The Craig County girls basketball team is entered in the 2nd Annual Knights Winter Classic at James River High School this week. The tournament is for both jayvee and varsity teams and runs from December 18th through December 21st.
The tournament opens tonight, Wednesday, with Staunton River playing Auburn in the varsity opener at 6 pm, followed by Wilson Memorial against Jefferson Forest at 8 pm. In the jayvee bracket that night the same schools are matched up, with Wilson Memorial playing Jefferson Forest at 6 pm and Auburn taking on Staunton River at 8 pm. The varsity tournament is held in the main gym and the jayvees will be playing in the old gym at James River High.
Craig joins the field on Thursday with a 6 pm varsity game against Northside in the main gym and an 8 pm game against Northside in the old gym. Host James River will play Amherst at 8 pm in the varsity tournament and take on the Lancers at 6 pm in the jayvee tournament.
All semifinals are Friday and the championship is Saturday. Every team is assured three games as there will be a consolation bracket for both the varsity and jayvee tournaments.
The Rockets were scheduled to host Eastern Montgomery on Tuesday, but results were too late for publication. The Craig girls were looking for their first win after dropping their first four games.
Last Monday at home visiting Staunton River swept a home-and-home with Craig with a 67-14 win. The Rockets scored 10 more points than in the first meeting with the Eagles but were over-matched against a solid Class 3 Staunton River team. Daileigh Donithan had eight points and Maddie Kendall had three.
“We knew this was a tough game coming into it and the girls came out with tremendous effort,” said first year coach Erica Crabtree. “We cut down on turnovers and created more scoring opportunities for ourselves from the previous time we played them. Although the score was not where I wanted it to be, I am proud of how far we have come and of the effort we continue to give.”
On Thursday of last week the girls hosted Smith Mountain Lake Christian Academy and had their highest scoring game of the young season in a 52-29 loss. Kallie Fisher led the Rockets with a dozen points while Doinithan had nine points and seven rebounds. Jenna Boitnotte had eight boards and two steals, Gracie Huffman had four points and six rebounds and Morgan Underwood added four points.
“We started out aggressive and had a great first half,” said Crabtree. “We got in foul trouble early which caused us to play more reserved and once we lost our footing we never could get going again.
“We played a great overall game, we just let the momentum slip to them and could never get it back. I had players step up this game and am liking how we are playing right now.”
The girls finished a busy week with a trip to Christiansburg, a strong Class 3 River Ridge District team. Once again the Rockets found themselves overmatched but they battled the Demons before falling 61-25.
“We have had a slow start to the season facing some tough opponents early on but we continue to improve each game,” said Crabtree. “ We continue to have players step up when they are needed and everyone is settling into their role on the team.”
Donithan had eight points, five rebounds and two steals to lead the Rockets. Fisher had a good all-around game with five points, four rebounds, three steals and three assists, Morgan Underwood had five points, Gracie Huffman had six rebounds and Boitnotte had five.
“Although our record is not what we want it to be right now I am confident that we can turn it around if we continue to play like we have been,” said Crabtree. “We have more people scoring, more rebounds, steals, and assists with less turnovers every game. Now we just have to put it all together.”
