Ads collapse in 2nd half vs. HVA
HARDIN VALLEY —Nick Rogers, a star senior wing, had a 31-point effort in his final game as a Farragut Admiral scoring machine.
Too bad his teammates accounted for just 11 total points in a 61-42 second-half collapse loss to Hardin Valley Academy. The setback ended Farragut’s boys season, which came as the No. 7 seed in the District 4-AAA quarterfinals at HVA last Thursday, Feb. 16.
The Admirals finish 11-15 while the Hawks, No. 3 seeded, stood at 15-13 after this win.
Trailing by just two, 25-23, at halftime, Farragut saw Hardin Valley score at least two points on its first eight possessions of the third quarter. Combining second-chance points and hot perimeter shooting with beating the Ads defense off the dribble, HVA led 43-27 after three quarters.
Luke DeFur, sophomore post, led the Hawks in scoring with 16. Anders Cook added 12 while Aaron Dykes scored 10. “Luke DeFur had a big game, especially rebounding, that’s always been a big key for him,” HVA head coach Shane Chambers said.
“For some reason we took two or three really quick shots in those possessions, and they got the rebound and we didn’t get back,” FHS head coach Chris Cool said.
Chance Bolen, FHS senior post, scored eight while Ads senior guard Shawn McKay had three.
Cool said about Rogers — 4-AAA MVP as a junior — and his 1,175 career points, “Nick is one of the best offensive players I’ve ever coached.”
Through his sophomore season at FHS, Rogers said, “I didn’t really have a lot of confidence. Then my junior year I just told myself I was going to go out and do my thing, and that’s what I did.”
Rogers’ 20 points led the Admirals in a 50-41 victory against the No. 6 seeded Heritage Mountaineers Tuesday, Feb. 14, at HVA.
However, “Elijah was the main reason we won that Heritage game because he shut [HHS star Calvin] Keeble down the other night,” Cool said about his senior post/wing.
“I thought Shawn McKay, the last two or three weeks of the season, picked up his defense and hit some shots for us and did some good things for us,” Cool said.
In reference to 5-11 senior post Chance Bolen, a two-year Admirals starter, Cool said, “He has to go up against taller posts yet he has held his own as a scorer, defender and rebounder.” Bolen scored eight against Hardin Valley Thursday.
