CHARLESTON, W.Va. — This time around, things didn’t come quite as easily for Greater Beckley Christian.
Still, the Class A No. 1 Crusaders saved their best for last in a quarterfinal with Webster County, and the Crusaders advanced with a 52-46 victory Tuesday night inside the Charleston Coliseum.
“They did a lot of things to throw us off our offensive game,” GBC coach Justin Arvon said. “Very proud of our guys for being well-conditioned for the fourth quarter and to fight through adversity and hopefully that helps us going forward.”
GBC (21-2) had defeated the Highlanders (14-11) twice by a combined 44 points in the regular season, but Webster put forth a far better effort in the third meeting.
The Highlanders effectively did their part to minimize possessions and trailed 14-11 after one quarter despite 10 points from Crusaders’ guard Javonte Spencer in the opening frame.
Despite battling sickness, Webster guard Ryder Wright scored nine second-quarter points to help the Highlanders get even at 22 at halftime.
“Three breathing treatments a day right now. We get him up in the middle of the night sometimes,” Webster coach Brett Morris said. “He’s waking up and saying it feels like someone is choking him to death. He’s been to several doctors and they haven’t narrowed it down yet. He gets to a point where he starts to panic and he’s trying to throw up and there’s nothing.
“It’s been a real battle for him and it started a couple weeks ago. He was just at the doctor last week. It says a lot about him.”
Webster went to to the break 7 for 16 from the field and 7 for 7 on free throws.
“We put ourselves in a position I don’t think many people thought we’d be in,” Morris said.
The Highlanders continued to hang directly with the Crusaders throughout the third quarter and held a 35-34 lead after Wright’s basket at the 1:17 mark, before GBC freshman Iziah Gordon countered with a floater to send his team into the fourth on top by a point.
Isaiah Cutlip’s three-pointer 40 seconds into the fourth pulled Webster even at 38, but the Highlanders made only two field goals the rest of the way.
Meanwhile, Jabari Spencer accounted for back-to-back buckets and Javonte Spencer connected on a pull-up with 3:44 remaining for a 44-39 lead.
Spencer Baird’s trey brought the Highlanders to within two, before Gordon answered with a midrange jumper at the 2:11 mark.
“We didn’t have much offense going and I tried to make something happen,” Gordon said. “It probably wasn’t the greatest shot, but it went in.”
Wright’ basket with 12.9 seconds left, combined with a GBC turnover, enabled the Highlanders to possess the ball trailing 50-46 with just outside 10 seconds left.
But Spencer stole Cutlip’s inbound pass and made two free throws to seal the victory and send the Crusaders to a semifinal, where the winner of Parkersburg Catholic-East Hardy awaits.
“I’d much rather play a team in a tough game to prepare us going forward. This prepares us going forward better than the opposite would have, and guys seeing they can win a close game and holding a team under 50, that’s always a positive for the rest of the week,” Arvon said.
Spencer led all players with 23 points and Gordon scored 17. That drop combined for 13 of their team’s 18 field goals.
“I saw a lot of mismatches with speed and trying to get the big man outside on the perimeter and try to get by him and look for teammates if they cut open,” Spencer said.
Wright led Webster with 16 points and Joston Lewis scored 13 in defeat.
The Highlanders were limited to 14 field goals, but made 15-of-19 free throws.