CLINTWOOD, Va. — East Ridge relied on balanced scoring, timely defensive stops, and steady composure late to earn a 56–51 non-conference victory over Ridgeview on Monday night at Clintwood.
The contest was competitive from the opening tip, with both teams trading baskets early. East Ridge established an early rhythm offensively and edged Ridgeview 13–10 after the first quarter, using strong interior play and patient ball movement to generate high-percentage looks.
Ridgeview responded in the second quarter, increasing the tempo and finding success in transition. Logan Justice and Waylon Anderson combined to keep Ridgeview within striking distance, as the teams matched each other with 19 points apiece in the period. East Ridge carried a slim 32–29 advantage into halftime.
Coming out of the break, East Ridge delivered one of its strongest stretches of the night. The defense tightened in the third quarter, limiting Ridgeview’s scoring opportunities while capitalizing on key possessions at the offensive end. East Ridge outscored Ridgeview 16–12 in the period, extending the lead to seven heading into the final quarter.
Ridgeview refused to go away, cutting into the margin in the fourth quarter behind consistent perimeter pressure and aggressive drives to the basket. Despite being outscored 10–8 in the final period, East Ridge executed down the stretch, making crucial stops and converting free throws to protect the lead and close out the win.
East Ridge finished the night shooting 48 percent from the field (25-of-52) and was especially effective inside the arc, connecting on 56 percent of its two-point attempts. The team also showed discipline late, converting three of four free throws when it mattered most.
Individually, East Ridge was led by Damron, who scored a game-high 14 points while consistently attacking the basket. Mullins added 11 points, providing steady production throughout the game, while Ramey finished with 10 points and delivered in pressure situations at the free-throw line. McCoy and Langel each scored eight points, with Langel knocking down two three-pointers to stretch the defense. Belcher rounded out the scoring with five points.
Ridgeview was paced by Waylon Anderson, who poured in 21 points to lead all scorers for his team. Logan Justice added 15 points, and Alex Grant chipped in seven. Despite the balanced effort and late push, Ridgeview was unable to overcome East Ridge’s third-quarter surge.
The win gives East Ridge a positive result in non-conference play, while Ridgeview showed competitiveness and resilience in a closely contested matchup on a neutral floor.
Team Scoring by Quarter
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Total |
| Ridgeview | 10 | 19 | 12 | 10 | 51 |
| East Ridge | 13 | 19 | 16 | 8 | 56 |
Individual Scoring — East Ridge
| Player | Points |
| Gavin Damron | 14 |
| Ayden Mullins | 11 |
| Canaan Ramey | 10 |
| Kaden McCoy | 8 |
| Luke Langel | 8 |
| Jordan Belcher | 5 |
| Total | 56 |
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