Vikings battle injuries at pivotal juncture
In Woodbridge’s loss to Potomac on Saturday and win over Osbourn Park on Tuesday, the Vikings were missing two starters: senior forward James Prince and sophomore guard Andre Bratton, who are both hurt.
Prince suffered a sprained toe against Stonewall Jackson Jan. 28; Bratton continues to battle a problem he had last year — a bunion on his foot.
“He’s been dealing with it for two to three weeks and it’s just come to a head,” Viking coach Will Robinson said. “He’s tried to play on it, but he can’t go at full speed.”
Robinson said he doesn’t expect either to play this week and they could be out longer.
“It’s a tough time of the year to lose two starters,” Robinson said.
CROWDED HOUSE
Think home court advantage is a myth? Try telling that to Brentsville’s players, who got a boost from a near-capacity crowd during Monday night’s 37-33 win over Clarke County, even though a fair number of the fans made the trip to Nokesville from Berryville.
Ramsey Boyd, who made a 3-pointer and came up with a key steal in the closing minutes, said each felt great with Monday’s crowd behind him.
“I’ve got to tell you,”‘ Boyd said. “Collin McCarron got on the announcements this morning and told everybody to come out tonight to see a big game, and that’s exactly what they got.”
After both schools won on Tuesday night, Clarke County (16-2 overall, 9-1 in the Bull Run District) maintained a half-game lead on Brentsville (12-7, 8-1) in the district race.
Brian Owen, who led the Tigers with 15 points in the win over Clarke County, said the crowd helped a lot, but so did the return to the bench of head coach Doug Poppe, who missed last week’s games while his daughter was in the hospital recovering from tonsil surgery.
AROUND THE AREA
Brentsville’s narrow four-point win over Clarke County on Monday has been typical of the two teams’ rivalry over the last four seasons. Since the 1999-2000 season, seven of the nine games between the two teams has been decided by 10 points or less. Clarke County holds a 5-4 advantage in victories. … Potomac forward Jason Flagler, in his junior year, already is 57 points away from hitting 1,000 for his career. … Evangel’s Katie Oakes had 28 rebounds to go along with 23 points and eight steals Tuesday in the Eagles’ 52-47 win over Fresta Valley. … Osbourn Park No. 2 scorer James Broderick sprained his ankle during the third quarter of the Jackets’ 60-53 loss Saturday to Forest Park, causing him to miss Tuesday’s game against Woodbridge. OP coach Danny Lawray said he hopes to have Broderick back by next week.
The prep basketball notebook is compiled each Thursday in the Potomac News & Manassas Journal Messenger. Staff writer Keith McMillan contributed to this report.