Youngstown, OH - After a big win over Marlington last Friday, the West Branch boys basketball team quickly shifted focus as they traveled to Youngstown to face the Liberty Leopards. The Warriors, under Coach Louden, put on a basketball clinic, dominating the Leopards with a 72-40 victory.
From the opening tip, West Branch showcased their fast-paced, relentless style of play. Junior guard Joey Jackson set the tone early, scoring 9 of the team's 16 first-quarter points to give the Warriors a 16-9 lead.
The Warriors maintained their offensive rhythm in the second quarter, matching their first-quarter total with another 16 points. Despite Liberty's efforts to hang in the game, West Branch took a comfortable 32-21 lead into halftime.
Coming out of the break, Liberty made a concerted effort to contain Jackson, but the Warriors depth proved too much. Gavin Gregory, who had been solid all game, stepped up defensively, and both he and Cooper Anderson dominated the boards. West Branch's defense was suffocating, holding Liberty to just 8 third-quarter points, and the Warriors extended their lead to 20 by the end of the period.
The fourth quarter was more of the same, as Gregory added 6 more points to his tally. West Branch kept their foot on the gas, never letting up, and cruised to a decisive road victory. West Branch forced Liberty into 19 turnovers and outrebounded the Leopards 46-26.
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What's Next:Â West Branch improves to 2-2 on the season and will travel to Howland on Saturday for their next matchup. The game is slated to tip off at 6:00 PM.
