NOVA’s men’s basketball team concluded its season by losing in the second round of the Virginia Community College System tournament to Tidewater Community College on March 12 in Roanoke, 95-73. NOVA had hoped to fare better against Tidewater, as it had lost two previous games to them by only two points in overtime. NOVA wound up 11-15 overall and 4-5 in the VCCS during the regular season.

Overall the season had been disappointing for NOVA. They were 7-6 after the first semester after playing some tough teams, but in the second half they won only four of thirteen.

Recently Coach Mike Fitzmaurice spoke briefly about the season. First, he was proud that they had sent three players from last year’s team on to four year schools to play basketball, and he thought that three players from this year’s team would also make that move.

As far as their won-lost record this year, he said it was a tough season after having high expectations early on. He noted that much of the lesser second semester performance was due to having lost four starters for various reasons after the semester break. One player was not eligible until a month into the semester. Another standout player had an injury during the second semester that never completely healed.

NOVA carried fifteen players at the beginning of the season and was down to eight after the break, which was eventually increased to eleven. The previous year NOVA had been runner-up in the VCCS tournament and had a number one seed heading into the tournament.

In the first round of the tournament, NOVA ran away from outmanned Virginia Highlands Community College, 118-62, almost doubling its score. Highlands’ five player squad certainly got some exercise in this game.

In earlier action, on February 17 at Annandale, NOVA revenged an earlier four point defeat by beating Germanna Community College by 104-78. In another home game on February 20, NOVA lost a close one to Tidewater, 85-83. The home schedule concluded with a 90-75 loss to Fishburne Military School.

Traveling to Chesapeake on March 7 for a makeup game with Tidewater, NOVA lost a wild overtime contest, 110-102 to drop to 10-14 before the VCCS tournament.

By: Arch Scurlock

Stay updated by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.