PRINCETON, WV- After starting the season 3-0 with all three victories in blowout fashion, the Greenbrier East Lady Spartans looked almost unstoppable.
However, since that start, East has dropped three games in a row including their most recent contest, a 53-46 decision to the Princeton Lady Tigers on Wednesday, Dec. 13 in a critical early season sectional battle.
The Tigers held a 12-10 lead after the opening quarter as things seemed like they were going to be even all game. The Spartans took a four-point lead at 16-12 after two Kennedy Stewart free throws and then went up 18-14 on a Jada Waller layup. Princeton’s Maddie Stull, an all-state type player, battled for the Tigers and scored two consecutive buckets to knot the score at 18-all, but East’s Sandy Banton scored five straight points, including a 3, and the Spartans went ahead 23-18 with 2:58 remaining in the first half.
Princeton’s Kendra Conner answered Banton’s triple with one of her own, Asia Collins hit a shot and then scored again before half, as the Tigers closed the second quarter on a 7-0 run and grabbed a 25-23 lead at the break.
Things started slow and the game began to get away from the Spartans in the third. Carley Hurt hit a mid-range jumper for Princeton and that was followed with a Makalee Wright 3-pointer from the corner and the Tigers had their largest lead of the night at 32-23. The Spartans finally hit the scoreboard for the first time at the three-minute mark when Hannah Fuller scored. A couple possessions later, Mackenna McClure hit a long 3 to cut the deficit to 35-30 late in the quarter. But the Spartans would trail 40-32 after three quarters.
East scored the first two baskets in the fourth when Stewart converted a floater and ava Workman found McClure for an open layup. Hurt then hit a 3 for the Tigers, Stewart answered with one of her own, and Waller got a floater to go inside, and just like that, East cut into the lead and trailed just 43-41 with 4:20 left.
A Banton steal and assist to Stewart for a 3 tied the game at 46-all, but that was as close as the Spartans would get. Stull went to the line and hit 4-out-of-4 to increase the Tigers advantage to 50-46, and even though the Tigers missed some free throws near the end to leave the door open for East, the Spartans refused to come in and Princeton celebrated their victory.
The Spartans shot just 30 percent for the second game in a row and were just 26 percent from 3-point range. They also turned the ball over 19 times.
McClure led the way with 12 points and 8 rebounds. Stewart finished with 10 points and 4 steals. Waller added 9 points, 8 boards, and 3 assists.
Stull led Princeton with 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Hurt had 10 points as the Tigers shot 35 percent from the field.
East returns home this Monday night, Dec. 18 to host Riverside in what appears to be a key game to get back in the win column.
