Varsity Girls Win Thriller; Boys Rally Past Blue Ridge

Tiffany Helmer scored on a drive with 12 seconds remaining to give the SJCS Varsity girls basketball team a thrilling 45-43 win over visiting Blue Ridge on Thursday night.

After Helmer's basket put the Knights on top, Blue Ridge had a chance at the other end, but Helmer knocked the ball away, and Evie Adams secured it under the Tigers' basket and held on as the clock ran out.

Adams scored 12 of her team-high 15 points in the second half, including seven in the fourth quarter during which the lead changed hands five times.

After Blue Ridge tied the score at 39-39, Adams scored on a drive and then got ahead of the pack and scored on a break with an assist from Helmer to make it 43-39 with 2:48 remaining.

The Tigers responded with 1 of 2 from the line and a 3-pointer to pull even again at 43-43 with 56 seconds left.

There was plenty of drama left, but Helmer provided the only points down the stretch, enabling the Knights to improve to 2-0.

Helmer also had eight steals, five assists and three rebounds, and Adams also contributed three rebounds, two steals and two assists.

Lola Kelly had 10 points and five steals, Stella Nash had six points and four rebounds and Emi Reese Hand had 12 rebounds.

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Varsity Boys

The Varsity boys rallied from 13 points down in the first half and defeated Blue Ridge 45-37 on Thursday night.

Smith Crick scored 11 of his 17 points -- including two of his four 3-pointers -- in the fourth quarter, which began with the Knights trailing 28-27.

Crick and Deon Jamerson knocked down short jumpers, and then Crick nailed his two 3-pointers, the second putting St. Joe's on top 37-30 with 4:49 remaining. The Tigers were never closer than six points after that.

Carter Bears scored 10 points for the Knights. Deon Jamerson finished with nine points, and Keon Jamerson had six points.

Caleb Hood had three points, and they came on a key 3-pointer that capped a 7-0 run at the end of the first half, taking a 13-point deficit down to 26-20. The Knights then scored the first five points of the second half to complete a 12-0 run and close the gap to 26-25.

The quarter ended with Blue Ridge ahead 28-27, and the Knights dominated the final quarter and improved to 4-0 this season.

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