Lakeland, Fla. – The Villages High School boys basketball team survived a scare on the road with a second-half comeback Friday night in Lakeland.
Herly Brutus scored with 5.4 seconds left – moments after the senior recorded his 1,000th career point – to help the Buffalo erase a fourth-quarter deficit in a 54-53 win over Victory Christian.
Brutus tallied the milestone in the fourth quarter and then put The Villages (4-1) ahead in the final seconds, as VHS closed the contest on an 8-0 run to scoot past the defending Class 1A state runner-up late.
"Really pleased with the way that we started the game with great attention to detail on defense and pace and flow on offense," said VHS head coach
Colt McDowell. "(We) relaxed in the second quarter on defense and got out of rhythm on offense in the second and third quarters. But I'm really proud of the way we finished the game on an 8-0 run with key defensive stops and clutch baskets."
The LSU signee Brutus finished with a team-high 15 points, while
Jared Thompson added 12 points and
Jomar Bernard finished with seven.
The Villages returns to action at 5 p.m. Saturday, when the Buffalo take on Fleming Island in the Breast Cancer Awareness Classic at Oak Ridge High School in Orlando.
Cody Hills can be reached for questions or comment via email at cody.hills@tvcs.org.
