FAIRLEA- For the second time this week, the Greenbrier East Lady Spartans have avenged an early season loss when on Thursday night, Feb. 8 they defeated the Princeton Lady Tigers 66-51 in a game that East controlled for most of the evening.
Ava Workman scored 19 points to lead the Spartans and in the last two games, the freshman has stepped up in a big way.
Kennedy Stewart opened the game with a 3 that set the tone early. Workman ended the quarter with seven points and Hannah Fuller, despite some foul trouble contributed four points. Princeton (12-5) got a triple from Kaylee Wright and after one, it was 13-9, Spartans.
Sandy Banton came off the bench to knock in a 3 as the Spartans kept momentum as their lead continued to expand. Four points Stewart and a good quarter from McClure extended East’s lead to 29-18 at halftime.
Workman had an excellent second half, especially in the third quarter. She got loose down the lane more than once for a couple easy buckets and then had an old fashioned 3-point play to cap it off. Banton also really stood out. On two separate occasions she grabbed key offensive rebounds, the last one off of her own miss that set up an assist to Stewart who drained an open 3 and a 45-28 Spartan lead.
With East leading 48-30 heading into the fourth period, that quarter was basically a battle of the reserves. Kiana Brigman knocked in a 3 for the Spartans and Kala Waller got a bucket and a free throw. Princeton tried their best to claw back, but East’s advantage was too big from the get-go.
East (16-4) shot 45 percent for the game including 62 percent in the second half. On Tuesday in the win over James Monroe, they shot 65 percent in the third and fourth quarters.
The Spartans’ defense was good as well. They did not allow a Tiger to reach double figures and held all-stater Maddie Stull, who had 22 points and 12 rebounds in the first meeting, had just 6 points and 7 rebounds.
After Workman’s 19, Stewart was next in line with 13 points and 7 boards. Banton had 6 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and a block and was as critical in the third period as any player on the floor for the Spartans.
With the win, the Spartans have won 13-of-their- last 14 games and seem to be peaking at just the right time with postseason play just a couple of weeks away.
East stays home this weekend and hosts Grafton on Saturday, Feb. 10.
