Junior Stephon McDonald’s defense keyed a 16-2 fourth quarter blitz that opened up a 13-point lead and propelled West Bladen’s Knights into first place in the Four County Conference with a 73-61 boys’ basketball victory at Clinton Friday night.
McDonald contributed 9 points and 5 steals to the Knight attack in the final quarter.
The teams were tied 47-47 at the third quarter break, and after a Jeremiah Pope foul shot put the Horses ahead 48-47, West senior Malcolm Vaught nailed his first 3-point shot of the game.
Senior Rahu Purdie cashed in 2 free throws, then drove to the hoop for a lay-up and a 3-point play. Vaught flipped in a floater on the next possession for a 57-48 West lead.
After Zion Autry banked in a short shot for Clinton, McDonald stole the ball and raced for a Knight lay-up. Following another McDonald steal, Vaught wrapped an assist back to McDonald for a lay-up.
Another McDonald steal regained the ball, and McDonald found sophmore Sayaun Dent inside for another lay-up as the lead grew to 63-50 with 3:44 left.
McDonald sank 2 free throws after a pair of Clinton baskets, and two more Dark Horse baskets trimmed the Knight lead to 65-58 with 2:04remaining.
Free throws by Purdie and McDonald were answered by Josiah Pope’s dunk for Clinton. Free throws by McDonald and Vaught upped the count to 69-60 with 28 seconds left.
West Bladen senior center Brandon Council closed out the scoring with a pair of lay-ups off assists from Dent and McDonald.
Purdie topped the Knight scoring with 22 points – 15 in the second half – and grabbed 8 rebounds. McDonald lit up the scoreboard with 15 of his 19 points in the second half, and he posted 6 rebounds and 6 steals.
Vaught followed with 13 points and 4 assists. Sophmore Sayaun Dent contributed 7 points and 8 rebounds for the winners. Council added 6 rebounds.
“We really came out focused in the second half,” said Knight Coach Travis Pait. “We boxed out well, and our kids did what we asked them to do.”
“They (Clinton) went small in the second half, so we decided to go small,” Pait continued. “We had to adjust, and that is what is really good about this team, they adapt well to whatever we ask them to do.”
E. J. Howard led the Clinton scoring with 16 points, before fouling out. Josiah Pope followed with 11 points, and high-scoring Jeremiah Pope was held to 10 points.
“I am really proud of my guys,” said Coach Pait. “They played well down the stretch.”
Kris Williams drilled a 3-point shot to stake the Dark Horses to an early 5-0 lead. Dent turned a Vaught assist into a lay-up, and McDonald pulled up to bank in a 6-footer and tack on the free throw.
A pair of Daquan Lennon free throws, followed by another McDonald lay-up off of a Vaught assist, and a Jonathan Robinson lay-up edged West in front 11-9.
After a 25-minute delay to tend to an injured Clinton player, Jaalen Best’s follow shot and a Rayquan Faison 12-footer put Clinton ahead 15-11 at the quarter break.
Dent’s follow shot and two free throws by Vaught trimmed the margin to 17-15, before Purdie flew down the lane for a lay-up, then hit 2 free throws on the next possession for a 19-17 West lead.
Another driving lay-up by Purdie plus a Purdie free throw kept West on top 22-20, before Vaught banked in a runner with his left hand for a 24-20 lead.
A Vaught free throw made it 25-22, but 2 baskets by Tyion Wright rallied Clinton to a 28-25 lead. Vaught answered with 2 foul shots, and senior Joseph Miller put back a rebound for a 29-28 West lead.
Robinson, a freshman, muscled in a follow to keep West even 31-31 at halftime.
“I didn’t think we played well at all in the first half,” said Coach Pait. “And I thought they played pretty well and yet we were still even.”
The Knights had not hit any shot from the field longer than six feet in the first half, but Purdie drained a pair of early 3-point shots after halftime for a 37-35 West Bladen lead.
McDonald stole the ball, was fouled and sank both free throws. Jeremiah Pope buried a 3-pointer as Clinton rallied back on top 42-39.
Dent hit a free throw, and McDonald raced for a transition lay-up off of a Clinton turnover that knotted the score at 42. McDonald beat the press for a lay-up and another tie at 44-44. A trio of Purdie free throws kept West tied 47-47 at the quarter break.
“We haven’t won anything yet,” said Pait. “We have two really tough games next week (at Midway and East Bladen at home). We were in seventh place after those 3 early losses, but these kids believed and they are a hard-working group.”
West Bladen, now atop the league with a 9-3 record and 18-4 overall, will travel to Midway Tuesday night.
WB (73) – Justin Ruffin, Joseph Miller 2, Rahu Purdie 22, Malcolm Vaught 13, Stephon McDonald 19, Daquan Lennon 2, Brian Floyd, Sayaun Dent 7, Jonathan Robinson 4, Brandon Council 4.
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