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Photos by Kenneth Armstrong
Seniors Lacey Suggs and Abby Ward keyed a 27-1 East Bladen blitz that overcame an 18-4 deficit and propelled the Lady Eagles to a 59-38 victory over visiting Reidsville in the third round of the NCHSAA Class 2A Basketball Play-offs.
Suggs poured in 14 points, and Ward fired in 11 during the run. For the game Suggs posted a double-double of 31 points and 13 rebounds plus 4 steals and 3 assists. Ward racked up 21 points, 8 steals, 6 rebounds and 2 assists.
“I asked them at the end of the first quarter, if they wanted their season to end tonight,” said Lady Eagle Coach Patty Evers. “We looked shell-shocked and we weren’t running the floor. We needed to create offense out of our defense, and we had to score to set up our press.”
The Lady Eagles set up their press after a foul early in the second period, and Ward poked the ball loose, pitched it to Suggs who fed freshman Ja’Tyra Moore-Peterson for a lay-up at the 7:04 mark.
After a Moore-Peterson steal, Ward drained the first of a trio of 3-pointers that she would hit in the quarter. Suggs came up with a steal and drove for a lay-up that resulted in a 3-point play as she was knocked to the floor.
Moore-Peterson stole the ball again and fed Ward for a lay-up. Suggs darted to the basket for another lay-up after stealing the ball again, then sank 2 free throws that tied the game 18-18 with 3:17 left in the half.
Suggs snatched a long rebound and beat the Reidsville defense down the floor for the go-ahead lay-up. Ward buried a 3-pointer from the right corner, and junior Emily Scott knocked the ball loose to senior Miller Heustess who sent an assist to Suggs for a lay-up.
Two Suggs free throws made it 27-18 before Michel’le Blackstock’s free throw snapped a run of 23 straight East Bladen points. However Ward answered with a 3-pointer from the left wing, and Suggs hit another free throw for a 31-19 Lady Eagle halftime lead.
The Lady Eagles began to work the clock in the second half to get the Lady Rams out of their zone defense. “We wanted them to come out of their zone, and we wanted to kill the clock and get out of here,” said Coach Evers. “We had to play our game because of their size.”
A Suggs pass over the defense found Scott inside for a lay-up. After Bryanna Bonds put back a rebound for Reidsville, Suggs sprinted end-to-end for a lay-up. Ward stole the ball and made 2 free throws to grow the East lead to 37-21.
Suggs knocked down 4 straight free throws, and Moore-Peterson added one for a 42-22 lead. Two foul shots by Bonds trimmed the margin to 42-24 at the quarter break.
Ward stole the ball to begin the final period and sent a pass to Suggs for a lay-up. Cromartie canned 2 free throws, and Ward weaved through the entire Lady Ram defense before flipping in a short runner. Suggs spun down the lane for a 51-24 lead with 5:06 on the clock.
Senior Tiesha Richardson and Bonds connected on 3-point shots to whittle the lead to 51-30, but Ward and Suggs sank 2 free throws each for a 55-30 lead.
Another Suggs pass resulted in a Ward lay-up. Suggs hit 2 free throws, then drove for a final lay-up and a 59-35 lead with 1:54 left just before Coach Evers cleared her bench.
Cromartie finished with 5 rebounds, 2 blocked shots and 2 steals. Moore-Peterson added 2 assists and 2 steals. Freshman Ashley Hardin grabbed 4 rebounds, and Scott pulled down 5 rebounds. Heustess contributed 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.
Bonds tallied 10 of her team-high 15 points for Reidsville in the second half. Richardson scored 9 of her 13 points in the final quarter.
“We wore them down and we knew their bench wasn’t deep,” continued Coach Evers.
Bonds hit a 3-point shot and scored 5 points in the first quarter, and Blackstock and Richardson added 4 points each as Reidsville built the 16-4 first period lead.
Suggs wheeled down the lane for a lay-up with 4:17 left in the quarter, and Ward nailed a 15-foot leaner to keep East within 9-4 before a 7-0 Lady Ram run ended the period.
Autumn Thomas’ lay-up pushed the Reidsville lead to 18-4 ten seconds into the second quarter.
The Lady Eagles, now 30-0, will host No. 5 seed Jacksonville Northside (24-3) Tuesday night. Northside defeated No. 4 seed Bertie 54-36 Saturday night.
“We are excited to be playing at home,” said Coach Evers. Gametime for Tuesday’s fourth-round game will be announced Monday.
East Bladen (59) – Abby Ward 21, Lexie Mendell, Michelle Page, Shardajah Brown, Emily Scott 2, Lacey Suggs 31, Miller Heustess, Danielle McDowell, Christiana Cromartie 2, Ashley Hardin, Ja’Tyra Moore-Peterson 3.
Reidsville (38) – Michel’le Blackstock 5, Bryanna Bonds 15, Autumn Thomas 5, Teisha Richardson 13.
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