Tunstall sent out its senior class with a bang as the Trojans manhandled Piedmont District foe Patrick County, 62-26, on Friday night to close out the regular season.
The Trojans (5-17, 2-6) lock in the No. 4 seed for the Piedmont District tournament and will play the Cougars (0-20, 0-7) in the play-in game Feb. 14 at Bassett High School.
The winner of the game will play top-seed Magna Vista in the district semifinals.
“We’ve been looking toward tournament play for a long time, just trying to get ourselves prepared,” Tunstall coach Eddy Lloyd said. “When you can have some confidence and build on some things, then practices don’t seem as long. They seem a little bit more fun and we’re certainly looking forward to it.”
The game was never in doubt as Tunstall led from the opening seconds — a Cameron Hairston easy layup 30 seconds into the game the sign of things to come — and the Cougars could never get into a rhythm as the Trojans’ pressure defense forced numerous turnovers and easy transition baskets.
Senior Nolan Hendrix led Tunstall with 14 points and VeShawn Parrish finished with 10 points.
Seniors Cameron Hairston (nine points) and Travis Fuquay (eight points) provided plenty of offensive spark while the fourth senior, Tim Smith, corralled several steals and rebounds that led to the transition baskets.
After Patrick County cut the lead to 17-8 on a Marquise Nawlin (game-high 15 points) basket, the Trojans scored the next eight points over a 4 minute span to take a 25-8 lead.
In the third quarter, Tunstall held Patrick County scoreless for nearly five minutes as the lead blossomed from 15 to 26 points (39-13).
“I think, particularly for the seniors, it certainly is nice for them to be able to go out on a winning note on their home floor,” Tunstall coach Eddy Lloyd said. “Times have been tough for us and I’m just so proud of them. Our kids are very resilient — they keep coming back, they keep picking up and they keep playing hard. It certainly is nice for them — Tim Smith, Cameron Hairston, Travis Fuquay, Nolan Hendrix — really glad for them to have an opportunity to remember 20 years from now their last home game being like this.”
Tunstall 62, Patrick County 26
PATRICK COUNTY (0-20, 0-7)
Nester 0 0-0 0, Roberson 1 2-3 4, Trent 0 2-2 2, Land 0 1-2 1, Nawlin 6 3-3 15, Hutchens 0 0-0 0, Goad 0 2-2 2, Penn 1 0-0 2, Helms 0 0-0 0, Davis 0 0-0 0. Totals 8 10-12 26.
TUNSTALL (5-17, 2-6)
Hendrix 5 4-8 14, Hairston 3 3-5 9, Fuquay 2 3-6 8, Smith 0 0-0 0, Seamster 1 2-4 4, Wilson 2 0-0 4, Fowlkes 2 0-0 5, Unger 2 0-0 4, Harris 2 0-0 4, Parrish 4 2-3 10. Totals 23 14-26 60.
Patrick County 4 7 6 9 — 26
Tunstall 8 17 16 21 — 60
3-Point Goals — Tunstall 2 (Fuquay, Fowlkes). Fouled Out — None.
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