The Salem High boys’ basketball team has a home game scheduled for tonight, Thursday, against Christiansburg after being snowed out of a Tuesday home game with Patrick Henry. The PH game has been rescheduled for February 9th.
Salem is 4-7 after splitting two games last week. The Spartans were playing without senior Tanner Dallas, their top scorer, and senior Chase Greer, one of the top defensive players on the team, but still managed to come away with a split.
Last Wednesday in Moneta the Spartans took a 47-41 win over host Staunton River. The game was close throughout as Salem led 20-18 at the half and 31-30 after three quarters before winning down the stretch.
“They have some size and they ran a two-three zone the whole game, but we were able to knock down some threes,” said Salem coach Kevin Garst.
Tyrell Green hit four three pointers, Josiah Moyer hit two and Lucas Yerton had one while the Spartans held the Eagles to no three –pointers for the game. Moyer had 14 points to lead the Spartans, Hunter Bayne had 13 and Green had a dozen, all on threes. Bryson Hill had nine rebounds and three assists.
On Friday night Salem traveled to Dublin to take on Pulaski County in a River Ridge District game and the host Cougars took a 69-56 win. Pulaski jumped to a 24-12 lead after the first period but Salem trimmed the lead to 37-33 by the half. Pulaski then outscored Salem 20-9 in the third quarter and held off the visitors.
“We got down early but we tied it up near the end of the half,” said Garst. “We stayed right with them in the second half but they shot the ball well, and we were a step slow getting to the shooter.”
Sophomore Grant Clemens led Salem with 13 points and three other Spartans hit for double figures, Green with 11 and Bayne and Moyer with 10 each. Bayne led the team with five rebounds and Moyer had five assists.
After tonight’s home game with Christiansburg the Spartans will return to the SHS gym Saturday to make up a game with George Wythe that was previously postponed. The varsity is scheduled to begin around 2:30 pm.
Next week Salem will play back-to-back road games with a trip to Hidden Valley on Tuesday and a game at Christiansburg on Wednesday, January 26.