Boys Basketball State Tournament: Wyoming East holds off Bluefield

Warriors defeat the Beavers 56-51 to return to the championship game for the first time since 2010

After beating Westside and Logan twice during the regular season, Wyoming East easily dispatched both teams in its postseason run the state tournament semifinals.

Friday morning it was round three with Bluefield who had also come up short in two meetings with the Warriors.

The Beavers, however, refused to go quietly.

Storming back twice from double-digit deficits, Bluefield took a late fourth-quarter lead, but could not hold off East all-stater Keegan Davidson.

With his team trailing 51-50 with two minutes to play, Davidson scored two key buckets leading to a thrilling 56-51 win over its regional rivals.

Wyoming East advances to the Class AA state championship game Saturday at 12:30 against xxxxxxx.

Warriors head coach Kent McBride and players Talan Muscari, Keegan Davidson and Broc Johnson discussed the win over Bluefield.

Bluefield took an early 3-0 lead before Wyoming East ran off 14 straight points in just over three-and-a-half minutes.

As was the case all day, the Beavers were knocked down, but not out.

When the first quarter horn sounded, the East lead had been cut to five points, 18-13.

A floater from Davidson three minutes into the second quarter extended the lead to 23-15 before a defensive adjustment by the Beavers held the Warriors to just three points the remainder of the first half.

Two scores by Jase Smith gave Bluefield a 24-23 lead at the 1:05 mark, but a triple from Broc Johnson put the Warriors back in front by two at the break.

Davion Hickman tied the game with a bucket to open the second half, but another spurt by Wyoming East opened a 36-26 lead midway through the period.

Bluefield proceeded to regroup and pull within three points of the lead with eight minutes to play.

The fourth quarter was like a broken record.

Wyoming East pulled away, Bluefield came roaring back.

When Talan Muscari drilled a triple just two minutes into the fourth quarter, East appeared to have a commanding 49-40 lead.

However, a 3-ball from Hickman turned the tables for the Beavers who followed with a two-point bucket from both Smith and Greyson Parris, moving back within two points of the lead with 3:21 to play.

A free throw from Davidson halted the run, but Bluefield had found a weak spot inside with Parris and continued to exploit the advantage.

Back-to-back scores from the senior big man created a huge eruption from Beaver Nation, and gave Bluefield a 51-50 lead with 2 minutes to play.

Although the situation appeared dire, Wyoming East had been in similar situations before and experience paid huge dividends.

Davidson, who scored a game-high 22 points, had baffled the Beavers all day attacking the rim and the junior standout took control during crunch time.

Beating his defender into the paint, Davidson pulled up for a jumper to give East the lead for good.

Bluefield immediately went back to Parris inside, but this time, East big man Konnor Fox was between him and the rim.

When Parris made his move to the rim, Fox took a game-changing charge creating an eruption from the East faithful.

Davidson struck again as the clock ticked under a minute to play for a 54-51 lead, but Bluefield had one more possession to tie the game.

A good look from behind the arc went wanting and Johnson converted two free throws to seal the win.

The win sends Wyoming East back to the championship game for the first time since 2010.

Bluefield head coach Tony Webster talked with the media after the game.