The Greenbrier East Spartans boys basketball team started the late 2021 season off right with a 70-65 win over the Greater Beckley Christian Crusaders (GBC) on Monday, March 8, at the Spartan gym in Fairlea.
It was all Spartans early until GBC rallied in the fourth period, but East was able to get out of opening night with a 1-0 record.
Bailee Coles set the tone on the opening sequence of the game when he stole the inbounds pass, raced down the court and threw down a ferocious slam dunk. He then stole the ensuing pass and scored again, and six seconds into the contest, the Spartans led 4-0.
Adam Seams nailed a three-pointer a couple possessions later to give East a 7-1 lead, then threw a beautiful full-court pass to Coles who converted the old-fashioned three-point play and the Spartans held a 10-3 advantage with 4:15 to play in the first quarter.
Quentin Wilson would score the next four Spartan points, followed by a Seams steal and stop-and-pop trey and East was on total cruise control early.
However, GBC (0-1) started to slowly chip away after a B.J. Mitchell layup and a Michael Judy three. But Coles kept his foot on the gas for the home team and Tucker Via hit two free throws to end the first period as the Spartans held a 26-14 advantage after one.
Seams started the second quarter scoring with another deep 3-ball and on the subsequent possession, Coles scored via another old-fashioned three-point play again as East held their biggest lead of the night at 32-16.
The Crusaders 6’9” big man Jordan Mcinnis became a handful quickly as he scored a couple buckets to trim the Spartan lead. But again, East played very patiently and kept their double-digit lead into halftime at 44-32.
After a Coles dunk and jumper that put them up 48-34 early in the third quarter, the Crusaders got serious about coming back. Kaden Smallwood hit a long three and Mcinnis scored again inside that made it 52-41, Spartans. A Coles pull-up 3-pointer helped East hold a 57-46 lead after three quarters.
Sam Aultz scored two quick buckets for East to start the fourth, but then Mitchell hit a trifecta, then he scored a driving layup and McGinnis scored off an offensive rebound and GBC was down only eight, 62-54 late in the contest.
With the chance to make it even closer, the Crusaders missed some critical foul shots down the stretch as Coles calmly sank the majority of his as the Spartans held on and survived for the 5-point victory.
Coles finished with a career high 37 points. Seams chipped in 13, all in the first half.
Mitchell led GBC with 23 points. Mcinnis had 21.
East will hit the road Thursday night, March 11, when they play the tough Bluefield Beavers.
Stats courtesy of 95.3, Rock 95.
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