Jaquon Parker and Jay Copeland powered King’s Fork to a 73-67 victory over previously perfect Petersburg High (30-1) and into Friday night’s championship game of the VHSL Group AAA State Tournament Wednesday night at VCU’s Siegel Center.

Parker and Copeland had outstanding first halves as the Bulldogs fought through foul trouble and were within four points, 39-35, at the half.

The two Bulldogs turned it up even more in the second half. Parker scored 16 of his 24 points after the half and Copeland totaled 11 points, seven boards and three blocks after the half.

Defensively, the stars for the Bulldogs might not have been obvious, but they were just as critical.

Petersburg guard Drejon Scott drained four three-pointers in the opening half and totaled 15 points. After the half, KF senior Stephen Riddick took on the task of guarding Scott all over the court. Riddick and KF held Scott to five points in the second half.

“(Riddick) did a great job of not letting (Scott) touch the basketball,” said KF head coach Joshua Worrell.

“We were playing man(-to-man), but it was sort of man, and (Riddick’s) not helping on anyone.”

The game went to the last eight minutes tied 52-52. Unlike the major tension in the Petersburg-dominated Siegel Center, the Bulldogs used methodical offense to gain the lead for good.

Copeland scored on a rebound and putback. KF went to Copeland in the paint, then fellow post player, 6 foot 8 Davante Gardner on the next trip. The three straight possessions with buckets made it 58-57 KF.

Parker provided KF with a bit of breathing room going to the final couple minutes. Parker scored two baskets driving into the lane to take KF’s lead to 64-59 with four minutes and counting.

KF continued attacking the lane, with Gardner, giving a smooth ball-fake with the right hand and finishing a lay-up with the left, then with Copeland using a spin move on score from the low block to put KF up 68-62 with 1:31 left.

Along with being a force in the lane, Gardner was also key helping KF break Petersburg’s full-court defense. Gardner helped as an outlet in the middle of the court and controlled the ball like a guard a couple times as KF was trying to run the clock down.

“Davante, if he was running the team, he’d be the point guard for us,” said Worrell.

The Crimson Wave didn’t let their perfect record go quietly. Petersburg drew within 68-66 and had a chance to take the lead, but a three-point try by Scott missed, and a jump ball between KF’s Jamar Wertz and Petersburg’s Cadarian Raines went KF’s direction.

Petersburg sent Parker to the line and he made a pair to make it 70-66 KF with 0:31 left.

Petersburg’s three-point shooting, whch was 6 of 10 through the first three quarters, dried up, and KF made enough foul shots to keep it a two-possession game in the final seconds.

Following the final horn, the Bulldog players celebrated with the end zone full of KF students and fans with emotion nearly rising to that of a championship victory.

“This game was tremendous for the fact that when we got here on Sunday for media day, everyone was like, ‘So you’re playing Petersburg, they’re undefeated. And who’s King’s Fork?’” said Worrell.

Earlier in the contest, Petersburg seemed on the verge of taking control of the game on a couple occasions.

The teams traded hoops until a technical foul on KF’s Chris Hearn gave Petersburg a five-point possession in the closing seconds of the period, giving the Crimson Wave an 18-13 lead. The technical on Hearn was one of three on KF on the night.

The second technical came against Gardner 1:14 into the second period. After a foul on Gardner, he was called for a technical after, considering the intensity and physicality of the game, was a slight push after the play. The two fouls gave Gardner three. Copeland and Parker spent parts of the first half on the bench with two fouls each.

The Bulldogs fought through the fouls and an 8-0 run midway through the third period changed a Petersburg lead into a 47-45 KF lead.

The KF run also drew two fouls on Raines, giving him four fouls at the 3:23 mark of the third and sending him to the bench for the next six minutes.

With Petersburg’s Virginia Tech-bound center out, it opened the inside up more for Parker, Gardner and Copeland and the Bulldogs turned into the team with the size advantage.

Foul trouble and KF’s defense held Raines to seven points, four rebounds and two blocks, all well below his season averages. Scott’s 20 points led the Crimson Wave.

Parker finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Copeland had 21 points, 10 boards and six blocks. Gardner added 12 points, eight of which came in the second half. Derek Wright added seven points.

The Bulldogs (30-1) will meet William Fleming, which beat John Marshall 65-62 on Wednesday, in the state championship game on Friday at 9 p.m. at the Siegel Center.