The William Byrd basketball team will be in Bassett Friday to meet the Class 4, Region D rival Bassett Bengals. The Terriers could use a win against a team they might see in the post-season.
Byrd was 5-11 after losing in Salem Monday night but coach Josh Cunningham knows basketball is a tournament game, and all that really matters is what happens at the end of the season. The Terriers continue to work hard toward that goal.
“Other than Monday’s game against Salem, I see us getting better every day,” said Cunningham. “We’re working hard to be playing our best at the end of the season.”
The Terriers had beaten Salem the first time around, but the Spartans were much-improved when they showed up in Vinton Monday. Salem jumped to a 31-15 halftime lead and held on for a 62-47 win.
“We came out a little flat and Salem played really well,” said Cunningham. “Their point guard dictates what they do and he did a good job, and they shot the ball well.”
Terrell Smith had 16 to lead the Byrd scoring and Casey Smith put up 11.
Last Friday at Northside the Byrdmen ran into a buzz saw as they fell to undefeated Northside, 90-46. The Vikings led 44-32 at the half, and that isn’t considered bad against the valley’s top rated team.
“We actually shot over 50 percent for the game and played really well in the first half,” said Cunningham. “In the second half we started turning it over, and you can’t do that against Northside.”
Terrell Smith led Byrd with 16 points, J.J.Seymore had nine and Thomas Adams had seven. Julien Wooden had 30 points for the home team and Nick Price had 25 points and seven steals.
“They’re a really good team,” said Cunningham. “They’re athletic, they can all shoot it and they have tremendous chemistry.”
The Terriers were snowed out of a game with George Washington of Danville last week, and that game may not be made up as the games start to pile up. Byrd was at Pulaski Wednesday, Friday it’s off to Bassett and next Tuesday, January 30, the Byrdmen will play host to William Fleming.
