INSTITUTE – Greenbrier West languished through possibly their worst four quarters of the season Monday morning in a 68-24 loss to the Class AA #6 Ravenswood Red Devils at the Par Mar Stores Shootout at the Big House at West Virginia State’s Walker Convocation Center. In the first ever meeting between the schools, the Cavaliers shot a woeful 18.4% and posted their lowest point total since scoring only 21 points in a loss to Charleston Catholic on January 3, 2015.
Ravenswood got plenty of scoring punch from 6’7” junior Evan Swain. Swain used his decided size advantage to score at the rim early and often, tallying eight points in the opening quarter. Greenbrier West’s leading scorer, Braydon McClung, answered with six points but the towering Red Devil lineup was more than equal to the Cavaliers. Ravenswood also collected five points from 6’2” junior guard Noah Dawson as well as a pair of threes from seniors Beau Bennett and Logan Alfred to build a 21-8 first quarter lead.
The second quarter proved to be as frustrating as the first stanza for the Cavaliers as they could only produce four points. Isaac Agee and McClung provided a bucket a piece for Greenbrier West in an icy-cold, 6 of 35 shooting performance. The Cavaliers were 0-8 shooting threes in the first half. Swain continued to lead the way for the Red Devils with seven second quarter points. Dawson, Bennett, and Alfred contributed to the cause with a combined nine points for a commanding 57-16 halftime lead.
The frosty scoring effort carried over into the second half for the Cavaliers. McClung scored West’s lone field goal and reserve forward Randy Keener knocked down a pair of free throws to register West’s only points in the third quarter. Ravenwood’s other 6’7” center, senior Greyson Keen picked up the scoring load with a couple of baskets and three-for three shooting from the foul line. In addition to Keen’s seven points, Bennett added four, 6’3” Zane Balis came off the bench to tally three points, and the duo of Dawson and Swain added two points each. Ravenswood surged to a 57-16 lead by the end of the third quarter.
Keener continued to be a bright spot for the Cavaliers in the fourth quarter, knocking down two more free throws to go 4-4 and adding a layup for a career-high six points. Agee and Colton Dunbar added a basket each for West, but the damage was done. The Red Devils got fourth quarter scoring from five different reserves to outdistance West 11-8.
Greenbrier West fell to 6-7 and lost their third straight for the first time in over a calendar year. Braydon McClung led the Cavaliers with ten points, giving him 972 for the season as he tracks down the 1,000-point threshold.
Swain led all scorers with 17 points while teammates Keen and Bennett notched 11 and 10 points, respectively. The Red Devils improved to 14-3 with the victory.
The Cavaliers fell to 0-2 this season at the Walker Convocation Center. In the process, West dropped decisions to the two winningest, active head coaches in West Virginia high school boys’ basketball. Poca’s Allen Osborne and Ravenwood’s Mick Price have won a combined 1,456 games and have a combined 88 years of head coaching experience at the two schools.
Greenbrier West hosts Independence on Tuesday night. Ravenswood travels to Parkersburg Catholic on Friday.
