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Photos by Kenneth Armstrong
DUBLIN – Seniors Laikyn Pait, Jerena Purdie and Akira Grimes combined for 39 points Wednesday night to lead West Bladen to a 48-38 Four County Conference girls basketball victory over Wallace-Rose Hill.
Pait led the West Bladen attack with 14 points and 6 rebounds. Purdie keyed a pivotal third quarter spurt and finished with 13 points and 6 rebounds. Grimes tossed in 12 points and grabbed 8 rebounds.
Jerena really stepped up big for us tonight,” said Lady Knight Coach Rick Rhoda. “Akira really stepped up too. She had told me earlier that she was going to look for her shot.”
“Logan Autry is really a trooper,” continued Coach Rhoda. “She didn’t come out of the game tonight. She is really a warrior.” Autry was credited with a team-high 5 steals and had 7 rebounds.
Grimes and Purdie put back rebound baskets to give West an early 4-0 lead. Grimes turned a Logan Autry assist into a lay-up and a 6-2 lead. Autry sank a free throw, and Pait banked in a short jumper off of an assist from junior Patience Parker for a 9-6 lead at the quarter break.
Pait tossed in a 6-foot follow shot to begin the second period. Junior Elizabeth Allbright powered in a pair of rebound baskets and tacked on a free throw. Grimes drained a 3-point shot as the West Bladen lead grew to 19-12. The margin was 19-13 at halftime.
Pait and Purdie hit free throws to start the second half, but the Lady Bulldogs answered with 6 straight points to whittle the lead to 21-19. Pait canned 2 free throws, and Purdie flipped in a jump hook off of a feed from Parker. Purdie muscled in 2 more baskets that grew the Lady Knight lead to 29-21 at the quarter break.
Purdie scored again on a follow shot, and Pait banked in a short jumper. Grimes buried a 16-footer from the left wing to pad the lead to 35-23. Pait made a free throw, and Autry sent a pass into Purdie for a lay-up. Grimes nailed another 16-footer that gave the Lady Knights their biggest lead at 40-24 with 4:29 left to play.
The Lady Bulldogs trimmed the margin to 40-30, but sophmore Erica McKoy drove for a lay-up, and Pait put back a rebound basket for a 44-30 West lead at the 1:16 mark.
Jordan Maynor topped the Wallace-Rose Hill scoring with 11 points, and teammate Sadejah Murphy scored 10 points.
“We did a lot of what we wanted to do tonight,” said Coach Rhoda. “We were more disciplined. It’s a lot more fun when you win.”
The Lady Knights improved to 4-1 in league play and 8-6 overall and will travel to Midway Friday night.
WEST BLADEN (48) – Conner Brisson, Erica McKoy 3, Patience Parker, Logan Autry 1, Indiyah Williams, Laikyn Pait 14, Jenna Dove, Elizabeth Allbright 5, Akira Grimes 12, Jerena Purdie 13.
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