The Greeneville boys finally had something good to happen in the fourth quarter and the reward was a 64-58 victory over Grainger in a Blue Ridge Conference match Friday night at Hal Henard gym.

The Lady Devils are one win away from claiming the first Blue Ridge Athletic Conference regular season championship after downing the Grainger Lady Grizzlies 48-38, a game that was not as close as the final score would indicate.

The Greeneville boys improve to 13-11 for the season and are 6-5 in district play and will be on the road at Cumberland Gap tonight. The Panthers hold third place in district play, one game ahead of the Greene Devils.

It was an offensive shootout between the teams. The Greene Devils connected on 22 of 42 shots from the floor, while Grainger was matching them in field goals by hitting on 22 of 38 field goal attempts and had a seven to five edge in 3-point baskets. The Grizzles made seven of eight free throws.

The overall difference in the game was the Greene Devils' free throw shooting for the game and in the fourth quarter, especially over the final minute where they connected on seven of eight when Grainger was forced to foul for possession to stop the clock.

The two teams exchanged the lead on 12 different occasions throughout the contest with never more than a four point separation.

The Grizzlies came with a triangle and two defense designed to stop Greeneville's Bryan Everhart, who shot them down with 30 points at Grainger earlier in the season. Greeneille relied strictly on their man defense and stayed out of foul trouble, and both teams had very few turnovers, five for GHS and eight for GCHS.

Troy Hopson picked the right time to have his best game of the year.

The 6-4 senior was very active around the basket scoring on eight of 10 from the floor and four of six at the line to total 20 points for the game, 12 of those in the opening half.

Wes Quarles continued his good play netting 16 points that also included 12 in the opening half that helped GHS stay close at the intermission break.

GHS gained a point in the third period but still trailed 42-40 heading to the final period.

Taylor Blair came off the bench and caught fire in the fourth period, knocking down three 3-pointers, his third giving Greeneville a 55-53 lead with 1:52 remaining, a lead they never would relinquish.

Everhart, who had been in check for most of the game, upped the lead to four after a Grainger miss but the Grizzles knocked down a 3-pointer to cut the distance to one, 57-56, with 46 seconds remaining.

Greeneville started running the clock and Grainger was quick to foul but William Carmichael made four stright and the Grizzles would score only once and the Greene Devils had the victory.

Blair (11) and Carmichael (11) gave GHS four in double figures.

Grainger was led by Cody Glascock with 16 points. Scoring support came from Ryan Webster (14) and Andy Farmer (12) that included four 3-pointers.

The Grizzles are 1-7 and 5-15 for the year.

The Lady Devils took another stride toward the first regular season championship in the new district with the 48-38 victory over visiting Grainger.

The Lady Devils raise the season record to 19-6 and are 10-1 with one game remaining, a road trip to Cumberland Gap tonight to wind up conference play before returning home to close out the regular season with contests against Cocke County and Oak Ridge before the district tournament begins.

Rainey Story (18) provided the inside offense and Brianna Kelley (16) from the perimeter led the Lady Devil charge that saw them race off to a quick 13-4 lead in the opening quarter.

GHS played a mixture of reserves and starters in the second, and Grainger's Ashlee Acuff took advantage racking up six straight before the break but the Lady Devils still controlled a 21-12 edge at intermission.

All five starters for Greeneville contributed to the scoring in the third and the Lady Devils held a 40-20 advantage by the quarter's end and mostly reserves finished up for GHS.

Laura Johnson scored 14 to lead Grainger and was a consistent scorer throughout the contest.

Grainger is 10-11 for the year and 2-7 in district play.