WHITE SULPHUR SPGS- Coming into the Battle for the Springhouse tournament, it was well known that the Morgantown Mohigans were the favorite to take home the trophy in the boys’ division being that they are currently ranked 2nd in Class AAAA in West Virginia.
Unfortunately, the Greenbrier East Spartans found that out the hard way on Friday night, Feb. 2 as East lost to the Mohigans 94-41 in front of a good crowd inside Colonial Hall at The Greenbrier.
It was not the outcome most of the spectators hoped for, but the experience was well worth the trip.
The Spartans (4-13) took an early 3-1 lead on a Brody Hamric basket and a Peyton DeHaven free throw, and that would be the final time East led on the scoreboard.
Sharron Young, Morgantown’s star point guard and favorite for WV player of the year, hit a quick 3 to put Morgantown (15-1) up 4-3, then Izzy Everett did the same as the Mohigans jumped out to a 7-3 advantage. Layne Lambert was a bright spot for East early. He scored two consecutive tough buckets inside over the bigger Morgantown team and added a smooth mid-range jumper from the right elbow. He kept the Spartans within striking distance for about half the opening quarter, but after one, the Mohigans led 23-11.
Seven straight points from Young to open the second extended Morgantown’s lead to 30-11 and it went to 36-11 after Jay Shrewsberry knocked in a shot from downtown and Young connected on yet another 3. Jakob Tomlinson and Lambert showed out for East in the quarter as Tomlinson scored a tough basket in the paint and Lambert put in another six points in the quarter. Nathan Dixon also had a 3 for East.
Right before halftime, with 10 seconds remaining, Young made history for himself. He hit a 3-pointer that gave him 20 points in the half, but it also placed him as Morgantown High’s all-time leading scorer in the school’s history. He passed Jay Jacobs who set that record in 1956. Jacobs played basketball for WVU and was a longtime color commentator for the Mountaineer men’s basketball team alongside Tony Caridi until this year. He is actually commentating WVU’s basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 3 with BYU for the final time of his career so he gets his official sendoff.
When action resumed in half number two, it was the same story. Morgantown did not even start Young and had some reserves in, but Everett and Brady Savage more than picked up the slack. Gabe Patton finally got going with a few nice jumpers after being shutout in the first half.
The game ended with the Spartans getting only six points in the fourth and final quarter as the Mohigans advanced to the championship game against Huntington on Saturday evening.
Lambert’s points all came in the first half as he led the Spartans with 12 of them. He was the only double figure scorer.
Young had 30 for Morgantown and Everett added 19.
East plays Shady Spring on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 PM. The Spartans lost to the Tigers 76-57 back on January 12.
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