CHARMCO – Greenbrier West has waged some classic battles over the storied history of their basketball program. Going toe-to-toe with a #1 ranked opponent hasn’t happened often, but there have been a couple memorable tilts. The Cavaliers got their first victory over the top-ranked team in what is arguably the program’s proudest moment, the 1992 Class AA state championship. That was a 74-70 double-overtime win over Williamson that brought the school it’s first state title in any team sport. West earned their second win over a #1 opponent just last season. The Cavaliers battled AA Williamstown in the Par Mar Shootout at West Virginia State University, defeating the Yellowjackets 67-66. It would be Williamstown’s only loss on their way to a 17-1 state championship season.
Tuesday night in Charmco, the Cavaliers got their first-ever opportunity to host a #1 ranked team at home. James Monroe rolled into John C. Estep Gymnasium with a 13-1 record, their only loss coming at the hands of Greater Beckley back in early December. They avenged that loss last week to claim the top spot in Class A and were riding the high of an 11-game winning streak. Adding to the intrigue, the schools have taken turns delivering upsets to one another. The Cavaliers were 13-0 in 2020 when the Mavericks handed them their initial loss of the season. Last year, the Mavericks were 17-1 and hosting the Region III co-final, primed for a win that would send them to Charleston. The Cavaliers didn’t get the memo, though, and handed James Monroe a season-ending overtime loss that sent West to the state tournament.
The build-up was palpable. The Cavalier Crazies belted out “Seven Nation Army” as the ball went in the air to start the game. The Cavaliers jumped out to an early 4-0 lead on a Chase McClung fast-break and a Michael Kanode layup. Brayden McClung scooped in a put-back for a 6-2 lead. Kanode was busy on the defensive end too, blocking a Cameron Thomas layup then stealing the subsequent inbound pass. Kanode then rejected Shad Sauvage for good measure. After the Mavericks cut the lead to 6-5, Elijah Perkins nailed two free throws to build the lead back to three. Kanode towered over Joshua Burks to block yet another Maverick shot attempt, but the Cavaliers were unable to convert at the other end. Eli Allen drove the lane for a Maverick score and Kanode answered with a Cavalier layup. That would be the last bucket for West in the quarter. The Mavericks would reel off eight straight with Thomas hitting a last-second layup for a 15-10 lead.
The early adrenaline the Cavaliers utilized appeared to be waning when James Monroe knocked down the first basket of the second quarter for a seven point lead. Kadin Parker drilled a three to cut the Maverick lead to four, re-energizing the Cavaliers. Kanode sank the front end of a one-and-one, and Elijah Perkins sliced through the Mavericks with a reverse layup to cut the lead to three. Collin Fox added a Maverick free throw to go up four and Brayden McClung answered with a free throw for West. Perkins had a stickback of a Dale Boone three attempt and the Cavaliers were only down 20-19. The Cavaliers had two chances to retake the lead, but Parker missed a contested layup and Boone was charged with an offensive foul.
With less than three minutes to go in the half, the Mavericks mashed the gas. James Monroe closed the half on a 12-2 run. Allen got it started with a three from the corner, Thomas followed with a layup, and Allen added another finish at the rim. The Cavaliers found Nickell alone for an uncontested layup and called timeout with 1:16 in the half, trailing 27-21. The Mavericks were deliberate in their offense, taking the time to get off a good shot. Burks’ three was off the mark, but Thomas cleaned it up for him with the putback. After back-to-back misses by both teams, Sauvage drilled his only three-pointer of the first half for a 32-21 halftime lead.
As the second half got underway, Allen and Sauvage picked up where they left off. Allen knocked down a pair of free throws and Sauvage hit a three from the wing. The Cavaliers’ cold shooting was doing them no favors. A Ty Nickell three was off the mark, and Sauvage drained another three off a set inbounds play. Allen created a turnover and converted for a layup and just like that, the Mavericks had a 21-point advantage. Allen increased the lead to 23 before Chase McClung stopped the bleeding with a three-pointer with just over 4 minutes left in the third quarter. A Parker three-pointer would cutthe lead to 17, but that’s as close as the Cavaliers would be the rest of the game. The Mavericks would outscore the Cavaliers 19-10 in the third quarter, giving them a 51-31 lead.
James Monroe would outscore the Cavaliers 26-10 in the fourth quarter, with eight different Mavericks in the scoring column. Greenbrier West would fail to place at least one scorer in double digits for the first time all season, but had four players with eight points apiece.
The Cavaliers get a Wednesday evening off before heading to Summers County Thursday night leading up to a major sectional game Friday night in Charmco versus Webster County. The Mavericks host Richwood Friday night.
With his big momentum-shifting three-pointer, Kadin Parker was named the Oldies 93,WKCJ, Rick Allen Nationwide Insurance Player of the Game. Parker finished with 9 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals.
Michael Kanode was named the Oldies 93,WKCJ, Rick Allen Nationwide Insurance Player of the Game. Kanode tallied five points, ten rebounds, three blocks, and two streals.
James Monroe (14-1) 15 17 19 26 – 77
Greenbrier West (9-5) 10 11 10 10 – 41
James Monroe
Eli Allen 23, Shad Sauvage 21, Cameron Thomas 16, Collin Fox 7, Jakobey Meadows 3, Josh Burks 3, Haiden Huffman 2, Owen Jackson 2.
Greenbrier West
Brayden McClung 8, Chase McClung 8, Kadin Parker 8, Elijah Perkins 8, Michael Kanode 5, Ty Nickell 2.
3-pointers – JM: 8 (Sauvage 5, Allen, Meadows, Burks); GW: 4 (C. McClung 2, Parker 2)
Cavalier Crazies rocked the John C. Estep Gymnasium Tuesday night. Photo credit: Maddi Richmond |
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