The biggest thing Xavier Brown learned playing for national power Oak Hill Academy is that you capitalize on every scoring opportunity. Elite defenders like teammate Chris Livingston, the top-10 national recruit committed to Kentucky, allow precious few even in practice.
Back now at Jamestown High, where he starred as a sophomore, Brown clearly has taken the lesson to heart. He scored 44 points in the Eagles’ 72-65 win over Heritage on Tuesday night in the Class 4 Region A quarterfinals.
The victory moved Brown one step closer to his dream: winning a state championship with his father, Jamestown coach Chris Brown. The Eagles (19-3) can earn their first Class 4 state tournament berth in five years with a win over Hampton (10-8) in the region semifinals Thursday at King’s Fork.
“Being at Oak Hill took my game to another level,” said Brown, a 6-foot-1 senior point guard who played his junior year and the first part of this season at the private school in Grayson County. “I hit the weights, got stronger and learned to play the game at a faster pace, but I have to admit I was homesick.
“I thought it was in my best interest to be at home, be trained by my father and soak in every bit of his basketball knowledge like a sponge. I told him I was coming back home to win a state championship, nothing less.”
Brown already has one state championship ring, having started at guard as a freshman for the Surry County team that won the Class 1 title. But he wants to win a state crown playing for his dad, like his older sister, Keyana, did when they were together in 2012 at Williamsburg Christian Academy.
“She told me to cherish every moment of this season with him because it’s the last one,” Brown said of Keyana, who is a women’s assistant coach this season at UNC Wilmington. “She said, ‘Listen to him because the man knows what he’s talking about.’ “
Chris Brown said the decision to return to Jamestown was his son’s alone and, while he’s welcomed him with open arms, he has not been easy on Xavier.
“I get on him because I know he can take it and I don’t want the other players to think I’m favoring him because he’s my son,” he said.
Xavier Brown laughs when asked if his dad is tough on him.
“Everything is my fault,” he said. “If I’m in the game, it’s my fault, if I’m sitting next to him on the bench, it’s my fault, and if I’m cooking Ramen noodles at home, it’s my fault.
“He’s really helped me improve my shot. He tells me every shot has to be a championship finish, like the game-winner.”
The partnership has produced great numbers. Brown is averaging 28.4 points, 7.0 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 3.4 steals while knocking down 47% of his 3-pointers, and the Eagles went unbeaten in their 18 Bay Rivers District games.
His 20-of-30 shooting effort from the field against Heritage was typical in a season where he has made 58% of his field goals. He drained his first 3 against Heritage, but in a game that was air-tight throughout, he focused on driving to the basket to get high-percentage shots and set up kick-out passes to the Eagles’ 3-point shooters.
With the score tied at 39 late in the third quarter, and the Hurricanes focused on stopping his penetration, Brown (seven assists, one turnover) dished to shooters on three consecutive possessions. Mason Eggleston drained the first 3, then Noah Stuart made two 3s.
The Eagles led 48-41 and never again trailed, but the Hurricanes cut the deficit to one point in the fourth quarter. Brown took over again, scoring eight points, then assisting Scott Mullin on a 3 after stealing the ball as Jamestown clinched the victory with a 13-4 run.
“Xavier came back with a purpose,” Chris Brown said. “He trusts his teammates, but he also understands this team is going to go as far as he takes us.
“Our motto is `Enjoying the Last Ride,’ and it was fun watching him get into the lane and make plays while also displaying his unselfishness. He showed he is one of the best guards in the state, hands down.”
Marty O’Brien, mjobrien@dailypress.com, 757-247-4963. Twitter @MartyOBrienDP
By the numbers
Xavier Brown’s stats this season:
* 28.4 points
* 7.0 assists
* 6.0 rebounds
* 3.4 steals
* 47% from 3-point range
