Gibbs Takes Command As Braves Outlast Westwood

GLADSTONE---The game was on the line, and it all came down tyo two guys who were playing on the edge with four personal fouls. Gladstone's Joe Gibbs and Westwood's Ryan Stanaway both carried their teams on the scoreboard throughout Monday night's game, and the final moments of the contest saw the two go at each other in the paint.

Who would get that fifth personal foul, and who would get the big basket?

Gibbs won the battle with a pair of "and one" baskets, including an electrifying slam dunk, as the Braves outlasted the Patriots, 60-54, at the Gladstone High School Gym.

And in the process, Stanaway fouled out, after scoring a game-high 23 points. Gibbs ended up with 24 points as the Braves improved to 9-8 on the season. Westwood is 7-9.

"I wanted to go at him and get him out of the game," Gibbs said. "He was having a phenominal game. We didn't want him in there in the last couple of seconds if it came down to a game-winner. So, I went right at him."

"Joe is progressing as a player," Gladstone Coach Clayton Castor said. "He actually came over to me and he said 'I'm taking him out of the game, Coach. I'm going at him'. For Joe Gibbs to say that, it really speaks volumes to how much better he is this year."

Earlier in the game, Gibbs was playing up high as Castor switched the line-up, putting Brad Spindler on the post. It worked, as Spindler scored six points in the first quarter and pulled down a couple of boards, helping Gladstone lead, 20-12.

"It was a new position for me, and it was awesome," Spindler said. "A lot of contact. Coming into the year, I thought I would be a guard, but I'm a 'big guy now'. It (the game) was awesome. Up and down, many exciting moments."

Gladstone led, 31-24, at halftime, and then blew out to a 38-25 lead midway through the third quarter. But the Braves hit a dry spell and Gibbs had to go to the bench with his third foul.

The Patriots took advantage by scoring the final eight points of the third quarter to close to within 38-33 heading to the fourth quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter, Gibbs returned to the line-up, but quickly got his fourth foul, so he had to sit down again. Westwood kept its momentum, and Stanaway took advantage with a pair of baskets inside to tie the game at 40-40. Then Connor Mason hit a jumper with 5:49 left to give the Patriots a 42-40 lead, ending a 17-2 spurt.

Castor rolled the dice and brought Gibbs back into the game, and he responded by scoring eleven of his team's next 16 points. Westwood's Connor Hanlon and Luke Gray both hit deep three-pointers to keep it close, but Gibbs was the difference at the end.

With the score 48-47, Gibbs drove on Stanaway and scored...and more importantly, got that fifth foul on Stanaway. After the foul shot, it as 51-47. Moments later, with Stanaway gone, it was a two-handed jam. The student section went wild in front of Gibbs as the Braves took a 54-49 lead.

Reece Castor put the game away with four straight free throws in the final minute. In fact, the Braves shot 16 free throws in the fourth quarter, and made 14 of them.

Besides Gibbs' 24 points, Spindler scored twelve, and Castor chipped in eight points. Casey Wolf scored seven points, including four free throws, and Hunter Botruff added seven points to go along with the usual strong defense.

Stanaway had 23 points to lead the Patriots, while Hanlon added 16. Gray, who torched the Braves during last year's meeting in West Ishpeming, scored nine points this time.

Gladstone won both the freshman (69-48) and junior varsity (49-46) contests. The Braves return to action Tuesday night with a make-up game against Marquette.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to hear radio highlights (including Gibbs' dunk) and interviews. You can also click on pictures and videos taken by Nate Bellville.