Somero drops career-high 43 points in Blue Ridge win over Chapman

Nash Somero averaged 28 points per game in the Battle at the Border Classic. His 43-point game Friday against Chapman ranks among the top 10 highest-scoring games in Blue Ridge history.

Blue Ridge head coach Richie Stevens stood on the sideline, unsure what to do.

His star point guard Nash Somero lay on the floor with a hand over his eye. He was writhing in pain. Somero had gone up to make a block on a Chapman player, but he had his eye swiped on the way down.

“I jumped to try and get the block, but their guy pump faked,” said Somero. “So when I was on the way back down, he got me right across the eye.”

Somero was working on a career day up to that point, having racked up 30 points in the game already. It was just the third quarter. He was hitting seemingly every shot.

“I was hesitating to go out there for as long as I could,” said Stevens. “I had parents yelling at me saying ‘You’ve got to go check on him!’ But I knew what that would mean.”

If Stevens came onto the floor to check on him, Somero would have to come out of the game for a bit. That was the rule.

Stevens made the call to go take a look at Somero. The junior came off the floor to get his eye looked at.

Somero knew his day wasn’t done, however.

“Oh, I definitely knew I was going to come back in the game,” Somero said. “I had to finish what I’d started.”

Somero came back into the game just two minutes later.

His finished product? 43 points — a career-high. He put Tigers on his back, leading Blue Ridge (4-11) to a 65-59 win over Chapman (5-7) at the Battle at the Border tournament in Landrum.

“He was just taking all of the right shots,” said Stevens. “Nash stayed in the flow of the game, making plays. He was feeling it.”

Somero’s 43-point performance stands as one of the 10 highest single-game point totals in Blue Ridge history.

Somero said he was able to keep track of his total throughout the game with a little help from his teammates on the sideline.

“Everyone on the bench kept telling me during the game, ‘You need this many more until you get 40’ and things like that. So I knew I was having a great game. But I was mainly focused on getting us the win.”

The Tigers outscored Chapman 35-27 in the second half to pull out the victory on Friday.

They’d go on to beat Shannon Forest 61-44 on Saturday to clinch the Battle at the Border’s silver bracket championship. Somero led all scorers in that game, too, with 18 points. He averaged 28 points per game during the tournament.

Somero was named to the all-tournament team.

Blue Ridge won its final two games in the Battle at the Border Classic in Landrum, beating Chapman and Shannon Forest to claim the Silver Bracket championship. Nash Somero (bottom row, second from right) was named to the all-tournament team.

“This weekend was big for us because it shows we’re starting to figure it out,” said Stevens. “We’re only halfway through the season and we’ve already lost 11 games. But you go into that locker room, and you wouldn’t be able to tell at all. This team’s mentality hasn’t broken at all, and given the circumstances, that’s amazing to see.

“And I’d say to watch out for us. We’re catching fire at the right time.”

Blue Ridge will begin region play on Jan. 12 with a trip to face Broome.

THE SCORE BY QUARTERS

BR 10 20 20 15 - 65

Chapman 18 14 13 14 - 59

STAT LEADERS

Blue Ridge

Nash Somero - 43 points
Trey Bradley - 10 points
Brayden Stevens - 6 points

Chapman

Max Carter - 9 points
Josiah Moore - 9 points
Grayden Humphries - 8 points