Moorefield held the lead for a mere seven seconds the entire game, while the Rams ransacked the Hive for a 59-34 victory on Saturday.
This was in stark comparison to the 54-50 win Strasburg made back home in Virginia against the Yellow Jackets during the second game of the season.
It was an ominous start as the ball slipped through the fingertips of Garett Haggerty during Moorefield’s initial possession.
Strasburg’s Justin King snatched a rebound and was fouled by Blake Watts which led to a pair of free throws for a 2-nil edge at the 7:05 mark.
After a Rams foul, Haggerty sliced through the defense along the baseline leaping up for what potentially could have been a dunk and instead softly lifted the ball into the hoop to tie the game at the 6:25 mark.
Haggerty made defensive rebound, then broke a baseline trap and passed to Brent Moran, who was forced to step out of bounds for a turnover.
Watts collected a defensive board, then passed to Chase Vance, who tossed to Haggerty and a foul was assessed on the drive to the basket and one free throw was added to give Moorefield its one and only lead at 5:14, 3-2.
Strasburg’s Austin Miller grabbed the rebound off the charity stripe attempt, then launched a pass to Stephen Kloosterman for a 3-pointer as the Rams regained the lead at 5:07, 5-3.
Moran cut across the paint for a layup to knot the contest at 4:47, but that was the closest the Yellow Jackets would get without taking a lead the remainder of the game.
Vance collected a defensive rebound, then Kloosterman did the same for the Rams before losing the ball out of bounds.
A shot by Moorefield hit the rim and ricocheted out of play.
King cut inside the paint for a basket to give Strasburg the lead for good at 3:22, 7-5.
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Haggerty garnered an offensive rebound and was faced with tight defense near the bench and couldn’t make the pass stay in bounds.
On the ensuing series, Trevor Sager drilled a 3-pointer to put the Rams up 10-5.
The Yellow Jackets turned the ball over on a walk by Moran, then King tried to track down a long pass making a save near the bench with a pass going to back to Moorefield (Vance).
Moorefield lost the ball out of bounds, then Haggerty committed a foul.
Kloosterman dropped a mid-range jumper to give Strasburg a 12-5 lead entering the second period as both teams missed final attempts.
A minute and a half into the second period, Moorefield got a pair of free throws by Vance.
Strasburg went on a 10-0 run in a span of three minutes starting with a layup by Derek Fox.
After a steal by Daniel Holliday, that run was capped off by a pair of free throws made by Garrett Jenkins.
Vance made an offensive rebound and completed an old-fashioned three-point play for Moorefield at the 3:14 mark to break up the run, 22-10.
The Rams responded with a layup by Hamrick, then Vance answered with a shot in the paint at 2:20, 24-12.
Moran stole the ball, but the ensuing attempt drew iron and Jenkins grabbed the rebound with the possession ending on a jumper by Hamrick.
A timeout was called by Moorefield, then Watts snatched an offensive rebound and drew a foul leading to one free throw for a 26-13 score with 36 seconds to go in the first half which remained the same entering the locker rooms.
The Yellow Jackets forced a turnover as Haggerty deflected a pass and Moran snatched the loose ball before Miller blocked the next shot attempt and a long distance shot at the buzzer by the Rams was short.
Moorefield walked to begin the third period, then the Rams missed the hoop and Hamrick attempted to make a save off the tipped ball stepping out of bounds whilst throwing it back.
Haggerty knocked down a jumper at the 6:45 mark for a 26-15 score.
Haggerty swiped the ball, but the Yellow Jackets failed to take advantage of the miscue with a missed shot.
Both sides hit the rim, then Hamrick squeezed in the paint for a field goal and a foul by Vance didn’t add an extra point as Moran made the rebound.
Haggerty managed to have two defenders nearby, while connecting on a jumper.
Vance made a defensive round, then Watts executed a putback as Moorefield crept closer.
Vance snatched another rebound, then a miss by the Yellow Jackets led to a scramble for the ball and a foul by the Rams.
Watts knocked down a jumper to pull Moorefield to within seven points at the 4:18 mark, 28-21.
After a walk by Strasburg, Miller stole the ball and scored.
Kloosterman made a defensive carom and passed to Fox for a 3-pointer to give the Rams a 33-21 advantage with three minutes remaining in the frame.
King blocked a shot and Moran committed a foul before Watts deflected a pass out of bounds.
Hamrick netted a trifecta at the 2:11 mark for Strasburg and the Yellow Jackets responded with an old-fashioned three point play by Vance at 1:48 for a 36-24 score.
Haggerty batted the ball away and dove for it on the floor to nudge it over to Vance for the steal.
Moorefield’s John Bentley setup a screen for Vance, who knocked down a long range jumper and the defender pushing at the screen was assessed a foul.
Vance drew contact and made two free throws with 1:02 left in the third period.
Strasburg answered with a layup by Hamrick for a 38-28 advantage with 43 seconds remaining in the frame.
Bentley collected a defensive board, then Holliday stole the ball and was called for a walk.
Hamrick stole the ball and the Rams missed a half-court attempt at the buzzer.
Strasburg outscored the Yellow Jackets 21-6 in the fourth period for the final score of 59-34.
Moorefield’s scoring in the final stanza came on two free throws by Vance and Haggerty plus a jumper by Watts.
Hamrick netted a game-high 19 points for Strasburg in the victory, followed by King with nine markers.
Moorefield was paced by Vance with 16 points, followed by Haggerty with nine points.
In JV action, Strasburg defeated the Yellow Jackets 47-33.
Moorefield JV was led in scoring by Jaydon See with 13 points, while Fox guided the Rams with 19 points.
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