LEWISBURG (WVDN) – The Greenbrier East Lady Spartans looked a lot different on Tuesday, Nov. 29, when they opened up their 2022-23 season at home against the James Monroe Lady Mavericks.
The Mavs, who brought back a lot of experience from last season’s team, could not handle the new look Spartans as East beat them 63-43 in impressive fashion.
East started two freshmen, Kennedy Stewart and Makenna McClure, who, after a sluggish start, ran like a well-oiled machine which was encouraging to the Spartan faithful in the building.
The Mavs went up 2-0 early, but the Spartans answered with a 10-0 run fueled by Ryan White’s seven points. Later in the first quarter, Cadence Stewart scored a bucket, and McClure scored on a beautiful pass from Caroline Dotson, and the Spartans held a 14-8 lead after one.
An offensive rebound put-back from White and a Kennedy Stewart 3-pointer put East up 19-8 early in the second period. That lead extended to 29-15 after a McClure hoop and to 31-17 after C. Stewart scored underneath. Haley Hunnicutt’s runner for James Monroe made the score 31-19 East at the break.
James Monroe appeared as if they were going to make a little run to start the second half and did cut their deficit to 31-24, but a turnaround jumper from Dotson, that also got her fouled, made the score 34-24 East just a couple minutes into the third quarter.
That play pretty much ignited East’s run even though a few seconds later White picked up her fourth foul and headed to the bench. But Hannah Fuller filled in nicely and got an impressive offensive rebound and an old-fashioned, 3-point play, and the Spartans went ahead 37-24 and really started to take control of the contest. Fuller used her 6-foot-2-inch frame to snag another offensive board later in the third as well.
The Stewart sisters scored the fourth quarter’s first 8 points, and the Spartan defense never let the Mavs threaten them again as East cruised to victory.
C. Stewart was named the Magic’s Computer Repair player of the game after scoring 18 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. K. Stewart added 16 points in her East debut and White got 11 points. Fuller had 5 points and 7 boards off the bench.
Addison Hines led the Mavericks with 12 points. The first team all-state pick was held in check for the most part by the scrappy East defense.
The Spartans will host Hedgesville this Friday night, Dec.2.
Stats courtesy of Oldies 93.3.
