NOVA's Gavin Peterson goes in for an uncontested layup versus SVCC. Photo by: Arch Scurlock

The Northern Virginia Community College men’s basketball team’s phenomenal winning streak has increased to 15 with its most recent victory over archrival Southside Virginia Community College at Lawrenceville on Feb. 12.

The 104-92 win was the second NOVA doubleheader sweep by the women’s and men’s basketball teams over SVCC this year.

With the win, NOVA goes to 6-0 in the VCCS and 19-5 overall.

On Jan. 29, NOVA played host to Southside Virginia Community College at Annandale in the second game of the women/men doubleheader.

NOVA went out to a quick 5-0 lead and built it to 20-13 with 11 and a half minutes left. Southside then went on an 8-1 run to tie the score at 21 with seven and a half minutes to go.

From there, NOVA built a lead of five at 32-27, with the score ending at 36-32 for the half.

NOVA only shot seven of 18 free throws or 39 percent in the first half, but Southside did not do much better at nine for 19 or 47 percent.

Gavin Peterson led NOVA with 12 points, with Westley Ford adding eight.

At the beginning of the second half, NOVA went on a 13-2 tear in building up a 49-34 lead with just under 16 minutes to play as Rich Waldron led the way with six points. Southside took a timeout, regrouped and came back within three at 53-50 with just over 10 minutes to go.

NOVA took the lead back to 10 at 62-52 with about eight and a half minutes to go, and maintained a low double-digits lead for much of the rest of the game. Southside came back to within 10 a few times, the last with 50 seconds to go, but NOVA’s consistent play led them to the 85-73 win.

After the game, Coach Mike Fitzmaurice remarked, “We decided to spread our offense more in the second half. We had been plagued by turnovers in the first half — something like 20. We shot about 25 percentfrom the free throw line in the first half. It should have been an easy win. But when you play like that, anybody can keep up with you. We felt like coming out for the second half, we could only do better.”

He added, “We’re not upset if we have a close score in the first half. We feel we can come back in the second half where our depth is going to take over. We keep pressure on the ball pretty much over the full court the whole game. In the middle of the second half, you could see the other team wilting some. This puts us number one in the VCCS. We play one game at a time. If we can knock off Tidewater and Thomas Nelson, that’ll put us in great shape.”

NOVA’s Rich Waldron woke up in the second half, scoring 21 points after having only three at halftime, for a total of 24. Tomas Camera elevated his play around the basket, scoring 14 in the second half after having only two free throws at the half, for a total of 16. Peterson and Ford both ended with 14.

NOVA’s next game at Prince George’s Community College in Largo, Md., saw the winning streak in serious trouble. NOVA was down by nine at halftime, 49-40, and was down by 19 with 14 minutes to play. NOVA then regrouped, gained resolve and came storming back to win by six, 94-88, scoring 54 points in the second half, as  perhaps NOVA’s strong depth was again a determining factor.

Next, came a journey to Maryland’s Anne Arundel Community College near Baltimore on Feb. 2. NOVA came away with a 67-57 win.

NOVA travel to La Plata, Md., the evening of Feb. 7 for a rematch with the improving College of Southern Maryland team. NOVA again came out the victor, but only by four, 81-77.

On Feb. 7, NOVA entertained the Massanutten Military Academy squad at Annandale and won 78-68.

NOVA’s final four regular-season games are at home, all against VCCS teams as it strives to keep its perfect VCCS record. The season-ending VCCS tournament is scheduled for Chesapeake the first weekend in March.

By: Arch Scurlock

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