Boys basketball: Brookfield East remains near top of GMC

It took until the final period, but Brookfield East hung on and defeated West Allis Hale, 51-44, on Friday on the road.

After doubling up the Huskies in the first quarter (10-5), the Spartans saw Hale battle back and pull within 20-17 at half-time. The Huskies then continued to claw back in the second half and tied the game at 29 going into the final quarter.

But the Spartans out-scored the Huskies, 22-15, in the fourth quarter for the win.

Ryan McBride and Nick Kanavas combined for 15 of the 22 points to key the run in the final period. McBride was 9-for-10 from the free-throw line in the quarter, and Kanavas added two baskets and two free throws, scoring six of his eight points at crunch time.

McBride and steady Brian Smith led the Spartans with 13 points each, as the latter scored seven points in the first half to spark the Spartans. Jake Weissmueller added seven points, and Mikey Novak added five.

Hale's Travis Balcerzak scored 16 points to lead all scorers, scoring 10 of the Huskies' 15 fourth-quarter points.

The win kept the Spartans (3-1, 5-3 overall) a half-game behind first place Wauwatosa East (4-0, 6-0) and Brookfield Central (4-0, 5-1) going into the holidays.

Oconomowoc

The Spartans dropped a 59-42 nonconference game at Oconomowoc on Tuesday night this week, as the Racoons out-scored them 39-24 in the second half to blow the game open.

East only trailed 20-18 in a well-fought first half.

Smith scored 17 and McBride added 11 to lead the Spartans, while T.J. Schlundt led all scorers with 22 points and Zach Poker had 15 for Oconomowoc.