Recommend This StorySecond-quarter surge: Judges race past Hawks for big district win
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By Tommy Keeler Jr. - tkeeler@nvdaily.com
WINCHESTER -- Chris Skinner wasn't sure what to expect from Handley's basketball team after transferring from James Wood to Handley this year. The senior guard was a standout at James Wood, but wasn't sure how he would fit in with the Judges.
As the season as went on, Skinner is finding his groove in Handley maroon and white. Skinner played a big role in the Judges' 74-49 Northwestern District victory over Skyline on Friday, as he scored six points in the decisive second quarter on drives to the basket.
"It hasn't been that hard," Skinner said of the transfer. "It's definitely been different. Everybody's really helped me out. I feel like I'm starting to get more comfortable with everything now."
The first quarter was close throughout. Skyline's Ryan Dyke and Joey Neidigh combined for 12 points in the quarter, but Handley used a balance attack to take a one-point lead after the first eight minutes.
Derek Dowrey scored inside and Skinner scored on a driving layup to end the quarter and give the Judges a 16-15 lead. Skinner's drive to the basket was a sign of things to come.
Skinner drove to the basket for easy layups twice, while Dowrey scored inside the paint twice to key a 12-4 run to start the second quarter.
"They had a lot of openings, and [Handley] coach [Tommy Dixon] said that if they were there, we should take them," Skinner said of his drives to the basket.
Neidigh hit a 3-pointer to temporarily stop the Judges' momentum, but Handley responded with another big spurt.
Handley senior Robbie Lawler hit a 3-pointer, and Skinner, Kyle Murph and Dexter Sloane each scored on drives to the basket to key a 13-6 run to end the half.
The Hawks (12-4, 2-2 Northwestern) didn't help themselves by going 3-for-10 from the free-throw line in the second quarter.
"That's seven points right there," Skyline coach Sonny Dyke said of the free throws. "If we make those, it could be a different game."
The Hawks were able to cut the lead to 47-37 on a conventional three-point play by Ryan Dyke with 3:40 left in the third quarter, but that's as close as the Hawks would get the rest of the way.
Handley (12-4, 4-2) finished the third quarter with a 10-2 run, all of which were scored by Skinner and Lawler.
The Judges were able to establish their inside game early in the contest, which helped open up the outside game. Lawler had 12 of his 15 points in the second half.
"I love it when we get it to our guys down low early, and then later we can kick it back out to Robbie [Lawler]," Dowrey said. "I think when we do that, we're tough to play against. I love having that inside-outside game."
The Hawks were led by Ryan Dyke with 15 points and 11 from Neidigh. The loss drops the Hawks into a tie for second with Handley in the loss column, but Sonny Dyke said his team has to move on quickly from the defeat to the Judges. Skyline hosts Sherando and Millbrook and plays at James Wood next week.
"We just have to try to regroup and get ready for next week," Sonny Dyke said. "Next week is really a make-or-break week for us."
Dowrey had 18 points to lead the Judges, while Skinner and Murph each finished with 12.
Handley has been up and down all season, but the team has now put together two solid wins in a row and feels like they may be turning a corner for their season.
"Coach [Dixon] said yesterday that we have a lot of good teams in our district and it's really going to come down to who gets hot at the end of the season," Dowrey said. "That's what everybody's trying to do. I think these last few games we've been playing better and we have to keep working hard and try to keep it going."
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