03/19/2024
Spread the love

[slideshow_deploy id=’79129′]

Photos by Kenneth Armstrong

CLINTON –A couple of Clinton runs in the first and second quarters carried the Dark Horses to an 87-74 Four County Conference boys basketball victory over East Bladen Wednesday night.

The Eagles trailed for 30 minutes in the game but pulled to within 76-69 on sophomore Adonis Avery’s driving lay-up with 2:40 left in the game. However, Clinton’s Kris Williams drove for a lay-up, and an Eagle turnover resulted in Dewon Lesane’s dunk that put Clinton up 80-69 with 1:58 on the clock.

“We just can’t get that one big play or hit that one big shot that we need,” said Eagle Coach Kenzil McCall. “We battled and battled the whole game. The kids didn’t quit.”

Avery drained his fifth 3-point shot of the game to trim the margin to 80-72, but Williams answered with a 3-ball for Clinton. Junior Xavier Wooten turned a Demetrius Wooten feed into a lay-up, but a Lesane dunk accounted for the final margin.

Avery poured in 26 points to lead the Eagle scoring, and senior guard Denzel Johnson racked up 18 points. Xavier Wooten finished with 12 points, but senior Eian Hines fouled out in the third quarter with 8 points. “When Eian fouled out that really hurt us,” said Coach McCall.

Lesane topped the Clinton scoring with 21 points, Jeremiah Pope followed with 17 points, and Prentiss Murphy finished with 15 points.

Avery’s first 3-pointer gave the Eagles their only lead of the game at 3-2, and he nailed another 3-ball to tie the game 6-6. However, J. J. Roberton knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers that keyed a 12-1 Clinton run that produced an 18-7 lead.

Xavier Wooten turned a lay-up into a 3-point play, and Hines put back a rebound and hit a free throw. Avery drilled another 3-pointer to keep the Eagles within 25-16 at the quarter break.

Hines started the second period with a follow shot, and Johnson raced for a transition lay-up. Demetrius Wooten drove for a lay-up and banked in a short runner to keep East within 31-24.

A Hines free throw, and a 3-point shot from the left corner pulled the Eagles to within 34-28 with 2:31 left in the half. Pope drilled a pair of 3-point shots to spark a 13-4 spurt that widened the gap to 47-32 at intermission. Hines flipped in a floater, and Johnson hit 2 free throws for the East points.

Demetrius Wooten and Avery sank 2 free throws each to begin the third period, and Xavier Wooten hit one. Johnson buried a 3-point shot to keep East within 52-40.

After a Pope dunk and a Lesane lay-up, Johnson drove for a lay-up, and Xavier Wooten canned 2 free throws. Clinton grew the lead to 60-44, but Xavier Wooten made 2 free throws, and Avery and Johnson scored transition lay-ups to trim the lead to 60-48.

A Johnson assist produced an Aaron Laforte lay-up, and Demetrius Wooten scooped in a bank shot to keep East within 64-52 at the quarter break.

A pair of Murphy tap-ins upped the lead to 68-52, but Avery delivered 2 free throws and a 3-point bomb to close the gap to 68-57. Avery sprinted for a lay-up, and Johnson turned an Xavier Wooten assist into a lay-up to whittle the margin to 70-61.

A Demetrius Wooten lay-up and an Avery lay-up kept East within 74-67 at the 2:55 mark.

Johnson led the Eagles with 7 rebounds, and Hines and Xavier Wooten grabbed 6 rebounds each. Demetrius Wooten added 5 rebounds and 4 steals.

East Bladen will host Pender Friday night.

EB (74) – Demetrius Wooten 7, Eian Hines 8, Xavier Wooten 12, Denzel Johnson 18, Aaron Laforte 2, Adonis Avery 26, Deondre Harris, Joshua McKoy, Jordan Payton.

About Author