Wednesday of last week was the day the Caroline boys varsity basketball team grew up, taking Mountain View High School 54-52 in a game that had fans from both teams on the edge of their seats. The Wildcats found out what kind of heart the Cavaliers are playing with this season.
At the beginning of the game it looked as if Mountain View would have things their way, out hustling Caroline on both ends of the court, allowing the Cavaliers offense only one shot on basket. With less than three minutes left in the initial period, the Cavaliers began to score, ending the quarter 8-7 in favor of Caroline. It was at this point Caroline realized they could go up against Mountain View, and it was reflected in their play. At the end of the night, a much larger and more athletic Mountain View team appeared stunned as they left Milford with a loss as a souvenir of their road trip.
The depth of the Cavalier bench was made evident as two of the high scorers for Caroline were David Ware, with 14 points, and Devin Coleman, with 11 points. Both Ware and Coleman are sophomores. Coleman and senior Vondell Green were the high-scoring Cavaliers with 14 points apiece. Green lit up the perimeter shooting with a trio of three-point shots. One of the most impressed with the bench strength of the Cavaliers was Coach Antoine Johnson.
“At the end of the game when everything was so close, I had three sophomores out there on the floor,” Johnson said. “Who would put three sophomores out there if they didn’t trust them?”
For Mountain View, Jacob Pollock put on a three-point clinic, hitting five treys and making them look easy. Pollock finished the night with a game-high 24 points.
Aside from the scoring, the Cavaliers showed a tenacity throughout the entire game that had been evident before only briefly. Ball handling and defensive posturing were showcased, as they were constantly worrying the Wildcats about ball possession and ownership of the court. The question remains, was this a fluke, or has Caroline accepted this style of play as something they will utilize the entire season?
A good test comes in their contest with Eastern View, scheduled for Wednesday of this week, followed by a 1:30 p.m. matinee game Saturday against Lee Davis. Both games are scheduled as home games in Milford.
The Monday prior to Christmas begins a tournament at Glen Allen High School with a game against Thomas Jefferson of Richmond. Games on Tuesday and Wednesday have yet to be determined.
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