PILGRIM’S KNOB, Va. -- Grundy scored the first 10 points of the game and the first nine points of the second half.
That allowed the Golden Wave all the wiggle room it would need in a 65-50 win over Richlands to capture the Hoopalachia Hardwood Classic title Saturday night at Twin Valley High School.
Sophomore center Cade Looney led Grundy with 20 points, 13 rebounds and six blocks despite early foul trouble.
Sophomore point guard Hamilton Campbell matched Looney’s 20 points and handed out nine assists. Jake McCoy contributed 10 points, seven boards and seven assists.
“Our fast start in the first quarter was a really important factor in the game,” Grundy coach Dr. Brian Looney. “We came out and played really good basketball the first and third quarters.
“We then got into some foul trouble again with Cade and Corey (Keene). I was really proud of how our reserves stepped up and contributed.”
Cade Simmons tossed 14 points for Richlands, which missed 15 of its first 16 shots from the field.
The Blues hustled back to trimmed the deficit to nine just before halftime. Grundy rebuilt its lead to 40-20 early in the second half and maintained a 14-to-22 point advantage the rest of the way.
“It was a huge weekend for us,” added Looney, whose club erased a 13-point second half deficit to defeat Class AAA Greenbrier East on Friday. “Everyone respects Richlands for their football, but I hold their basketball program in just as high regard.
“When I got the job at Grundy three years ago, coach (Fred) Phillips was the first person I went and talked with. Not about X’s and O’s, but about being a head coach and running a program. He does it right over there.”
Richlands was defending last year’s Hoopalachia title.
Grundy is off to a 4-0 start.
GRUNDY (65)
McCoy 10, Keene 3, Campbell 20, Meadows 3, Looney 20, Cooper 2, Cole 5, Vance 2, Justus 0, Stacy 0, Bedsole 0, Lester 0.
RICHLANDS (50)
Barnette 9, Shreve 6, Simmons 14, Richardson 2, Berry 4, Webb 2, Brown 4, Moir 5, Wilson 0. Cole 0, Whited 0.
Grundy..........................16 15 20 14 -- 65
Richlands.......................4 16 16 14 -- 50
3-point goals: R 4 (Shreve 2, Simmons 2), G 8 (Campbell 4, Keene, Meadows Looney , Cole).
In other Hoopalachia boys games, Greenbrier Bailee Coles, the son of Spartan’s coach and former Virginia Tech standout Bimbo Coles, led the Spartans to a 53-29 third place win over the homestanding Panthers by scoring 17 points. Tylor Keen scored eight points in the loss.
River View also defeated Hurley in the fifth place game 64-47, led by Freddie Dawson with 14 points. Taylor Justus paced the Rebels with 26 points.
Girls
John I. Burton 50, Richlands 33: J.I. Burton caught fire at the end of the third quarter and finished the game with a 22-5 run to claim the Hoopalachia Hardwood Classic girls championship.
Sarah Mullins hit two 3-pointers to key the game-ending run and finished with a game-high 19 points for the Raiders. Kaitlin Lindsey added 17 points.
Lauren Earls tossed in 17 points for the Lady Blues.
J.I. BURTON (50)
Ellis 2, Williams 7, Jenkins 5, S. Mullins 19, Lindsey 17.
RICHLANDS (33)
Guerriero 5, Earls 17, Perkins 8, Short 2, Stevenson 1.
J.I. Burton...................... 11 6 13 20 -- 50
Richlands.........................5 7 17 4 -- 33
3-point goals: JIB 4 (Lindsey 3, Mullins), R 4 (Earls 3, Guerriero).
In other Hoopalachia girls games, Hurley defeated Twin Valley 43-35 in the third place game. Krista Endicott and Jayda Davis hit late 3s to help the Rebels pull away from the Panthers. Endicott finished with 24 points and Davis added 14. Makayla Keen led Twin Valley with 14 points.
Sullivan North earned fifth place with a 39-34 win over Mountain Mission, while seventh place went to Northwood, which out-scored Castlewood 39-27.
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