Fishburne hangs on

The Fishburne post-graduate basketball team held off a late Blue Ridge run Friday in its first action on the court since Jan. 27.

The Caissons led by 19 points at halftime but with key players in foul trouble, they had to adjust their game plan. The Barons came close in the final five minutes, but never could overtake the Caissons, falling 88-77.

Fishburne exploded out of the gate, taking a 30-18 lead midway into the first half. The Caissons’ guards were deadly from long range, nailing six 3-pointers in the first half, with Khalil Murphy and Donte Morales each hitting two.

“In the first half, what I liked was we had a lot of energy and I’ve got to credit the bench,” said Fishburne coach Ed Huckaby. “We had a couple of guys who normally start that didn’t because of disciple issues. The bench guys played with a lot of energy.”

By the second half, the Caissons had to reel in their high-pressure defense after several players, including Quincy Taylor, found themselves in foul trouble.

“[Taylor] steadies us,” Huckaby said. “He got in foul trouble and it just through us off. He’s a steady force for us. Once he got in foul trouble, the complexion of the game changed.”

The Caissons stepped away from their physical inside game, relying more on outside shooting. While their shots had fallen during the first half, in the second they were cold.

With under 10 minutes to play, the Barons went on an 18-1 run capped by a monster Cameron Anderson dunk, cutting Fishburne’s lead to eight points.

That would be as close as Blue Ridge could get. While the Barons were still finding the basket, Fishburne had an answer for every shot.

“We are quick, we are long and we are big,” Huckaby said. “Those are the ingredients for our defense.”

The Caissons return home on Wednesday in a game against Progressive Christian.