The Greenbrier East Spartans continued to play without Bailee Coles (ankle), Goose Gabbert (broken arm) and Quentin Wilson (quarantined), but they have not missed a beat with recent wins over Pikeview (64-60) on Monday, March 29 and Bluefield (74-47) on Tuesday, March 30.
Against the Panthers of Pikeview, the game was a little closer than East had hoped. They got down seven points early, but strong second and third quarters helped prevail them to victory.
William Gabbert scored 11 points in the third quarter and Tucker Via had a strong fourth. Gabbert led the team with 26 points including five 3-pointers. Via contributed 13 and Adam Seams added 11 points.
The Bluefield contest started with a bang from the start. Seams got two straight steals to put the Spartans out to an early 4-0 lead. Then, a steal by Via turned into two more points as East set the tone with their active, pressure defense.
Sam Aultz then drained a 3-pointer followed by Via’s second steal. More Beaver turnovers turned into more Spartan points and a 19-8 lead after the first quarter.
Gabbert started the second quarter with a trey and Monquelle Davis had a nice bucket inside. Gillis Walker tried to keep Bluefield close with six points but he would later leave with an injury.
East led 36-21 at halftime.
The second half was all Spartans, all the time. Gabbert scored 10 points in the period as East started the half on a 17-6 run. They cruised the rest of the way.
Gabbert led East with 20 points. Seams had 15 and played lockdown defense all night. Aultz added 14 for East.
The Spartans shot 30–of-57 from the field.
The Spartans will head back to the Raleigh County Convention Center this Thursday for a contest with the Wyoming East Warriors in the New River Community and Technical College Invitational.
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