WISE, Va. – The Honaker Tigers made a statement Thursday night by earning a second straight berth to the Class 1 state boys basketball tournament.
Following the 59-39 decision over the Grundy Golden Wave, Honaker coach Waylon Hart delivered an extra point regarding Honaker’s 6-foot-8 senior post Keyton Keene.
“Keyton has taken the worst beating this season I have ever seen a player take,” Hart said. “Keyton is one of the best players around here, if not the best, and he gets no respect whatsoever.
“I’ve held back all year, but enough is enough. If I get in trouble for saying this, I will just get in trouble. But Keyton gets zero respect.”
Keene, who entered the game averaging 18 points, collected 19 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks while helping to close down Grundy’s interior game.
What did Keene think about the “no respect” comments?
“I kind of agree with that,” Keene said. “I don’t think I get as many calls as a lot of people do. It gets frustrating at times, but you just have to play through it.”
Honaker (20-7) returned the core of players who guided the Tigers to the Region 1D title game season. That experience showed Thursday.
GRUNDY (39) – Looney 1 4-6 6, Lester 3 2-2 10, McClanahan 0 0-0 0, Johnson 0 2-2 2, Conaway 4 6-7 14, Hartford 1 0-0 2, Allieri 1 2-2 4, Hunt 0 1-2 1, Ramey 0 0-0 0. Totals 10 17-21 39.
HONAKER (59) – P. Musick 3 1-1 7, Gill 0 0-0 0, Keene 7 4-5 19, A. Lowe 3 1-2 7, Bandy 8 6-9 23, Hart 1 1-2 3, M. Lowe 0 0-0 0, A. Musick 0 0-0 0, C. Musick 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 13-19 59.
Grundy 8 12 12 7-39
Honaker 12 15 16 16-59
3-point goals – G 2 (Lester 2), H 2 (Bandy, Keene). Total fouls – G 21, H 20. Fouled out – Johnson, Conaway.