The James Monroe High School boys’ basketball team continues to make history.
Three nights after the Yellow Jackets qualified for the state tournament for the first time since 2012, they ensured a home game on Tuesday night in the Class 3 quarterfinals with a 63-56 victory over Meridian in the Region 3B title game to earn their first regional championship since 1986.
James Monroe (21-5) will host the loser of tomorrow’s 3 p.m. contest between Lake Taylor and Booker T. Washington on Tuesday at 7 p.m. Meridian (22-3) will face the winner of that game.
The Yellow Jackets were paced Friday by freshman guard Makel Minor’s game-high 27 points, which inched him closer to the Virginia High School League’s freshman record for points in a season.
Minor is up to 636 points, 26 shy of former East Rockingham star Tyler Nickel’s record of 662. Nickel now plays for Virginia Tech.
Minor wasn’t alone on Friday as junior guard Michael Edwards poured in 16 points, including the game-clinching free throw that gave the Yellow Jackets a 60-56 advantage with five seconds remaining.
After a steal, Minor connected on a 3-pointer at the buzzer to provide the final margin.
James Monroe, which was also boosted by 14 points from senior guard Tee Ford, led 29-26 at halftime but used a quick third-quarter spurt to build a 10-point lead.
Meridian pulled within one late in the game, but an Edwards layup in the final minute gave JM a 59-56 lead. The Yellow Jackets made a stop on defense and Edwards sealed the win at the line.
The Yellow Jackets’ fans who made the trip celebrated with the team, which posed for photographs with the region trophy in hand.
James Monroe 15 14 20 14 – 63
Meridian 12 14 18 12 – 56
James Monroe (22-5): Dezaun Robinson 4, Tee Ford 13, Michael Edwards 16, Ty ‘Kori Pettus 2, Jeremiah Branson 1, Makel Minor 27. Totals 26 6-8 63.
Meridian (22-3): I. Rusenberger 2, W. Davis 4, D. Martino 22, J. Jardine 6, J. Lyman 9, W. Asel 2, B. Fitzpatrick 2, G. Greiner 9. Totals 23 6-10 56.
3-pointers: James Monroe 5 (Minor 4, Edwards). Meridian 4 (Martino 3, Lyman).
REGION 4B GIRLS
Monacan 90, Chancellor 53
The Chargers’ first trip to the region title game didn’t go as planned.
Chancellor (24-3) had a packed and lively gymnasium as it hosted perennial power Monacan in the 4B championship. But after hanging close in the first quarter, the Chargers allowed a 13-0 Monacan run to begin the second quarter as the Chiefs (20-5) pulled away and didn’t look back.
“That run was huge, especially in a game like this,” Monacan head coach Leslie Bacile said. “You have to be able to stretch the lead and give yourself some comfort. Chancellor is a very good team, so the whole time I was still a little uncomfortable.”
Chancellor senior guard Kendall Scott scored a game-high 34 points. However, no other Chancellor player finished in double figures.
“Kendall is a very good player,” Monacan guard Lila Donnelly said. “We knew she was going to get hers no matter what. We put Trinity [Jones] on her, just to limit her and make everybody else score.”
Donnelly paced the Chiefs with 27 points. Jones added 18 despite foul trouble and Amirah Washington contributed 17.
Even with the result, Chancellor still moves on to the Class 4 state quarterfinals. They’ll be on the road at Hampton Tuesday night at 7 p.m. Monacan will host Jamestown the same night.
Chargers head coach Brian Lanning said his players must remain positive.
“We’ve done things all year that they’ve never done at Chancellor,” Lanning said. “They see how much support we have from the community, from their families and from each other. They just need to relish in the moment and know that we have a great team and we’ve done great all year.”
Monacan 17 28 23 22 – 90
Chancellor 11 14 16 12 – 53
Monacan (20-5): Zofia Enriquez 12, Lila Donnelly 27, Allie Burgett 4, Junithia Seay 4, Amirah Washington 17, Jade Williams 6, Autumn Smith 2, Trinity Jones 18. Totals 36 14-16 90.
Chancellor (24-3): Lydia Brockelbank 4, Natalie Lanning 3, Maya Johnson 7, Anastazja Arvan 2, Kendall Scott 34, Megan Clouser 3. Totals 17 15-22 53.
3-pointers: Monacan 4 (Donnelly 4). Chancellor 4 (Johnson 2, Scott, Lanning).
REGION 5D BOYS
Potomac Falls 53, Massaponax 51
The Panthers (20-6) dropped a hard-fought Region 5D championship game to Potomac Falls on the road Friday night.
The defeat means Massaponax will remain on the road for the state tournament. The Panthers will visit Region 5C champion L.C. Bird in the Class 5 quarterfinals Tuesday night.
Potomac Falls (26-0) will host 5C runner-up Albemarle.
