03/28/2024
Basketball
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BasketballCorey McKoy and Anthony Wooten fired in key fourth-quarter 3-point shots as Elizabethtown pulled away for a 31-26 semi-final victory over Bladenboro Thursday in the Bladen Five Middle School Conference Tournament at Tar Heel.

The Cougars carried a 19-14 lead into the final period, but Bladenboro’s Trenton Lyons nailed his third 3-point shot of the game, and teammate Kerron Washington stole the ball and raced for a tying lay-up with 5:18 left to play.

Corey McKoy drained a go-ahead 3-point shot from the left wing, and after Lyons sank a pair of free throws, Wooten bombed in another 3-pointer from the left wing to put the Cougars ahead 25-21.

Trashawn Ballard trimmed the margin to 25-22 with a free throw, but Elizabethtown center Devon Lesesane muscled in a lay-up for a 27-22 lead with 40 seconds remaining.

Washington and Wooten traded free throws, and the Bulldogs missed 2 foul shots with 17 seconds on the clock.

Keshaun Davis canned a foul shot for the Cougars, but Lyons buried his fourth 3-pointer of the game to pull Bladenboro within 29-26 with 4 seconds left.
One second later Davis went to the line and sealed the verdict with two foul shots.

Wooten led the Elizabethtown scoring with 12 points, and Lesesane and Davis followed with 6 points each.

Lyons threw in the four 3-balls and topped all scorers with 14 points for the Bulldogs. Guard Aldo Hernandez finished with 7 points, and Washington netted 4 points.

Baskets by Lesesane and Jordan Robinson accounted for Elizabethtown’s first-quarter points, while Lyons drilled his first 3-point shot, and Washington made a free throw for a 4-4 tie at the quarter break.

Hernandez connected from 3-point range and added another basket as the Bulldogs took a 9-6 halftime lead. Lesesane scored the only Cougar basket in the period.

Lyons began the second half with another 3-point bomb to put Bladenboro up 12-6. Wooten drove in the lane, tossed in a short jumper and tacked on a free throw to slice the margin to 12-9. Hernandez hit 2 free throws for a 14-9 Bulldog lead with 4:04 left in the quarter.

Elizabethtown roared back with a 10-0 spurt to close out the period and build a 19-14 lead. Davis and Wooten nailed 3-point shots, and Wooten knocked down a pull-up 13-footer. Majuan McKoy’s transition lay-up capped the run.

Coach Tripp Lancaster’s Eagles, 6-3, advance to Monday’s Boys Championship game against Clarkton School of Discovery at 5:15. Bladenboro finishes their season with a 4-5 record.

B’bro (26) – Trashawn Ballard 1, Trenton Lyons 14, Jake Butler, Kerron Washington 4, Brandon Strange,  A. Taylor, R. Thompson, Noah Deaver, Nolan Bryant, Braylon Williamson, J.P. Russ, Ronaldo Ramirez, Deshaun Hines, Aldo Hernandez 7.

E’twn (31) –Keshaun Davis 6, Josh McKoy, Anthony Wooten 12, Devaughn Robinson, Jordan Payton, Allen Owens, James Higgins, Majuan McKoy 2, Devon Lesesane 6, Dayveon Washington, Corey McKoy 3, Jordan Robinson 2, Taiyon Thompson.

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