In the first half of Tuesday night’s Commonwealth District clash between Colonial Forge and Brooke Point, the host Eagles were able to hold Brooke Point to 16.67% field goal shooting en route to a 23-15 halftime lead. In the second half Brooke Point shot 50%, and thus not surprisingly was able to tie things up late in the fourth quarter.
Still, Colonial Forge survived, getting just enough offense and some timely defense down the stretch to win, 57-52. The victory was significant, as it moved the Eagles (9-2, 15-5) into a tie with the Black Hawks (9-2, 14-7) atop the district.
“What we do is defense,” said Colonial Forge Coach Deidrich Gilreath. “We know our struggles on offense, but if we can defend every single game, every single possession…make it tough for them to score, we’re going to be in every game.”
That philosophy has done more than keep the Eagles in a lot of games–it has won them a lot of games this season. Though in this one, when Brooke Point guards Jaseir Thompson and TJ Wilkerson started to get hot, it made for some very anxious moments. Colonial Forge needed some more offense in a hurry.
While Colonial Forge gave up 19 points in the third quarter, they scored 18, getting baskets at key junctures. After a Wilkerson three-pointer and three straight points by Thompson got Brooke Point to within 34-31, Colonial Forge junior Jayden Morris found senior Khalil Hodge for a three-pointer to extend the lead back to six.
That was just Colonial Forge’s second assist of the game. Then, after Thompson hit a jumper to make it 37-33, Samuel Futch found fellow Forge senior Jalen Pierre for a basket–the team’s third assist of the game. The Eagles had answered Brooke Point’s run, and led 41-34 after three quarters.
With first place at stake, Brooke Point’s fourth quarter run was even more furious. Led by Thompson, the Black Hawks knotted it at 48. They got one more field goal, but that was it. Key for Colonial Forge down the stretch was free throw shooting. Morris hit three-of-four to give the Eagles the lead, and senior Michael Perschau hit two big ones as well after he was fouled with 11.8 seconds left and Colonial Forge up one.
Trailing 55-52 Brooke Point had a chance to tie, but Colonial Forge found its defensive mojo again for a key steal to essentially ice the game.
A big steal for Jalen Pierre and defense brings the win home for the Colonial Forge boys…57-52. Story, box score to come. pic.twitter.com/JKI4Kmnq5d
— Novahoops.com (@novahoopsCom) February 5, 2025
Morris went 8-10 from the free throw line in the second half and led Colonial Forge with 16 points. Hodge provided a big lift off the bench with nine points, while junior TaySean Jones added eight points and seven rebounds.
It isn’t really about offense for Colonial Forge, but still, Gilreath knows improvement is still needed toward that end if the Eagles are to continue to rise.
“We had nine turnovers in the first quarter, which is ridiculous,” said Gilreath. “But we still defended…but, the further we go we’re going to have to take care of the ball and make free throws early, or it’s not going to be a game late.”
“I know that everybody on the court is going to play defense at least….if we can defend, we can overcome a lot of stuff.”
Thompson led Brooke Point with 20 points, 14 coming in the second half. Wilkerson had 13, all of which came in the second half.
–Chris Jollay
all statistics are unofficial
| BROOKE POINT | FG | FT | TP | REB | AST | |
| WILKERSON | 4-11 | 4-7 | 13 | 2 | 2 | |
| THOMPSON | 7-16 | 2-4 | 20 | 4 | 3 | |
| PINZON | 1-3 | 0-0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | |
| ALBERT | 3-6 | 1-3 | 7 | 4 | 0 | |
| SANUSI | 1-7 | 1-2 | 3 | 8 | 2 | |
| Harris, Jr. | 2-5 | 3-6 | 7 | 6 | 0 | |
| Roman | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Garlem | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Bigabwa | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | |
| TOTALS | 18-52 | 11-22 | 52 | 30 | 11 | |
| Threes: Thompson 4-8, Wilkerson 1-5, Garlem 0-2, Bigabwa 0-1 | ||||||
| COLONIAL FORGE | FG | FT | TP | REB | AST | |
| JONES | 4-8 | 0-0 | 8 | 7 | 0 | |
| MORRIS | 3-9 | 9-14 | 16 | 5 | 2 | |
| PIERRE | 3-11 | 0-0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | |
| PHILLIPS | 2-2 | 0-0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
| PERSCHAU | 1-11 | 3-6 | 6 | 6 | 0 | |
| Futch | 2-3 | 0-0 | 4 | 3 | 2 | |
| Hodge | 2-5 | 4-6 | 9 | 4 | 0 | |
| Brimhall | 0-0 | 4-6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | |
| Rembert | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| TOTALS | 17-49 | 20-32 | 57 | 30 | 4 | |
| Threes: Hodge 1-2, Morris 1-3, Perschau 1-6, Pierre 0-3 | ||||||