Second-half spurt lifts Cardinals past Blacksburg

Travis Miller Ledger Sports Editor

The Blacksburg Wildcats had a chance to host a first-round playoff game next week.

But Landrum denied them that opportunity on Tuesday.

Playing without shooting guard Kyle Shy, who bruised his hip in fall last Friday, the Wildcats couldn’t overcome a third-quarter scoring drought in their 75-57 loss to the Cardinals.

The Wildcats fall to 5-4 in the region and can’t finish any higher than third.

A regular-season loss at Southside Christian on Thursday would drop the Wildcats to fourth and a likely first-round playoff trip to Calhoun Falls.

“I just challenged the kids after the game that we haven’t lost two straight region games all year,” Blacksburg coach Travis Miller said. “We need to finish strong and beat Southside Christian.”

The shorthanded Wildcats stuck close to the Cardinals for most of the first half. Trailing by three at the half, the Wildcats took a 41-40 lead on Bruce Allen’s three-pointer. But the roof caved in after that.

“We just couldn’t score after that,” Miller said.

Allen, who replaced Shy in the starting lineup, scored a season-high 18 points. The Wildcats’ leading scorer, Rodney Poston, was held to just 11 points.

Starting point guard Bryson Smith was also playing hurt with a sprained ankle.

Miller said he was pleased with the performances of reserves Josh Butler and Tyler Otey.

“They gave us good minutes,” he said.

Sophomore Tim Boyd was also a force on the boards for the Wildcats, Miller said.