Forestview duo suspended two games

Two Forestview girls basketball players will sit out two games each after being ejected from Tuesday’s game at Crest.

Junior guard/forward Bre Armstrong will serve a two-game suspension for taunting, and junior guard Lauren Smith will serve a two-game suspension for flagrant contact, Forestview athletic director Alan Stewart said.

Smith was originally ejected for fighting, an offense that would have carried a four-game suspension, but the ruling was reduced to flagrant contact after video review, said Mark Dreibelbis of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.

Smith was cited for kicking Crest’s Brayden Pruitt in the head when Pruitt was on the floor, but Dreibelbis ruled that Smith was kicking in an attempt to get away and wasn’t trying to start a fight.

Armstrong was ejected for sticking out her tongue after a made basket.

“The taunting and baiting was an easy one,” Dreibelbis said. “Any action made to bring attention to oneself and could be demeaning to an opponent is charged with taunting and baiting.”

Both ejections happened in the third quarter of a game that was for first place in the Big South 3A Conference. Forestview won 66-36 to remain undefeated in the league.

Later in the third quarter, Crest’s Pruitt drew a technical foul while arguing an over-and-back call and had to be separated from teammate Caleia Jones. On Wednesday, Crest fired coach Tracy Beaver, although school officials didn’t comment on the reason for the firing.

Armstrong is leading the Jaguars in scoring (12.4), rebounding (9.4), assists (3.4) and steals (4.4). Smith ranks third on the team with 10.6 points per game.

Forestview (15-2, 7-0) travels to sixth-place North Gaston (5-11, 2-6) tonight and plays host to third-place South Point (8-6, 4-3) on Tuesday. In the first meetings, the Jaguars defeated North Gaston 67-33 and beat South Point 72-24.

“We’ll be fine without them,” Jaguars coach Kevin Gurganus said. “Hopefully somebody will do like they’ve done all year and step up and play well.”

Guranus said Armstrong and Smith have started every game this season. He did not their replacements in the starting lineup.

By the time Armstrong and Smith return, Forestview will have three regular-season games remaining: against Ashbrook, Hunter Huss and Kings Mountain.

Phillip Gardner: 704-869-1843; twitter.com/gazettephil