Takeaways: 3A State Championship
The 3A State Championships featured all of the emotions you expect to see in the Final Four on any level: Excitement, agony and heartbreak. The games kept spectators and coaches on the edge of their seats the whole way through,…
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Continue ReadingThe 3A State Championships featured all of the emotions you expect to see in the Final Four on any level: Excitement, agony and heartbreak. The games kept spectators and coaches on the edge of their seats the whole way through, and we got to witness a legend cement his legacy. Here’s what we took away from the 3A State Finals last weekend.
Travis Fields: The Perfect Ending
It’s only fitting that senior point guard Travis Fields went out on top, but you couldn’t have scripted a better ending. After winning the last two 4A State Championships, Norcom cruised their way into the 3A State Championship after their third win of the season over John Marshall in the semifinals.
However, Norcom had their backs on the rope midway through the fourth quarter of the state championship game against Hopewell. Despite a convincing win in the regional championship, Norcom trailed Hopewell with less than four minutes to play, with their senior leader sitting on the bench with four fouls.
Fields entered the game with 3:21 left after junior forward KJ Davis, another key piece, fouled out and Norcom trailing 53-48. Fields took the game over, much like he’s done throughout his career, coming up with 6 big points, along with a steal and assist and the layup with 41 seconds left to tie the game and send it into overtime.
In overtime the Fields show continued, as he did whatever it took to keep Norcom in the game. Trailing Hopewell by two with 10 seconds left, Fields broke the pressure to find sophomore Darien Allison who got fouled and headed to the line. After the sophomore hit both, the climax for the script was in place.
On the ensuing inbound, Fields stole the ball from behind, took two dribbles and nailed a 15 footer as time expired to the win the game. It’s a feeling that he’ll never forget, but can’t explain either.
“To be honest, I don’t know what went through my mind,” Fields said. “It was just a relief and so much joy. I can’t even explain it, it was just an amazing feeling though.”
Fields had an amazing game to end an amazing career, leading his team with 30 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. The threepeat is a fitting way to end his career, which coach Leon Goolsby tried to sum up after.
“You’re looking at the heart of our team right here, number five,” Goolsby said about Fields. “He’s the heart and soul of this team. From day one, the guys look at him to lead, and when he gets it going it picks the rest of them up.”
To top it off, Fields was also named 3A State Player of the Year and committed to Old Dominion. Wherever he ends up, I’m sure that intensity, heart and winning attitude will follow him.
Johnnie Harrison Sparks Hopewell
It was an up-and-down season for the Hopewell senior, who went from being a starter on last year’s semifinal to the sixth man on this year’s team. In their 71-67 win over Northside in the semifinals, Harrison brought a lot of energy off the bench, giving them 22 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals all while guarding a multitude of players at different positions.
“Bringing Johnnie off the bench gives us a boost because he plays so fast and with so much energy, teams aren’t ready for it when they’re already tired,” head coach Curt Young said.
Harrison followed his big semifinal game with a solid showing in the championship game as well, where he had 12 points and 5 rebounds. He’ll likely have to go the JUCO route, where he’ll learn to play at multiple speeds and match his skill set to his athleticism.
Northside Falls Just Short
Heartbreaking end for the Roanoke high school, that had won 25 straight games coming into the state semifinals at VCU. Northside led for the majority of the game, but foul trouble and free throws ultimately did them in. Senior Kendrick Tucker led the way with 25 points and 6 rebounds, while sophomore point guard Nick Price chipped in 13 points and 4 rebounds, however they both fouled out in critical situations late in the fourth quarter. Without the two playmakers in the game, Northside struggled to create good shots, and lost a close one and a heartbreaker. With all that being said, Northside should be a force to reckon with down the road, with the four of their top seven players being underclassmen.
John Marshall Says Good Bye to Jeremy Sheppard
It was a tough matchup for John Marshall to pull in Norcom, after losing to them twice in the past three weeks prior to the state tournament. Norcom controlled the game for the most part, but John Marshall senior guard Jeremy Sheppard went out with a reminder of how special his career was. Sheppard finished with 23 points and 5 steals, and continually wowed the crowd with his quick handle and deep range. A former state champion, Sheppard originally committed to UCF, but is waiting to see what direction they go with hiring a new coach before he decides whether or not he’ll reopen his committment.