By Jay Spivey

For the Clemmons Courier

CLEMMONS — The West Forsyth boys and girls basketball teams played two Central Piedmont 4-A games this past week, with the boys having mixed views and the girls going winless.  

The West Forsyth boys defeated East Forsyth 68-59 Tuesday night in Clemmons, but they traveled to Mount Tabor Friday night and lost 63-59. 

“The East game went well,” Coach Marlon Brim of the West Forsyth boys said. “The second half went better than the first half, but we’re usually a second-half team.”

Jacari Brim, Marlon Brim’s son, led West Forsyth in the East Forsyth game with 23 points, six assists, five steals and five rebounds. Jordan Jones had 14 points and five rebounds, Cam White had 11 points and six rebounds, and Jordan Tate had 10 points and four rebounds.  

As for Friday’s game, Mount Tabor led 20-16 after the first quarter. Both teams struggled offensively in the second quarter and Mount Tabor took a 30-29 halftime lead after Joah Shay hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer.  

The Spartans (13-4, 6-1) were able to get a little breathing room at the end of the third quarter after JaDon Blair hit a jumper with 49.3 seconds left, and he added a layup with 31.1 seconds left to help push the lead to 47-39.  

However, Anthony Jordan of the Titans (13-3, 5-1 hit a layup with 17.3 seconds left in the third quarter to help make it 47-41 at the end of the third quarter.  

“I think they came out with a little box-and-one and that kind of slowed us down a little bit,” Brim said. “We found our mojo late in the second half, but we couldn’t sustain it, and that was the difference in the game. We missed 10 free throws tonight.” 

In addition, the Titans missed some layups and close-in shots.  

“You could tell our kids was thinking instead of playing,” Brim said.  

West Forsyth trimmed the lead to 53-52 after Jordan hit a 3-pointer with 4:06 left in the fourth quarter, but Shamarius Peterkin of Mount Tabor converted a three-point play to extend the lead to 56-52 with 3:11 left.  

Jordan led the Titans against the Spartans with 20 points and Jacari Brim chipped in with 13.  

“The wrinkle on defense – the box-and-one – threw off our rhythm and then we tried to find (Jacari Brim),” Marlon Brim said. “But like I told them, you gotta play because once you play that makes them come out of the box-and-one. But if you don’t, they’re going to stay in it.” 

It’s one of the lowest-scoring totals Jacari Brim has had all season. 

“Every time (Jacari Brim) got it, they trapped him, so they weren’t going to let him shoot it or let him score,” Marlon Brim said. “I’ll give him credit. He literally did what he had to to win.” 

The Spartans extended the lead to seven points at 61-54 after Blair hit a layup with 1:17 left. And with the score 61-55 Peterkin hit a free throw to make it 62-55.  

Blair led Mount Tabor with 18 points, Will Koonin had 13, and Peterkin and Campbell Scurry had 11 points apiece.  

The West Forsyth boys are scheduled to play at Davie County (15-0, 5-0) on Tuesday night in a game that was postponed two weeks ago because of severe weather.  

“We’re on to Davie now,” Marlon Brim said. “We’ve got to get ready for Tuesday, so we’ll get ready for Tuesday, and we’ll go to Davie and get better.” 

West Forsyth is also scheduled to play at Parkland on Friday.  

“It’s just the nature of it,” Marlon Brim said. “It’s how we’ve playing all year, so I think our kids are used to it.” 

The West Forsyth girls struggled offensively all week and lost 30-26 against East Forsyth this past Tuesday, and they lost 62-38 to Mount Tabor this past Friday.  

Mount Tabor led 14-5 after the first quarter and 31-14 at halftime. West Forsyth played better in the second half, but Mount Tabor outscored it 17-12 in the third quarter and 14-12 in the fourth quarter.  

Ava Hairston led the Spartans (12-5, 6-1) with 17 points, Kleiauna Riddick had 16, and Shaymiah Bailey chipped in with 12.  

Campbell McClain led the Titans (8-6, 3-3) with nine points.  

The West Forsyth girls are also scheduled to play at Davie County (9-7, 3-3) on Tuesday and at Parkland (4-11, 3-3 on Friday night.