SPORTS

Green Wave surge into quarterfinals

Shafer boys basketball team pulls away from Portland East in postseason opener

Craig Harris
Gallatin News Examiner

PORTLAND The seventh-seeded Shafer Middle School boys basketball team scored the game’s first eight points and gradually pulled away in the second half for a 40-28 victory over No. 10 seed Portland East in the two teams’ Sumner County Conference Tournament opener on Thursday evening at Portland West Middle School.

“We were moving the basketball and making good decisions,” Green Wave head coach Mitch Merryman said. “We were doing what we practiced.”

Shafer point guard Eric Mobley scored six of those first eight points, with Noah Ring providing the other two.

Shafer Middle School point guard Eric Mobley elevates for a fourth-quarter layin in front as Portland East’s Quintin Fowler challenges. Mobley scored a game-high 14 points in the Green Wave’s 40-28 victory on Thursday evening.

Quintin Fowler’s free throw with 1:28 remaining in the half accounted for the only Panther offense during the first quarter.

Portland East (1-14) didn’t have a field goal until Dawson Kennedy sank a 3-pointer 46 seconds into the second stanza.

The margin was 17-12 at halftime.

The Panthers pulled to within two points when Xavier Foster – who scored a team-high seven points – banked in a 3-pointer with 4:07 remaining in the third period, but Portland East didn’t score for the next 5:45.

Portland East Middle School point guard Connor Simmons releases a second-quarter shot in front of Shafer’s Noah Ring. Simmons scored five points.

Isaiah Briscoe’s interior basket was followed by five consecutive points from Mobley, extending the Green Wave lead to 28-19 with 4:41 remaining.

Portland East didn’t get any closer than seven points the rest of the way.

Mobley scored a game-high 14 points, and Briscoe scored all eight of his points in the second half, six of which came in the fourth quarter.

It was the third meeting between the two teams. Shafer (5-10) captured a 35-25 win at Portland East on Nov. 9, and the Green Wave claimed a 31-22 victory over the visiting Panthers on Dec. 14.

Shafer Middle School forward Trace Kelley gains possession of a second-quarter rebound amidst pressure from Portland East’s Connor Simmons.

Portland East’s lone win this season came on Dec. 7, a 47-40 victory over visiting Hawkins.

Shafer advanced to face second-seeded Ellis in Saturday’s quarterfinal round.

Reach Craig Harris atcharris@mtcngroup.com or at 615-575-7138. Follow him on Twitter @HarrisGNESports.

PORTLAND EAST (28) – Xavier Foster 7, Quintin Fowler 5, Dawson Kennedy 5, Connor Simmons 5, Landon Walters 3, Isaiah Grizzard 2, Tyler Jennings 1.

SHAFER (40) – Eric Mobley 14, Isaiah Briscoe 8, Noah Ring 6, Jayden Williams 6, D.J. Collins 2, Ty Martin 2, Christian Moss 2.

Half: 17-12, Shafer. Three-point goals: Portland East 4 (Foster 1, Kennedy 1, Simmons 1, Walters 1), Shafer 1 (Mobley 1). Records: Portland East 1-14, Shafer 5-10.