Girls State Basketball Tournament: Greenbrier East holds off East Fairmiont for AAA crown

Senior Hannah Fuller records a difference-making double-double with 16 points and 17 rebounds

Saturday night during the Class AAA Girls Basketball State Championship game, Greenbrier East never trailed, but could never relax inside the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center.

Every time the Lady Spartans tried to pull away, East Fairmont would rain in some 3-balls to come storming back.

However, when the final horn sounded, Greenbrier East had held on for hard fought 57-51 win, completing a perfect 27-0 season.

Lady Spartans head coach and current U.S. Senator from West Virginia, Jim Justice, along with players Ava Workman, Kennedy Stewart, Mackenna McClure and Hannah Fuller talked to the media after the championship win.

Stewart opened the scoring which bounced back and forth between the teams in the early going.

With the game tied 5-5, the Lady Spartans made their first attempt of many to pull away from the Bees.

A triple from Kala Waller and a jumper from Kennedy Stewart ignited a run that gave Greenbrier East a 17-10 lead after the first quarter.

East Fairmont, as it did all night, refused to fold and stormed back within one point on a basket from Audrey Singer just two minutes into the second period.

The Lady Spartans regrouped, and took a five point advantage into the locker room.

The third period was a carbon copy of the second with the Bees pulling within one point, but trailing by six points with eight minutes to play in the game.

Leading 45-41 at the 7:21 mark, Greenbrier East scored five straight points to take the initial double-digit lead of the contest, midway through the fourth quarter.

The 10-point bulge stood with one minute to play before 3-balls from Kasey Rogers and Emma Moore pulled the Bees within four points with 30 seconds to play.

East Fairmont could get no closer.

One free throw each from Workman and Fuller, along with a pair of defensive stops sealed the state championship title for the Lady Spartans.

The two teams played a similar game in mid-February, won by Greenbrier East, 55-48.

The upset bid by the Bees looked promising at times during the game, but East Fairmont coach, James Beckman, made it clear who the difference maker was in the title tilt.

"No. 55," Beckman said.

Number 55 was Fuller who had a double-double with 16 points and 17 rebound, 10 rebounds coming on the offensive glass.

Stewart led the Spartans with 18 points, while Workman scored nine points. However, Workman did her best work holding East Fairmont standout Kalie Haymond to just two points.

Waller and McClure added seven points apiece with McClure pulling down seven key rebounds.

Rogers led all scorers for the Bees with 21 points and Emma Moore scored 10.

Stewart (Tournament MVP), Workman, McClure, Rogers and Haymond were all named to the All-Tournament team, along with Riley Felton (Keyser) and Karson Jones (Nitro).