WAKEFIELD—The Tidewater Academy boy’s basketball team came from a 4-point deficit at halftime to defeat Southampton Academy 53-30 to open Virginia Commonwealth Conference play on Tuesday.

“Every win is a nice win,’ said TA coach Walter Westbrook. “They outplayed us in the first half, but we come out and put the pressure on them and played great defensively.”

SA led 24-20 at halftime.

“It was a tale of two halves,” said SA coach Jim Tribbett. “Our players never dropped their heads; it got real physical there in the second half, but the boys kept playing.”

The Warriors improved to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the VCC, while the Raiders fell to 3-1 overall and 0-1 in the conference.

Leader for the winners were sophomore Payton Holdsworth with 13 points; senior Marqual Saunders added 10 points.

“I also had two players come in and give me quality time off the bench — Reid Holdsworth and Daniel McKenney,” Westbrook said.

Leaders for the Raiders were junior Cameron Hines with 13 points and junior Johnny Tribbett with 9 points.

The Raiders were without their leading scorer junior Tonee Hill who was out with the flu.

The Warriors will travel to Kenston Forest at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7, while the Raiders will host Blessed Sacrament-Huguenot at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7.