03/29/2024
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BLADENBORO – Senior Shaheem Shipman tapped in a rebound at the buzzer that lifted Whiteville to a 45-44 boys’ basketball victory over West Bladen Thursday in the 5th place game of the Bladen Offroad Christmas Tournament.

After senior Keshawn Ballard’s free throw with 3:01 left in the 3rd period gave West Bladen a 35-22 lead, the Knights were plagued by missed free throws and turnovers over the game’s final 11 minutes. West Bladen was 6 for 17 at the foul line in the 2nd  half, and committed 12 2nd half turnovers.

Senior Zion Wilson and Shipman keyed a 16-3 Wolfpack run as the Knights missed 8 straight foul shots and managed to score only a 3-point basket from sophomore Malachi Allen. Wilson’s rebound basket with 4:26 remaining tied the game 38-38.

Senior Javonta Matthews sank 2 free throws, and Ballard hit one for a 41-38 West lead. Wilson and West Bladen’s Josiah Brown traded free throws, before Matthews banked in a follow to push the Knight lead to 44-39 with 55 seconds left.

Sophomore Amari Best canned a Wolfpack free throw, and senior Christian Rorie hurled in a 3-pointer from the left wing to slice the lead to 44-43 with 10 seconds on the clock. After a Knight turnover, Shipman’s winning tap gave the Wolfpack their only lead of the game.

Matthews led the Knights with 14 points and 6 rebounds. Allen finished with 13 points and 8 rebounds. Freshman Hezekiah Allen contributed 5 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals before missing most of the 2nd half with an ankle injury. Ballard also tallied 5 points, and Brown racked up 8 rebounds and 3 steals.

Wilson topped the Wolfpack scoring with 14 points. Best added 11 points, and Shipman totaled 9 points.

Adams drilled in a corner 3-ball, then stole the ball and raced for a lay-up to start the game. Allen put back a rebound for an early 7-0 lead. Brown banked in a 4-footer, and Ballard buried a 3-pointer to give West a 12-6 lead at the quarter break.

Allen nailed a pair of 3-point shots and flipped in a baseline runner to start the 2nd period. Junior Gary Parker muscled in a pair of rebound baskets that grew the Knight lead to 24-11 3:37 before halftime.

Matthews powered in a turn-around and tacked on a free throw that stretched the margin to 27-13  then tapped in a rebound that kept the West halftime lead at 29-18. Matthews popped in a fade-away that resulted in a 3-point play then drove for a lay-up and a 34-22 Knight lead with 5:02 left in the 3rd quarter.

The Knights, now 7-4, will travel to East Bladen Tuesday night to begin Southeastern Athletic Conference play.

Whiteville            6     12     7    20 – 45
West Bladen      12    17     6      9  – 44

Whiteville (45) –Amari Best 11, Christian Rorie 5, Zion Wilson 14, Kyan Ganus 6, Kaeden Bunch, Shaheem Shipman 9, E. J. McLeod, Montrez Holland, Brian Powell, Will Fisher, Calvin Baldwin.

West Bladen (44) – Hezekiah Adams 5, Josiah Brown 3, Landon Stanley, Malachi Allen 13, Keshawn Ballard 5, Gary Parker 4, Javonta Matthews 14, Chase Williams, Travail Baldwin.

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