Second Half Runs Propel Cave Spring Past Salem 73-61

Salem senior Shannon Davis (#10) hands they ball to teammate Curtis Staples (#30) as Cave Spring defender Paxton Daniels looks to disrupt the exchange Friday night in the CS gym.
Salem senior Shannon Davis (#10) hands they ball to teammate Curtis Staples (#30) as Cave Spring defender Paxton Daniels looks to disrupt the exchange Friday night in the CS gym.

You could make a good case that spectators got their money’s worth Friday night in the raucous Cave Spring gym.

The boys basketball contest between Cave Spring and the visiting Salem Spartans had a little bit of everything.
Coast-to-coast action from the outset, 12 bombs from behind-the-arc, four technical fouls, seven players in double figures and two players disqualified with fouls due to the physical play.
In the end, Cave Spring used a pair of key second half runs to pull out the 73-61 River Ridge win.
“We just couldn’t string together enough stops,” Salem head coach Kevin Garst said outside the Spartan locker room after the game. “I’m pleased the way we played hard and didn’t back down. Our offense was OK tonight and we kept hitting big shots, but our defense needs to step up. We kept trading baskets when we needed a stop.”
The action was wide open from the outset.
Cave Spring scored the first five points of the game on junior Jake Furrow’s hit from long range and a basket from inside-man Zach Shannon.
Down by eight, Salem roared back to close the frame on a 5-0 run with three free throws by senior Cam Spangler and a layup at the buzzer by junior Baylor Mabes that closed the Spartan deficit to 20-17.
Key for the Knights was 10 first quarter points from Furrow, who picked up the slack after Cave Spring senior Mason Reyer headed to the bench with two fouls.
Salem scored the first six points of the second quarter to take the 23-20 lead, and after Cave Spring sophomore Devin Beckner broke the Knight scoring drought with a breakaway layup at the 4:51 mark, followed by senior Brody Hicks’ free throw, things were knotted at 23.
Salem went up 27-23 moments later after a foul call on the Knights drew the ire of Cave Spring head coach Jacob Gruse who received a technical for his displeasure. Salem senior Trevon Hill hit all four free throws to put the Spartans up 27-23, but a technical foul on Garst moments later led to Cave Spring closing the half on a 9-3 run to go to the break with a 32-30 advantage.
Cave Spring led 39-35 midway through the third quarter when a double technical from extra curricular activities under the basket was called on Salem senior Curtis Staples and the Knights’ Shannon. Cave Spring followed with an 8-2 run keyed by 3-pointers from Hicks and Reyer that pushed the Knights’ lead to 47-37. Cave Spring headed to the final quarter up 53-43.
The Spartans opened the final frame with two quick hits from behind-the-arc by senior Cole Chisom and Mabes to cut their deficit to 53-49, but Knight junior Jarod Steele scored to put Cave Spring up by six, and Salem got no closer than 5 the rest of the way.
“We got off to a great start then let off the accelerator,” Gruse noted. “Salem came back at us and the game got physical, the bodies were flying. Salem is athletic and they’ve got three players who can shoot the eyes out.”
“Mason got two fouls early and had to sit a lot,” Gruse added. “We rolled the dice and put him back in during the second quarter and it paid off. Jake Furrow was huge with the 10 points in the first quarter and Mookie (Devin Beckner) played well to make some key plays when we needed them. He’s (Beckner) the type of player that can make one mistake, then create 3 good things.”
Reyer finished with a game-high 20  points for Cave Spring, with Hicks adding 12. Junior Baker Haviland knocked down 11 points, with Furrow and Shannon netting 10 apiece.
Hill paced the Salem scoring with 18 points, while Mabes followed with 17.
Bill Turner

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