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Photos by Kenneth Armstrong
ELIZABETHTOWN – Aliza Carter poured in 28 points to lead Wallace-Rose Hill to an 83-69 Four County Conference boys basketball victory over East Bladen Thursday on Senior Night at East.
Sophomore Adonis Avery put back a rebound, and senior Eian Hines banked in a 4-footer to keep East within 6-4 early, but Carter, Patrick Farrior and Quavion Baysden threw in 2 baskets each in the first quarter as the Bulldogs built a 19-11 lead.
Avery scored in transition, Hines sank 3 free throws, and senior Denzel Johnson hooked in a lay-up for the other Eagle points in the period.
Avery and Hines scored transition lay-ups to start the Eagle second quarter, and junior Xavier Wooten turned a Johnson assist into a lay-up to keep East within 26-17.
Desmond Newkirk dropped in 4 baskets for the Bulldogs in the quarter, and Carter drilled a 3-ball and hit 4 free throws.
Hines banked in a runner, flipped in a twisting lay-up, nailed a 3-point shot and sent a pass to Sadique Ingram for a lay-up that kept the Eagles within 41-26 at halftime.
Wooten converted a Hines assist into a lay-up, Hines beat the press for a lay-up and Avery tossed in a runner. However Carter and Raheem Chasten tallied 3 baskets each for the Bulldogs as the lead grew to 51-32.
Avery scored from the lane, raced for a lay-up then banked in a 6-footer and tacked on a free throw to cut the lead to 51-39. A Johnson assist produced a Hines lay-up, and Wooten muscled in a rebound basket.
Junior Sincere Smith, playing in his first game since he was sidelined by a football injury, drove the baseline for a lay-up, then turned 2 assists from Johnson into lay-ups. Smith canned 2 free throws and put back a rebound to trim the Wallace lead to 61-53 at the quarter break.
Avery buried a 3-point shot to begin the final period that sliced the margin to 61-56, but Javante Williams answered with a 3-ball, and Carter banked in a runner that turned into a 3-point play as the lead swelled to 67-56.
Smith hit a free throw then sent a pass to Aaron Laforte for a lay-up. Hines spun down the lane for a lay-up and a 3-point play then scored on a follow to whittle the lead to 71-64.
Hines made a free throw and drove for a lay-up that brought East to within 74-66 with 1:48 left to play. Newkirk made a trio of free throws, but Ingram delivered a 3-point shot to slice the lead to 77-69 with 1:05 remaining. Carter sank 4 straight free throws to seal the verdict.
“It was the same story it has been all year long,” said Eagle Coach Kenzil McCall. “We battle and scrap but can’t get over the hump. We brought some kids up to get them some varsity experience and hope we can start building for the tournament.”
The Eagles brought guard Pierce Melvin and center Robbie Cooley up from the jayvees and got Smith back from injury.
Hines topped the East scoring with 23 points, 7 rebounds and 4 steals. Avery finished with 20 points and 5 rebounds. Smith totaled 11 points and 8 rebounds, Wooten added 6 points and 7 rebounds.
Newkirk finished with 18 points for the Bulldogs, and Williams scored 11 points.
The two teams will play again Monday at Wallace-Rose Hill.
EB (69) – Eian Hines 23, Xavier Wooten 6, Denzel Johnson 2, Aaron Laforte 2, Adonis Avery 20, Dondre Harris, Joshua McKoy, Jordan Payton, Sadique Ingram 5, Sincere Smith 11, Demarius McArthur, Pierce Melvin.
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