Almost a year to the day Scottie Reynolds played his final home game at Herndon the 6-foot-1 Villanova guard returned Tuesday night for a ceremony in his honor.
The school retired Reynolds’ No. 3 jersey before Herndon’s Northern Region tournament quarterfinal vs. Wakefield, a game that ended too late for this edition. A McDonald’s All-American, Reynolds last season led the Hornets to a 26-5 record, the school’s first region title and to the Virginia Group AAA state championship game. Prior to last night, 14 jerseys of former Herndon players hung in the school’s gym, including Reynolds’, comprising the program’s “Basketball Hall of Fame.” But Reynolds was the first to have his number retired.
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“I knew about all the guys up there and really respect everything they did at Herndon,” Reynolds said. “But to be the first one to have your number retired, that’s really something.”
Reynolds totaled 2,306 career points to finish as the all-time leading scorer at Herndon and second in Virginia Group AAA state history. He is also the school’s career leader in assists (362) and 3-pointers (270). That success has continued at Villanova, where last month he was twice named Big East freshman of the week and has started all 27 games. Reynolds is Villanova’s third-leading scorer (12.5 points per game) and has led the Wildcats (18-9, 6-7 Big East) in scoring eight times in the last 15 games, including a 25-point performance vs. Marquette on Monday. He is tied for first with 4.1 assists per game and has a team-high 35 steals.
Byrd takes flight: Longtime South Lakes boys basketball coach Wendell Byrd long ago steeled himself for the end of his tenure after announcing before the season this would be his final season with the Seahawks.
But the end came quicker than Byrd had hoped after Monday’s 55-49 loss to Westfield in the first round of the Northern Region tournament. South Lakes (16-7) pulled to within three points five times in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t catch the Bulldogs.
“It was one of those games where we just couldn’t get over the hump,” Byrd said. “We had our chances in the second half. But if it had to end I’m glad it was with the group of kids we had this year.”
Byrd, a Falls Church native, ended his 23-year career with a record of 441-153, including six region titles and 12 district championships. South Lakes was the Virginia Group AAA state runner-up in 1999 and 2003.
Jacoby leads Huskies: Flint Hill senior Lauren Jacoby helped the Huskies to their best finish ever at the Independent Schools League championship meet on Feb. 3. Last week, Jacoby was even better at the Washington Metropolitan Prep School Swimming and Diving League meet, winning the 100 free (53.33) and placing second in the 200 free (1:54.60).
Flint Hill was sixth at the ISL meet with 108 points and 10th at WMPSSDL with 83 points.
— Brian McNally
