Renegades beat East, end streak
by John Conley
jconley@civitasmedia.com
Jan 31, 2013 | 37576 views | 0 0 comments | 1 1 recommendations | email to a friend | print

The streak is over.

“I’m not leaving,” said a happy member of the Westside cheering section, after watching the Renegades end six years of frustration with an 82-64 win over arch rival Wyoming East on Wednesday night in the AA consolation game of the Big Atlantic Classic in Beckley.

Corey Bowles scored 25 points and Justin Cogar added 23 as WHS finished the game on an 18-5 run and beat East for the first time since February 2007. The Warriors had won 13 straight since then.

“I’m excited for my kids,” said Westside coach Nick Cook.

The Renegades opened up a 50-42 lead in the third period when Levi Lambert and sophomore Will Fox each knocked down threes from the right side.

Lambert had 14 points, and Fox came off the bench to tally 12.

“Those were crucial baskets,” said Cook.

East got back-to-back threes from Austin Canada and Christian Hedinger and tied it at 50 and 52.

Westside finished the quarter with a 12-2 run, which included seven nine points from Lambert and Fox.

The Renegades tried to spread the floor to start the final period. But East cut into the lead, closing to 64-59 on a Canada three-pointer.

“That was my fault, I was trying to run time off,” Cook noted. “When we called time out, I told them to go back to our regular offense and attack the basket.”

Jason Scarlett scored inside and Bowles drove to the basket to push the lead ot 68-60.

The Renegades finished off the win mostly at the foul line.

“We played well against Bluefield (in the first round of the BAC) but didn’t finish,” said Cook. “Tonight we did.”

East was plagued by some of the same issues it had in a loss to Robert C. Byrd on Tuesday.

“When you turn the ball over that much (26 times), you’re not going to win,” said Warriors coach Rory Chapman.

East started the game shooting well, and Canada’s three late in the first stanza made it 24-14.

Westside (10-6) quickly turned things around.

A Bowles three-point play narrowed the margin to 24-19 early in the second quarter, and a Cogar trey tied it at 27-27.

That was part of a 16-4 run which ended with a Lambert bucket inside to make ti 38-31.

A John Morgan three-point play, two fouls shots from Hedinger and Josh Tunstalle’s lay up tied it at 38. There was another tie at 40, and Bowles made two foul shots to give Westside a 42-40 edge at the break.

Bowles had eight assists to go with his 25 points. Cogar scored 23 and had 10 boards.

Lambert tallied 14, and Fox had 12.

Canada scored 18 to lead East (10-4). Brett Bowling scored 16, and Tunstalle had 10.

Westside shot 52.8 percent from the floor to East’s 37.2. The Renegades had a 37-25 advantage on the boards.

Both teams have busy weeks coming up. Westside plays four games, and East has three. The rival meet again next Friday at New Richmond.

Game notes: This is the first time Westside and East have met in a BAC game … East lost both of its games in the BAC for the first time since 1999.

Photo: Levi Lambert (with ball) of Westside runs up court while Cody Lester of Wyoming East defends in Wednesday night’s game in Beckley.



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