Greenbrier boys, girls knock off new rivals at Grovetown

The Greenbrier High School boys basketball team, after a stretch of close losses, found itself in another tight contest Saturday at Grovetown.

//

And when Wolfpack standout DeJon Britton fouled out with a minute remaining, Greenbrier could have folded again.

But coach Casey Heckathorn's team didn't let it happen. The Wolfpack held on to win 57-55, giving them a sweep of the Warriors.

"I had faith in my team," Britton said. "I knew they would get the job done."

Britton led Greenbrier with 16 points and was all over the floor for the Wolfpack before picking up his fifth foul with 1:15 left. Greenbrier led 54-52 at that point, but the Warriors had the momentum after starting the fourth quarter down 10.

Greenbrier stopped a streak of three losses that started with a one-point defeat at rival Evans on Dec. 5.

"We didn't play a great fourth quarter, but they found a way," Heckathorn said. "We've got to find a way every once in a while to keep things going."

The game again pitted Heckathorn and Grovetown coach Casey Dees against each other. Dees, the former Greenbrier boys coach, came to Grovetown after last season. Heckathorn was his replacement at Greenbrier.

The two said they often talk during the week and share information about common opponents. Before Saturday's game, Dees jokingly told Heckathorn he would unlock the visitors' locker room only if the Greenbrier coach promised not to press.

Heckathorn, also the athletic director at Stallings Island Middle, once served at Greenbrier as an assistant to Dees.

"We're going to talk, every coach does," Dees said. "I don't mind helping them. They don't mind helping us."

Grovetown sophomore Myles McDavid continued his solid season, leading all scorers Saturday with 18 points. Denzell Garrett added 17 for the Warriors, who Dees said have made good progress.

Grovetown's fourth-quarter comeback was engineered by the Warriors converting easy lay-ups out of their motion offense.

"When we first started this season, we could not run the offense -- total chaos," Dees said. "Tonight, we got lay-up after lay-up after lay-up after lay-up running our offense."

In the girls game Saturday, Greenbrier pulled away from Grovetown to win, 46-29.

The victory was the Wolfpack's second over Grovetown this season, giving coach Dana Bull's team the season sweep.

Wolfpack senior Kaila Hunt scored 10 points and teammate Shelby Berns added 7 for Greenbrier.

Senior Chade Martin scored eight points to lead the Warriors.