Westside HS vs Easley HS
Defense ended up being the middle name of the final Friday in January’s contest between Region 1-AAAA combatants Easley and Westside. The defense of the Green Wave was more successful than that of the Rams and, as a result, the…
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Continue ReadingDefense ended up being the middle name of the final Friday in January’s contest between Region 1-AAAA combatants Easley and Westside.
The defense of the Green Wave was more successful than that of the Rams and, as a result, the Green Wade earned a hard-fought 34-23 victory to dispatch of coach Jackie Roberts’ Westside squad.
With the victory, Easley’s record improves to 13-6 (5-1 in region). For the Rams, they now stand at 12-9 (2-4 in region).
“I was telling coach Jackie before the game, they’ve got athletes galore,” Green Wave coach Ivan Raymond said. “They’re so quick and we’ve got to be sound, we’ve got to be sure we’re in the right spots because we can’t make up for it with our athleticism. And so for them to hold them to 23 points. I mean, that’s what I told them. That’s impressive, because they are quicker, they are faster.”
A Picturesque View
For those that have never been near Easley HS, one can notice a picturesque view of the Upstate’s signature mountain ranges if near campus during the day. It could give other Upstate schools such as Landrum HS a run for its money in terms of which campus has the best view.
What Happened Last Time?
Earlier this season, the two teams met at Westside HS and the result was similar. The Green Wave defeated the Rams on their home floor with the final score being 49-46 on Jan. 13.
“This is the second time we’ve beaten them since 2008 – and both times have happened this year,” Raymond said.
Easley defeated Westside by a final of 50-40 on Jan. 11 of 2008 on the Rams’ home court.
Quarter By Quarter
The tone was set for this one early on with the defenses taking center stage. Both Easley and Westside were cold from the field early on before the Green Wave began finding success with its interior play. It was 8-2 Easley following one quarter.
The feel of the game did not change much in the second quarter. The only thing that did, of course, was what the number on the scoreboard said and the Rams managed to trim what was a six-point deficit to only four. The Green Wave’s advantage was 14-10 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Westside’s defensive pressure managed to throw Easley off track – and it translated into the Rams finding more success on the offensive end of the floor. Westside still trailed by six (23-17) with one frame left to play.
Close games such as Friday night’s are usually decided at the free throw line – and Westside vs. Easley was no exception. The Green Wave made the free throws it needed to make and it sealed the deal on their 13th win of 2022-23.
Primetime Performers
A 12-point effort by 5-foot-7 sophomore Kimbel Leach led the way to victory for Easley. She was one of two primary players for the Green Wave that made things happen late at the free throw line.
The other was 5-foot-8 senior Mattison Hayes. She finished with only seven points, but it was how she got the seven that was significant. Five of Hayes’ seven points occurred via free throws.
“If you had saw us earlier in the year, we were shooting about 40 percent from the free throw line,” Raymond said.
The Rams were the recipient of a pair of six-point outings in a contest where scoring was at a premium. One of those was courtesy of Ahri Scott Ahri Scott 5'6" | SG Westside | 2024 State SC , who also can make things difficult for opposing ball handlers as a defender.
The other was from junior 5-foot-4 guard Kiarra Gregory. She can translate her defense into offense as well by collecting steals and making things happen in the transition game. Gregory is also an effective passer.
Low Numbers
The 23 points scored by the Rams is their lowest number of points all season – one less than the 24 points they were held to in a late December loss against 5A Gaffney. Easley’s 34 points is the team’s lowest output in any of their 13 wins this season.
Up Next
The Green Wave has four games remaining in its regular season while the Rams have three. Easley will take to the road to take on Greenville on Tuesday and Westside will host Berea the same day.
Other Area Results
Southside def. Wren 50-35
Seneca def. Pendleton 47-31
Mauldin def. T.L. Hanna 60-51
Palmetto def. Belton-Honea Path 51-45
Crescent def. Walhalla 60-54