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By Jay Spivey

For the Clemmons Courier

The West Forsyth boys and girls basketball teams only had one scheduled game this past week, and the teams had mixed results in that Central Piedmont 4-A game this past Friday at Parkland.

The boys, who are now in sole possession of first place in the conference, rolled past Parkland, but the girls lost.

In the boys game, Jacari Brim scored 27 points, and added five assists and four rebounds.

“I thought we played pretty well,” Coach Marlon Brim of West Forsyth said. “I thought we got off to a little slow start, but we played well.”

Even though the margin of victory was 39 points, the game ended in a running clock. At any point in the second half a team is ahead by 40 or more points the game finishes with a running clock for the remainder of that game.

“I thought coming in playing, we had four days off, which was good,” Marlon Brim said. “But just getting a chance to get everybody playing time and everybody kind of just playing basketball. I guess that’s what I would say.”

Jordan Tate added 10 points for the Titans in the win against the Mustangs (5-11, 1-7).

“I thought we could’ve scored a little bit more, but overall and haven’t played in four days, I thought we had a good, strong third quarter,” Marlon Brim said. “But I also thought we came out a little flat, but also we picked it up (as the game progressed).”

West Forsyth did have four days off last week before the Parkland game, which could be beneficial in the final three weeks of the regular season.

“I told our coaches (Friday) that having the three days of practice, even though we had Monday off (because of Martin Luther King Jr. Day) was good for us,” Marlon Brim said. “It got us a chance to get us some fresh legs and just kind of get in the gym and just work instead of playing games.”

The win, coupled with Davie County (13-4, 6-2) losing to East Forsyth (9-3, 6-2) this past Friday, means that West Forsyth is in first place by itself. Davie County, East Forsyth and Mount Tabor (12-4, 6-2) are all tied for second place.

“I don’t think it gives us any target,” Marlon Brim said. “I just think, like I told them, you can’t take (any) days off in the conference. You’ve got to come in and play every conference game. We have a target on our backs from the beginning of the year, but now in conference everybody, the top teams have a target on their backs. So, everybody’s got to come ready to play.

West Forsyth is scheduled to play host to play Glenn (5-13, 0-8) on Tuesday, and it is also scheduled to play host to Reagan (10-7, 4-4) on Friday night.

“I just think it gives us a chance to get back to what we do well, which is play defense and share the ball,” Marlon Brim said. “So, (this) week will be tough. You know, it’s conference, so just having the opportunity to get a chance in the gym and play, that makes us better. So, I think that’s just a good time for us.”

It’s the second meeting of the season between Glenn and West Forsyth. Way back on Dec. 10, West Forsyth won 69-25 in Kernersville.

“They’re a scrappy team,” Marlon Brim said. “They’re going to play hard. It’s not going to be an easy game. Coach (Kellen Parrish) does a great job with the team. So, it’s going to be a tough fight.”

Friday’s scheduled game at home against Reagan (10-7, 4-4) is the third meeting this season between the two teams. In the first meeting on Dec. 20 in the semifinals of the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Bracket of the Frank Spencer at Mount Tabor, West Forsyth won 62-54. On Jan. 3 at Reagan, West Forsyth edged Reagan 58-56.

“It’s the third time in three weeks, maybe a month (actually about six weeks),” Marlon Brim said. “But (Coach) Monty (Gray) of Reagan will have his guys ready. They’re playing well. So, they’ve won probably three of the last four, something like that. We’ll be ready to play, and I think, at the end of the day, we’ve just got to come and play West Forsyth basketball.”

Counting the two games this week there are six games left in the regular season for the West Forsyth boys.

“We talk about that before and after practice — never overlook an opponent and you’ve got to come ready to play every night in the conference,” Marlon Brim said. “And even in nonconference, but especially your conference, that you’ve got to come bring it every night. So, that stuff we talk about as a coaching staff to our players and to make sure we don’t overlook teams.”

As for the West Forsyth girls, Parkland took control early and held on to defeat visiting West Forsyth 43-38 Friday night in a Central Piedmont 4-A game.

Parkland (10-6, 4-4) led 12-7 after the first quarter and led 23-16 at halftime.

It was the second meeting of the season between the two teams. West Forsyth (9-8, 3-5) won the first meeting, which was on Dec. 13, 76-43.

The West Forsyth girls are also scheduled to host Glenn (0-14, 0-8) on Tuesday. West Forsyth won the first meeting, which was on Dec. 10, 68-5.

And on Friday, West Forsyth is scheduled host Reagan (12-5, 7-1). Reagan won the first meeting, which was on Jan. 3, 61-34.

The West Forsyth girls, counting the two scheduled Central Piedmont 4-A games this week, have seven regular-season games remaining. In addition to the six conference games, the West Forsyth girls are scheduled to play on Sat., Feb. 8, against Bishop McGuinness (13-0), which is a makeup game from January because of snow.