03/29/2024
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Wallace-Rose Hill Coach Steve Robinson (left) joins a pre-game photo of West Bladen Coach Travis Pait and Clinton Coach Randy Jordan. Robinson was scouting the teams. (Tom Harris photo)

DUBLIN – The battle for first place in the Four County Conference was really a tale of 2 games in one. Clinton built leads of 27-9 and 40-23 before a furious 23-4 West Bladen rally produced a 46-44 lead, but the Dark Horses escaped with a 52-51 victory Thursday night.

The Knight comeback began when senior John Bowen dunked home a follow with 1:58 left in the third quarter. Junior Scott Bowen drilled a 3-point shot, and senior Kalvin Page hit a free throw.

After Clinton’s Tyion Wright dropped in a lay-up, John Bowen drained a 3-point shot to pull the Knights to within 42-32 at the quarter break.

Junior Jonathan Robinson followed up his own miss, and senior Sayaun Dent sank 2 free throws to start the final period and narrow the gap to 42-36. Clinton’s J. J. Robertson bounced a 15-footer over the front rim, but John Bowen buried another 3-point shot to trim the margin to 44-39.

Dent turned a John Bowen feed into a lay-up, and John Bowen put back a rebound before Dent nailed a 3-point shot to give the Knights their first lead of the game at 46-44 with 4:14 remaining.

Wright and Dent traded rebound baskets, and Clinton’s Mike Kramer and Dent traded lay-ups. Dent’s lay-up was courtesy of a John Bowen assist and gave the Knights their final lead at 50-48 with 2:17 on the clock.

Clinton’s Jeremiah Pope popped in a baseline 12-footer to tie the game, and junior Dewan Lesane turned a loose ball into a lay-up and a 52-50 lead with 1:21 on the clock.

West Bladen’s Page made a free throw with 52 seconds left, after a lane violation nullified his first attempt and kept Clinton on top 52-51.

“The violation put us in a situation of having to foul,” said Knight Coach Travis Page. Clinton missed a foul shot with 29 seconds left, and Page drove to the basket, grabbed his own rebound but was unable to make the follow in heavy traffic. Another Clinton missed foul shot with 7 seconds left gave the Knights another chance but a try at the buzzer was knocked away.

“It was an unbelievable second half,” said Coach Pait. “I am really proud of my kids. We started the half in zone, but then went man, played hard and battled. They have the best team, but I like my team and we will get ready for Union and then another 3-game week next week.”

Dent led the Knights with 18 points. John Bowen scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half and grabbed 11 rebounds for a double-double. “We challenged John at halftime, and he came out and really competed,” said Coach Pait.

Robinson finished with 7 points, and Page added 6 points and 6 rebounds.

Robertson blistered the nets with four 3-pointers in the opening quarter as the Dark Horses jumped out to a 24-7 lead. Robinson turned a John Bowen assist into a lay-up and put back a rebound, and John Bowen scored on a follow shot for West.

“They came out and made shots,” said Coach Pait. “We talked about rebounding as a key, and they had 8-10 points on put backs.”

The Clinton lead grew to 27-9 on Tymair McIntyre’s 3-point play. Dent pumped in a 15-footer and drove for a lay-up, and Page drove for a pair of lay-ups, but Clinton led 33-15 at halftime.

John Bowen delivered a 3-point shot and 2 free throws to begin the third period. Dent converted a John Bowen assist into a lay-up to keep the margin at 36-23, but a Lesane follow and a Kris Williams lay-up pushed the margin back to 40-23.

Robertson topped the Clinton scoring with 18 points, and Lesane added 10 points.

The Knights, now 6-1 in the league and 13-4 overall, will travel to Union Friday night.

WEST BLADEN (51) – Kalvin Page 6, Scott Bowen 3, Jimmy Williams, Keshawn Lewis, Drew Harris, Sayaun Dent 18, Jonathan Robinson 7, John Bowen 17.

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