Gallery by Karen Akers
Some people believe that lightning cannot strike twice. Greenbrier East boys basketball fans would beg to differ.
Friday night the Spartans fell at home by one point to Woodrow Wilson on a corner 3 in the waning seconds.
Tuesday night, it happened again. This time it was against Greater Beckley Christian at the hands of junior guard Kendrick Wilson.
Rising above the defenders a couple of steps from the corner, Wilson drilled his only 3-pointer of the night to give the Crusaders a 58-57 win at home.
“We were down most of the game and we came out flat. I just had the confidence to take the shot, but it was a great pass from my teammate, Miko (Robinson),” Wilson said. “We stay in the gym for those moments right there.”
While his team got the ultimate result that he wanted, the last Greater Beckley possession did not go exactly as planned according to head coach Justin Arvon.
“We did want the look that we got, but our execution wasn’t there. We used the wrong side of the floor, to be honest with you,” Arvon said. “Our attack mentality was there though, and that was key. In a game situation like that, if you can attack in the lane and make plays, you give yourself a shot to win. We got it, and Kendrick, who is a great leader for us, nailed it.”
After leading early, the Crusaders trailed by three after the first period. As the game neared the half, a 3-pointer from Zach Patton and five straight from Goose Gabbert pushed the lead to 10 points.
A triple from Kaden Smallwood cut into the lead, but at the break Greater Beckley trailed 30-23.
“I saw our team come out completely unfocused with a lack of effort and intensity to start the game. The foul trouble didn’t help that,” Arvon said. “Anytime Sherlock (Padmore) or John (Rose) gets in foul trouble for example, we have to have guys that want to come in and play focused. Some of those possessions in the late second quarter, we didn’t know who we were guarding. I will take the blame for that, but we still have to be communicating when go in and out of the game.”
Six points from Padmore and the all-around solid play from Smallwood brought the Crusaders even with 2:20 to play in the third quarter.
“Kaden stepped up there in the second half and calmed us down. Anytime they would make a run, he would make a play,” Arvon said. “Even little things like setting a good screen or getting a defensive stop. He would do leadership plays as we call them in the locker room.”
A bucket from Monquelle Davis, who frustrated Greater Beckley all night attacking the lane, and three straight baskets from Aaron Griffith gave East an eight-point lead with 22 seconds on the clock.
Azel Carmichael’s stick back and old fashioned 3-point play made it a 44-39 game with eight minutes remaining in regulation.
Robinson’s 3 at the 6:03 mark gave Greater Beckley it’s first lead since the opening quarter, only to see the Spartans battle back for a 51-48 lead with four minutes to play.
After Smallwood tied the game with a 3, East ran off six straight points to lead 57-51 with 1:20 on the clock and looked in total command.
However, Padmore’s score along with two misses at the line for East and two made free throws from Robinson cut the lead to two points with 37 seconds.
Trailing by two, the Crusaders then tied up the East ball-handler at mid-court on the next possession. In the scramble, it was ruled the East player traveled when he fell to the ground, setting up Wilson’s score.
However, with eight seconds on the clock, East had one last chance for the win.
“John had a huge defensive stop at the end. He couldn’t keep (Davis) out of the lane all night, but on the last defensive possession, he stayed in front of the ball and kept him out of the lane,” Arvon said. “They didn’t even get off a shot. That was what we had been looking for all night. It just took to the very end to get it.”
Smallwood led the Crusaders with 16, while Wilson had 11 and Padmore scored 10. Gabbert was the only East player in double figures with 18.
Greenbrier East also did itself no favors at the foul line going 10-for-21.
“It was ugly, but it’s good to know that we are capable of winning ugly games. We will need that more this year. We have had a tough schedule regardless of what the scores have shown. We have beat some good teams and we will have to go to their place,” Arvon said. “We just have to come more focused. We can’t be joking around all the time. There is a time to do that and there is a time to buckle down. Today we kinda struggled with that line.”
Greater Beckley (4-0) plays Liberty Dec. 28 in the opening round of the Little General Tournament at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center.
Greenbrier East (2-4) travels to South Charleston also on Dec. 28 for a 4 p.m. game.
GE: 13 17 14 13 – 57
GBC: 10 13 16 19 – 58
Greenbrier East 57
Zach Patton 8, Adam Seams 4, Monquelle Davis 7, Goose Gabbert 18, Aaron Griffith 6, Kaiden Huffman 6, Jude Libby 2, Bryson Brammer 6. Totals: 21 10-21 57.
Greater Beckley 58
Kaden Smallwood 16, John Rose 6, Sherlock Padmore 10, Kendrick Wilson 11, Sean-David Kadjo 1, Michael Judy 2, Miko Robinson 5, Azel Carmichael 7. Total: 23 7-14 58.
3-pointers – GE: 5 (Patton, Gabbert 3, Brammer); GBC: 5 (Smallwood 3, Wilson, Robinson).
