LCA's Marcus Miller drives past Heritage's Neimijah Rodriguez.
Bryson Gordon
Just days after his younger brother, Tyler, quarterbacked Liberty Christian's football team to the second leg of back-to-back Virginia High School League state championships, Ryan Jackson had a little extra burst in his step during the first quarter of Tuesday night's cross-town Seminole hoops matchup with Heritage.
The senior guard commanded the opening eight minutes, getting a foot in the paint on drives and opening up the Bulldogs' offense. He poured in 11 points in the opening quarter and had four more by halftime. Postgame, Ryan Jackson let up that he has some catching up to do with his younger brother in the trophy department. And Tuesday was a nice start.
Behind Jackson's scorching first quarter, and an 17-5 run to close the first half, Liberty Christian dispatched the Pioneers on Tuesday night, 59-44, at LCA. The Bulldogs (5-0) got production from several contributors as star guard/forward Jisaiah Bryant battled foul trouble on the evening. He finished with nine points.
"The beauty of our program is that we have a lot of depth," coach Matt Klein said. "Having Jay on the bench is not opportune, but next guy up, right? And I thought we did that tonight."
It was Jackson who paced the Bulldogs in the opening frame, scoring 11 of their 15 points. He matched Heritage's output in the first quarter, but it was the second quarter where LCA opened its lead an extended run.
"They ran out on us in the first half," Heritage coach Tony Crews said, "they were just getting to the cup and playing hard. We've got to play hard in the first."
After a 3-pointer by Tavion Clark pulled the Pioneers within 15-14 early in the second, LCA turned on a big closing run to the half. Marcus Miller scored all six of his points in during the second quarter, and displayed the athleticism the Bulldogs have in transition.
Bryant did as well, starting a mini-run of his own with a 3-pointer and a transition jam to cap off the 17-5 Bulldogs spurt to end the second quarter, which helped them open up a 32-19 lead at the break.
In a game between two teams expected to duel for the Seminole's top spot this season, the Pioneers (1-3, 1-1 Seminole) spotted LCA too much of a head start, Crews said.
"They weren't doing anything spectacular," he said, "they were just getting to the cup and playing hard."
The Bulldogs hit five 3s on the night. Heritage hit just 2 of 16 attempts from deep. The effort was better in the second half, Crews said. But the Bulldogs still extended their lead in the third.
Colton Davis (seven points) knocked down his lone 3 during the third quarter to extend the lead to 41-22 for the Bulldogs. Bryant picked up his fourth foul, but his teammates picked him up.
"I just have to pick them up and encourage them," Bryant said about nights like Tuesday, when he's in foul trouble. "They're gonna pick me right back up so I'm going to do the same."
Bryant and Ryder Zingelmann were key in thwarting Pioneers center Marchello Toms most of the night, holding him to just nine points.
"[Ryder] is very unassuming," Klein said about Zingelmann, who scored nine points, "but he's a great defender and he's explosive around the rim. Toms is one of the best bigs in the area and in the state, and I thought he did a nice job on him."
Heritage was led by Clark (12 points) and Tyrese Slaughter (nine points), who scored four points in the fourth. The Pioneers found their grove in the final 16 minutes, and outscored LCA in the fourth. But Crews is looking for a leader to emerge to get his team out of the gates.
"It's a long season, we'll figure it out," he said. "You don't win the game on game day. You win the game in practice."
In the final eight minutes, LCA got 3s from Tre Smith (seven points) and Michael Chestnut. Klein is encouraged about the options emerging across his team. After Jackson's 18 points, no other Bulldog finished in double-figures. And they earned an all-important cross-town Seminole win.
"We've got internal goals and one of those is to take care of the Seminole, and to take care of business in the city," Klein said.
"That's a well-coached, athletic, explosive team. And we did what we could and I thought we have some things to get excited about."
Liberty Christian 59, Heritage 44
HERITAGE (2-3, 1-1 Seminole)
Marchello Toms 10, Tavion Clark 12, Slaughter 8, Price 2, Miller 2, Allen 3, Rodriguez 4, Gaddis 1, Tyree 2. Totals 15 12-23 44.
LIBERTY CHRISTIAN (5-0, 2-0 Seminole)
Miller 6, Bryant 9, Ryan Jackson 18, Zingelmann 9, Chestnut 3, Smith 7, Davis 7. Totals 23 8-13 59.
Heritage;11;8;12;13; -- ;44
LCA;15;17;16;11; -- ;59
3-point goals: Heritage 2 (Clark, Slaughter). LCA 5 (Bryant, Jackson, Chestnut, Smith, Davis.
Bryson Gordon, (434) 385-5529
bgordon@newsadvance.com
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