HINTON (WVDN) – Greenbrier West stumbled at longtime rival Summers County Friday night, Jan. 27, dropping a 63-51 decision to the Bobcats. The Cavaliers were outscored 42-24 in the paint, and the Bobcats dominated the transition game 27-14 for their first win over Greenbrier West since Jan. 9, 2018, ending a string of 10 consecutive Cavalier victories.
Senior Bobcat Cruz Testerman flashed a hint of things to come when he stepped in front of a lazy Cavalier pass and cruised in for an uncontested layup and a 2-0 lead. Braydon McClung responded with a 3-pointer and what would later prove to be a rare Greenbrier West lead. Ethan Erenberg got a layup off a fortunate deflection for Summers County, but Tanner Hagy answered with a jumper from the right elbow for a 5-4 edge. Brandon Isaac knotted the score at 5 with a free throw before Testerman scored on a runout for a 7-5 Bobcat lead. Matthew Thomas tied things up at 7 with a drive and a tough shot over Greater Beckley transfer Michael Judy.
Michael Kanode gave West a temporary 9-7 cushion, but Erenberg tied things back up at 9 moments later. Kanode muscled his way inside for a layup, but sophomore Ryan Oliveros drove the middle of the lane for a layup of his own, tying the score at 11. Willie Dodson laid the ball up over Thomas to take a 13-11 lead that would hold through the end of the first quarter.
Kanode tied things up with a pair of free throws, and Isaac Agee tipped in a Kadin Parker miss from three to give the Cavaliers a 2-point lead. It would be West’s last lead of the night.
Testerman nailed a 3 from the left corner. Showing range from each corner, Testerman dropped in another 3 from the right side to go up 19-15. Hagy countered for West with a 10-foot baseline jumper, but the Cavaliers failed to convert a subsequent Hagy steal into points, leading to a Testerman stick back. Testerman then led a Bobcat fast break, whipping a baseline pass into the left corner that Oliveros launched for 3. Summers County suddenly found itself out front 24-17.
The Cavaliers tried to keep things close, but less-than-hot shooting hampered their efforts. Dale Boone was able to wiggle himself free under the left side for a layup followed by a right-side drive by Kanode, but Kanode missed the accompanying foul shot. The miss led to a Peyton Miller jumper from the free throw line. Testerman then outraced the Cavaliers for a layup off a turnover. Chris Davis got a late bucket for the Cavaliers, but Summers led 30-23 at halftime after a Brandon Isaac score.
Boone broke the ice for Greenbrier West in the second half with a 10-foot jumper. Summers County matched the basket followed by an ugly stretch of turnovers and missed shots by both clubs. Oliveros ended the drought with a short turnaround in the lane, and Davis answered for West with a short jump hook. Judy rebounded his own miss and scored on a stick back. After three short-range Bobcat misfires, Boone drilled a corner 3 that pulled the Cavaliers to within 6. Testerman, though, once again victimized West on a runout.
Despite making runs, the Cavaliers simply could not close the distance. After Hagy and Isaac traded baskets, Boone tried to reel Summers County closer with a 3 that buzzed the net. McClung followed Boone’s basket with a coast-to-coast drive that cut the Summers’ lead to 3, but Testerman kept West at bay with a mid-range jump shot. Isaac then delivered a dagger with a half-court steal and layup, stretching the Summers’ lead to 5. The Bobcats were up 46-39 after three.
Testerman got the Bobcats going in the fourth quarter when a tough, up-and-under move got him a layup and a 9-point lead. Kanode answered with a good post move then blocked Erenberg’s layup. Davis, fouled underneath the Cavalier basket, could only hit on one of two free throws to slice the deficit to 6. Erenberg stretched the advantage back to 8 with a spinning jump hook. When Kanode was unable to complete a layup on the next possession, Erenberg finished a fast break with another Bobcat basket. A Cavalier turnover could have buried West, but Kanode deflected a pass underneath the basket then rebounded a missed Summers 3-pointer.
It was a short respite. As Greenbrier West failed to convert on an inbound 3-pointer, Michael Mann fired the rebound to Isaac who streaked in for an uncontested layup. The Cavaliers would make a final attempt at a comeback with a Kadin Parker 3-pointer followed by a set-shot layin from Kanode. Time and time again Summers County outran the Cavaliers to the other end of the floor, and Oliveros did so immediately following Kanode’s basket. Two missed 3s for West were followed by a Testerman layup high off the glass and a foul. Testerman sank the free throw for a 12-point bulge. The final margin would stay at 12 with Summers pulling out the 63-51 win.
Kanode finished with 12 points and seven rebounds. Boone narrowly missed a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds while also collecting three steals. Testerman led all scorers with 23 points for the Bobcats. Isaac had 12 points and four assists while Oliveros added 10 points for Summers County.
GW: 11 12 16 12 – 51
SC: 13 17 16 17 – 63
Greenbrier West – Michael Kanode 12, Dale Boone 10, Braydon McClung 9, Tanner Hagy 8, Chris Davis 5, Kadin Parker 3, Matthew Thomas 2, Isaac Agee 2.
Summers County – Cruz Testerman 23, Brandon Isaac 12, Ryan Oliveros 10, Ethan Erenberg 8, Peyton Miller 4, Michael Judy 4, Duke Dodson 2.
3-point goals – SC 3 (Testerman 2, Oliveros); GW: 4 (Boone 2, McClung, Parker).
