AUGUSTA — The first law of Wednesday’s first Class D boys’ basketball semifinal: Every Valley action produced an equal, often greater, reaction from Hyde point guard Antoine Montgomery.
Montgomery, a six-foot junior, conducted a clinic with 25 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals and steered No. 3 Hyde to a 61-47 victory over No. 2 Valley at Augusta Civic Center.
Hyde (15-4) trailed by two points entering the fourth quarter. Montgomery then took over, scoring 13, including 7-for-7 from the free-throw line.
“I slow the pace down, keep everything calm when things are out of control, let the team know that we’re still going to be able to come back in the game,” Montgomery said.
The Phoenix stormed into the regional final for the third time in four years. They will face top-seeded and unbeaten Forest Hills at 11:45 a.m. Saturday.
Sophomore Greg Kidger added 17 points and eight rebounds for Hyde, which split the regular-season series with Valley (14-5). The Cavaliers won by 10 at Bingham two weeks ago.
“We learned a lot from the last game,” Hyde coach Corey Begly said. “We kind of underestimated them that time, thought we were going to roll over them, but sometimes when you struggle you learn a lot. That loss really propelled us to where we are now.”
Cody Laweryson led Valley with 19 points. Collin Miller chipped in 17 for the Cavaliers, who didn’t have a senior in the starting lineup.
Hyde made substantial runs in the first, second and fourth quarters after Valley either tied or took the lead.
Montgomery scored the first two baskets in an 8-0 surge to a 14-7 edge. Kidger collected five points, including a 3-point play, to anchor an uprising of 11 unanswered points and break a 20-20 tie.
Laweryson and Miller combined for a dozen in the third, with Laweryson’s jumper landing Valley a 41-39 lead. Shemar Jack tied it at 43 with a putback early in the fourth period, then drove and fed Montgomery for Hyde’s go-ahead hoop.
“He’s a true point guard,” Begly said of Montgomery, “Whether it’s with a dish or getting to the basket, he’s the ultimate team player. There’s no ego, it’s just ‘I want to win.’ He’s a great kid.”
koakes@sunjournal.com
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