held on for a 61-53 win.
“I’ve been waiting on it [starting] all season, and finally it came,” said Sampson, a sophomore guard who made his first start Jan. 24 against Amherst County. “…When I start out the game, I can feel the flow better.”
The win puts the Blue Streaks (9-11 overall, 5-5 in the Valley District) in the driver’s seat for a bye in the Division 4 bracket of the Valley District tournament, which starts Feb. 11. Harrisonburg has a one-game advantage over Turner Ashby with two games to play.
The Gobblers (3-17, 1-9), who also compete in the D-4 bracket, were content to let Sampson try and beat them from the outside. They were more focused on leading scorer Seth Kardos, whom they held without a point in the first half. BHS led 34-31 at halftime.
“Probably people in the stands were thinking, ‘Good God, he’s wide open.’ Well, we kind of wanted that,” BHS coach Dwight Walton said of the defensive strategy on Sampson. “And they hit some shots. But in the long run of it, in that first half, that paid off for us.”
But Kardos had 12 second-half points, senior point guard Brian Rodriguez finished with 10 points and sophomore forward Christopher Whitelow also had 10.
The Gobblers had the ball down 56-53 with 1:41 left but came up empty. Then a lay-up by Kardos and a put-back from Whitelow after Sampson’s steal just about sealed it.
Senior forward Dane Spitzer had 15 points, junior guard Austin Phares had 14 and senior guard Kenley Lohr added 12 for BHS.
HARRISONBURG
Rodriguez 5 0-0 10, Kardos 4 3-10 12, Alford 0 0-0 0, Royer 1 0-0 2, Johnson 0 0-0 0, Shifflett 0 0-0 0, Phillips 1 0-0 2, Shifflett 0 0-0, Hayes 0 0-0 0, Sampson 9 1-5 23, Kirkland 0 0-0 0, Whitelow 5 0-0 10, Measell 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 4-15 61.
BROADWAY
Spitzer 4 6-8 15, Mills 1 0-0 2, Lohr 3 6-7 12, Williams 1 2-4 4, MacDonald 0 0-0 0, Delawder 0 0-0 0, Reedy 1 0-0 2, Phares 5 1-2 14, Conley 0 0-0 0, Jacobs 0 0-0 0, Miller 2 0-0 4. Totals 18 15-21 53.
Harrisonburg 16 15 15 16 - 61
Broadway 14 20 14 5 - 53
3-Point Goals—Harrisonburg 5 (Kardos 1, Sampson 4), Broadway 4 (Spitzer 1, Phares 3). Fouled Out—Harrisonburg (Alford). Rebounds—Harrisonburg 23 (Whitelow 6), Broadway 29 (Lohr 8). Total Fouls—Harrisonburg 18, Broadway 11.