By Miranda Crockett
The Warriors took a hard loss Saturday after leading majority of the game. Martinsville grabbed the lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter and didn’t let go. The Bulldogs defeated Magna Vista 49 to 42.
Magna Vista lead the game for all three quarters but it wasn’t enough to grasp the win. The Bulldogs took the lead for the remainder of the game after a big 3-pointer from Martinsville junior Jaheim Niblett at the start of the fourth. Niblett’s 18 points helped keep the Bulldogs afloat and his 12 points in the second half helped them get the win down the stretch.
The Warriors had a hard time knocking down shots late in the game. Sophomore Tavin Hairston put the Warriors up by 8 with a 3-pointer late in the third quarter but the Warriors hit a drought in the fourth allowing Martinsville to will their way to a win. The Warriors only scored five points the entire fourth quarter.
Martinsville had more size and the officials let them play calling very little both ways. This put Magna Vista at a disadvantage but they still managed to put up a good fight. “Im proud of the fight my guys had,” said Magna Vista head coach Patrick Mills. “We played too fast when they went man.” After preparing so much for the zone, when they switched defenses it sped Magna Vista up forcing them to take quick shots. The Bulldogs outscored Magna Vista 20-5 in the final quarter erasing their lead and putting them away for the win.
Tavin Hairston and Courdae Gravely lead the Warriors, both scoring 10 points. Spencer Hairston and Ryan Johnson both had 8. Tyler Johnson, Takoma Kid and Nycarius Gravely rounded out the scoring column, each contributed 2 points.