JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Longwood men's basketball had plenty of its trademark fire and grit in a thrilling quarterfinal matchup against fourth-seeded UNC Asheville on Friday night to open the 2026 Air Force Reserve Big South Championship.
 
Unfortunately for Longwood (16-16), UNC Asheville (15-16) got superhero performance from Justin Wright, Kameron Taylor and Toyaz Solomon to top Longwood 85-82 in overtime in a game that felt like a title fight. That trio combined for 78 of Asheville's 85 points.
 
The story, though, of this Longwood team under head coach Ronnie Thomas has always been just as much about the relationships as the basketball. And that story, and the trust the team built throughout the season in each other and in their head coach, shined amid plenty of tough circumstances.
 
"They showed up every single day, and I think that's the important part about consistency," said Longwood Head Coach Ronnie Thomas. "And if they learned anything, they learned that. And some people think consistency is when things are going well, but it's when it's not going well. And hopefully these guys learned that throughout this year. Like I told them, you know, you don't get a promotion, can you still be the same person the next day, or do you change. Hopefully they can use that lesson and help transform their lives."
 
There were plenty of moments to pack it in, but Longwood refused all night. Asheville hit seven threes in the first half and felt like it was never going to miss?
 
"Tonight was tough," Thomas added. "I thought we put ourselves in a great spot, but Asheville's really good. They've got three all-conference players. We went up seven, and they made a little bit of a run. And then we've got extra time, and we've done well in overtime in the games this year, but we came up short and have to take the hit. But it's nothing against these guys and what they put into it. I think they are a championship group, and that's probably why I wanted it so bad this weekend. I think they've learned and grown a lot."
 
Longwood didn't back down. Instead, the Lancers erased a four-point halftime deficit by doing what they do best: attack the paint and attack the glass. And, fittingly for a team that prides itself on depth, team and toughness, it was not just one player who stepped up time and again.
 
Emanuel Richards, in his third season with Longwood, bullied his way to buckets while scoring 17 points, with 10 after halftime.
 
Elijah Tucker, also in his third season with Longwood, gave everything he had with 11 points and seven rebounds. He ripped down five offensive boards, and he was a problem all night for Asheville until the unthinkable: an injury.
 
After a thunderous dunk that gave Longwood a 57-56 lead in the second half, Tucker went down with an injury and did not re-enter.
 
Longwood regrouped yet again, and Jacoi Hutchinson scored 15 of his team-best 19 points in the second half to help the Lancers take the game to overtime. But ultimately, Wright gave Asheville the lead for good, with 12 of his 28 points coming in the overtime period.
 
But the end of the story, and the season, was always about more than the just basketball.
 
"This position gave me a platform to love and give these guys a lot of care," Thomas said about his first year as the head coach. "And I know that the lessons they took this year will help them way beyond basketball. So this [position] taught me and gave me the platform to be myself and love young men, whether it is one year or three years, the love will last forever, no matter how long it is."
 
"This meant a lot to me," Tucker said through tears at the postgame press conference. "Longwood changed me in a lot of ways, especially Ronnie. He cares a lot about his players. I remember two years ago, when I got hurt in the Big South [Tournament semifinal win against High Point], he and our athletic trainer stayed with me that whole night in the hospital. He never left my side until that next morning when he had to go to that championship game. Words can't explain it. He's the reason I came back. He's the reason I wanted to bring a championship to Longwood. And even though we didn't do that, it was still the best decision I've made, and I wouldn't change that for nothing. I would always come back to Longwood."
 
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