Before this season, Greenbrier East’s Aaron Griffith was typically a guy that played out on the wing, launching threes and mid-range jumpers. But in 2022, he pretty much stays around the basket waiting to finish at the rim, and that is exactly what he did on Friday night, Mar. 4, against the Princeton Tigers.
Griffith scored the easiest 27 points he may ever get as the Spartans won the Region 3, Section 2 championship 65-50 over the Tigers.
“All the credit goes to them (teammates),” Griffith said after the game. “They penetrate and they make it happe,n and I just put the ball in the hoop.”
Between Griffith cleaning up some misses from his teammates and Adam Seams dishing to him with some incredible passes, Griffith’s career high could not have come at better time. East (12-11) will host their first regional game since 2010 this Wednesday night, Mar. 8 against George Washington with a state tournament berth on the line.
After a close first quarter in which Princeton actually led 15-14 despite their foul trouble, East used a dominant second quarter to get things going.
After a slam dunk inside by the Tigers’ Jon Wellman, Seams penetrated to get to the foul line where he converted four straight points. The Spartans then used a 15-0 run to take control. Griffith scored 10 consecutive points and Bryson Brammer and Goose Gabbert capped the finishing touches with a nice layup and long range shot to put East up 33-19 with 2:38 left in the first half.
A Seams steal and score and a Cole Withrow basket help the Spartans maintain their lead at halftime, 37-24.
Kris Joyce had a big third quarter for Princeton as he tried to keep the Tigers close, but the penetration by Seams and the Spartan guards kept the bigger Tigers frontline at bay. When a defender would step up, Seams, Gabbert and Monquelle Davis would drop it into Griffith for east buckets. After three, the Spartans led 50-36.
The final points of the night for East seemed way too storybook like, as Griffith got a bounce pass in the lane, leaped up and slammed it down with two hands as the fans went crazy, and the Spartans celebrated the memorable victory.
“We’ve worked on his floating around the basket all season,” East coach Jared Patton said.
The “6th Man” as it’s called in Fairlea, also did their part.
“The fans were fantastic. I love having them here and it was a packed house tonight,” Patton stated.
“I challenge them for Wednesday to be another packed house,” the coach reiterated.
Seams added 10 points for the Spartans.
Joyce led Princeton with 18.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.