The Craig County girls and boys had a basketball doubleheader at Bland County postponed due to impending bad weather last Saturday and this week’s schedule is in jeopardy as well.
The girls were scheduled to play at home Monday against Roanoke Valley Christian, followed by games at Eastern Montgomery on Wednesday and at Parry McCluer on Thursday. The boys were scheduled to play at East Mont Tuesday and at home against Parry McCluer on Thursday.
Last week the girls got in two games, including a 49-35 win over Glenvar in Roanoke County on January 19. Emily Smith was on fire, scoring 27 points to lead the Rockets. Kallie Fisher had 10 points and Natalie Fisher had eight.
Last Wednesday the girls played at Narrows and fell 93-45 to a strong Green Wave team. With the loss the Rockets dropped to 5-5 on the season while Narrows improved to 10-4.
Smith had 16 points and Daileigh Donithan had nine to lead the Rockets at Narrows. Former Craig County player Kailyn Jones had 24 points, 24 rebounds and three steals for the Wave. Natalie Fisher led Craig with seven boards and Kallie Fisher had five assists.
“We had some pretty good looks on offense on both nights and we are finding the inside of the basket more and more,” said Craig coach Erica Crabtree. “We’re scoring the ball well now, we just need to step up on defense and put everything together.”
The boys had three games last week, all at home, and sandwiched a win over the Covington Boys Home between losses to Eastern Montgomery and Narrows. The Rockets hosted East Mont on January 19 and lost 51-34.
“They just outhustled us,” said coach Jimmy Fisher. “We were off school and we don’t seem to play well when we’re not in school during the day. They weren’t in school either and it didn’t seem to bother them.”
The Rockets bounced back with a win over the Covington Boys Home, in New Castle, a night later but lost to Narrows on Thursday, 69-43. Fisher pulled his team off the floor with 1:30 to go as the game was very physical and getting out of hand.
“I could see what was coming,” said Fisher. “The referees lost control of the game. There were a lot of hard fouls.
Craig had three boys suspended last week, Luke Potter, Carter Price and Bradyn Dunbar. All three will have to sit out seven games before they can return, hopefully before the post-season.
“We were awful thin to begin with,” said Fisher.
The boys are now 4-8 overall and 2-4 in Pioneer District play.
