AHS got off to a remarkably slow start in its rematch of a December game won 72-70 by the Vikings in Newland last month. Owen seized a 14-6 lead after one period as the Big Red connected on only two of its 10 shots in the period and committed nine turnovers that helped push the Warhorses out in front.
In the second frame, however, the Vikings protected the basketball offensively and stepped up the defensive pressure to get back into the game. Following a basket by Ben Marett which gave the Warhorses a 23-10 lead at the 5:22 mark of the stanza,
AHS held Owen scoreless for the remainder of the period and mounted a 9-0 scoring run of its own to draw within four points at intermission.
As in last year’s matchup in Swannanoa, AHS senior Dustin Clarke shouldered the offensive scoring burden for the Vikings, as he netted 11 points in the second period and 15 of the 19 Viking markers for the half.
In the third period the Big Red continued to make its push toward the lead. Senior Kody Hughes asserted himself and was a factor on both ends of the floor. Hughes connected on 3-of-4 shots from the field and scored nine points in the period.
Jordan Brown countered for Owen with seven points of his own which helped the Warhorses preserve a narrow 37-35 advantage heading into the final eight minutes of play.
A Hughes steal and bucket at the 6:36 mark of the final stanza staked the Vikings its first lead of the contest at 39-37, while a three-point play from Alex Villanueva boosted the AHS club to a five-point margin.
The plays appeared to swing the game’s momentum for good in favor of the visitors from AHS. Clarke connected on three field goals in the period and scored 11 points in the final quarter. Hughes scored six over the same span, while Villanueva finished with five points in the period.
The Vikings did everything it needed to do over the final eight minutes to close out the victory. AHS shot 9-of-15 from the field in the frame and connected on 7-of-9 shots from the free throw line. The team committed just two turnovers in the period and gave the ball up just six times over the entire second half to quell all hopes for an Owen win.
Hughes hit both of AHS’s three-point shots for the contest and finished with 14 points, to go with seven rebounds and three steals. Villanueva chipped in with nine points, with six points, five rebounds and two steals from Joey Potter.
The contest with Thomas Jefferson was a closer matchup than most suspected, but the Vikings emerged victorious with an 88-74 win on its home floor.
AHS played the game without the services of head coach Bo Manis, who was absent due to a death in the family. Assistant coach Reggie Oakes took the reins for the game, and will lead the Big Red through next week’s games also in the coach’s absence.
Behind the touch of the state’s leading scorer, Travis Waldrop-Rodriguez, the Gryphons and Vikings played evenly through one period, as the squads were knotted at 20-20 after one period.
The Vikings shot more than 50 percent from the field in the first half, as the senior duo of Dustin Clarke and Kody Hughes paced the AHS offense with a combined for 32 points to pace the Big Red to a 44-38 halftime lead.
TJCA’s own dynamic tandem of Waldrop-Rodriguez and Richard Petty attempted to keep pace with AHS with 26 points of their own by intermission.
AHS began the second half at a torrid pace with a 27-point third period. Clarke continued a white-hot shooting display with 12 points in the stanza, with nine from Hughes, stretching the Viking advantage to 71-54 after three quarters.
Waldrop-Rodriguez, much like his 34-point effort in the first meeting between the schools, showed why he is one of the best scorers in recent history in the Western Highlands Conference. The freshman tallied a game-high 33 points that included a 75-foot heave for his final three points as time expired to end the game.
Clarke ended the night with 32 points in his own right to lead the Vikings to go with 10 assists, six rebounds and four steals. Hughes was also a major factor in the triumph with a season-high 26 points. Colton Blackburn added eight points and four rebounds, with seven points from Benji Stewart.
“They played a lot of man defense on us last game, but we just happened to work on offense against a zone defense the last five minutes of our last practice. They showed a 3-2 zone, and our work really paid off with some open looks and buckets tonight,” Oakes said after the Viking victory. “All of us are keeping Bo in our prayers, and he has done such a great job with the kids this year. I don’t think people realize how good a job he has done with these kids. He left some words of wisdom with the kids about being a band of brothers, and tonight it seemed like everybody was into the game and supporting each other with strong camaraderie. I credit this whole win to Coach Manis.”
AHS improves to 10-4 for the season, with a 7-1 mark in conference contests. The Vikings was scheduled to take on conference leader Hendersonville on Tuesday, Jan. 25, in the Viking Octagon, and will travel to Mountain Heritage this Thursday, Jan. 27, and journey to Polk County on Friday, Jan. 28.
