Bluefield 62 Graham 46

[GMan 3,569]

Beaver-ific

 

By BOB REDD

Bluefield Daily Telegraph

 

BLUEFIELD, Va. — The battle of the Bluefields was hardly a battle, as the Beavers pounded the G-Men 62-46 Friday night at Graham Middle School.

 

After a 2-all tie, the Beavers pulled away to claim a lead they would not relinquish. Chance Cottrell and Dexter Moore each fired in six points in the opening quarter to help Bluefield to a 21-12 advantage after the first eight minutes of action.

 

The Beaver defense took center stage in the second period, as the fullcourt press forced turnovers and Bluefield’s big men underneath blocked shots and grabbed rebounds over the smaller G-Men.

 

Steven Brown scored four in the quarter for Graham, as the G-Men trailed 34-22 as the teams went to the locker room at halftime.

 

In the third, it belonged to Bluefield as the Beavers outscored Graham 16-10 to lead 50-32 heading into the final eight minutes.

 

The Bluefield lead grew as high as 22 in the fourth quarter before Graham battled back.

 

A major highlight of the game was Graham’s final basket, which was scored by Jimmy Simon. Simon, the nephew of Bluefield football coach Fred Simon, is a manager for the Bluefield Beavers’ football team and a member of the Graham basketball team.

 

Simon’s basket brought the entire gymnasium to its feet in applause.

 

The G-Men were led in scoring by Brown with 11 points, the only Graham player to score in double figures. Ansel Ponder led Bluefield with 14, and Dexter Moore added 13.

 

The Beavers return to action tonight at Logan against the Wildcats. Graham hosts Mount View on Tuesday.

 

BLUEFIELD (6-0)

C.Ponder 0, Hammond 7, Ansel Ponder 14, A.Harris 2, J.Harris 3, Brooks 7, Dexter Moore 13, Casey 6, Cottrell 8, Powell 0, Merritt 0, Furrow 0, Slack 0, Baker 0.

 

GRAHAM (2-6)

Simon 2, Jeffers 0, Tibbs 2, Steven Brown 11, Cole 0, Carper 6, Blankenship 4, Palmer 2, Hunter 2, Lowery 2, Goins 8, Hicks 0, Thompson 7.

 

Bluefield......21 13 16 12 — 62

Graham.........12 10 10 14 — 46

 

3-point goals: BF 4 (Moore 3, Hammond 1); GR 2 (Brown 1, Carper 1). JV—BF won.