The Salem High boys basketball team saw their season come to an end Monday in the first round of the Region 4D tournament. Salem dropped a 65-59 decision to visiting George Washington High of Danville at the SHS gym.
“It was a great atmosphere,” said Salem coach Kevin Garst of the nearly packed gym. “It was two good teams going at it and they were able to make some plays they had to make.”
The game was close to the wire. The Eagles held a 28-27 lead at the half and scored the final bucket of the third quarter to take a 42-40 edge into the final stanza. They scored the first six points of the fourth quarter to go up 48-40 but Salem cut the lead to two at 54-52 with 1:42 on the clock as Jaydius Hamm and Braylon Smith connected on three point baskets.
Salem hung close for the final minute and a half but wasn’t able to pull even. The Spartans were forced to foul and GW made nine consecutive free throws to keep Salem at arm’s length. The Eagles were 24 for 27 from the line for the game for 89 percent.
Danville lived in the paint, shooting just six three pointers in the game and making only one. However, they were 19 for 38 on twos and outrebounded the Spartans 30 to 24.
“We wanted them to take more threes,” said Garst. “They made some good plays you hope they don’t make at crucial times.”
Senior Cam Boles led Salem in scoring with 18 points and led both teams with 11 rebounds. Braylon Smith had 17 points, including some big buckets down the stretch to keep Salem close. Tanner Overstreet had 11 points and three assists.
With the loss Salem finished the season at 19-4 while George Washington moved on to play 23-0 E.C. Glass in the south sub-region final Wednesday in Lynchburg. The winner of that game clinches a spot in the Class 4 state tournament and plays the north sub-region winner Friday.
“Our guys were fun to be around and they gave it everything they had,” said Garst. “Every year the goal is to try to get as close to your ceiling as you can, and I think we did that this year.”
