BLADENBORO — Bladenboro’s Bulldogs poured in 60 points in 24 minutes Tuesday night and defeated Elizabethtown 60-42 in the opening round of the Bladen County Middle School Boys Tournament.
Coach Joe Gore’s Bulldogs raised their record to 7-3 and will play Tar Heel Thursday night in the tournament’s championship game. The Cougars have finished their season with a 4-8 record.
“The momentum from how the girls’ game ended carried over into the boys’ locker room and because of that our guys played with a chip on their shoulders for our girls,” said Bulldog Coach Joe Gore.
The Bladenboro/Elizabethtown girls’ game was stopped by the officials midway the 3rd quarter and Elizabethtown advanced to Thursday’s girls’ championship since they were ahead when the game was halted.
Isaiah Minus blistered the nets with four 3-point shots and led the Bulldogs with 19 points. Teammate Sincere McKinley tossed in 13 points, and Corbin Chadwick pumped in 11 points. Gaston Russ and Cole Brisson added 6 points each.
Tykee Hill worked the paint for 25 points to top the Elizabethtown scoring. Teammate Jayden Lewis rang up 7 points.
Minus flipped in a pair of baskets, Cole Brisson drained a 3-point shot and Sincere McKinley sank a basket and a free throw as Bladenboro grabbed a 10-6 lead. Hill banged in a trio of baskets for the Cougar points.
Minus bombed in a pair of 3-point shots, and Chadwick and Brisson nailed a 3-pointer each in the 2nd period. Sincere McKinley popped in a basket and 2 free throws, and Chadwick netted another basket as the lead grew to 28-19 at halftime.
Hill dropped in 2 more baskets, Fox Sutton buried a 3-point shot, and Lewis, Brandon McKinley and Damian Maynor tallied baskets for the Cougars.
Minus fired in two more 3-pointers and another basket in the 3rd quarter. Chadwick pumped in 2 more baskets, and Sincere McKinley and Jace Lesane threw in a basket each. Hill scorched the nets with 5 baskets and 2 free throws, and Lewis canned a basket and a free throw to keep the Cougars within 44-34 at the quarter break.
Two baskets and a free throw by Minus, and 2 baskets by Sincere McKinley sparked a 16-8 closing surge by the Bulldogs. Luke Bryant hurled in a 3-pointer, Gaston Russ swished 2 free throws, and Chadwick tacked on another basket. Julian McLaney drilled in a 3-pointer for the Cougars. Hill pounded in a basket and a free throw, and Lewis delivered a basket.
Elizabethtown 6 13 15 8 — 42
Bladenboro 10 18 16 16 — 60
Elizabethtown (42) — Jayden Lewis 7, Fox Sutton 3, Tykee Hill 25, Prince McKoy, Damian Maynor 2, Brandon McKinley 2, J.J. High, Chase Moultrie, Kollin Adams, Julian McLaney 3.
Bladenboro (60) — Zion Ellison, Jace Lesane 2, Keithan Russ, Drake Gause, Corbin Chadwick 11, Sincere McKinley 13, Gaston Russ 6, Isaiah Minus 19, Uzziah Gause, Devan Stanley, Malcolm Melvin, Cole Brisson 6, Brooks Carroll, Aviion Murphy, Jayden Ruffin, Luke Bryant 3.
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