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By Sonny Jones

ELIZABETHTOWN — Dominick Collins gave East Bladen the lead. Tevin McLean sealed the win at the free throw line.

Collins’ driving layup with 1:07 remaining put the Eagles ahead and McLean made 3 of 4 free throws in the closing 12 seconds Thursday in a 49-45 hard fought boys’ non-conference basketball victory against the Topsail Pirates on Patty Evers Court.

The game was tied seven times with the final time coming on Collins’ basket with 1:35 remaining to play that knotted it at 44-all. The bucket came after Topsail was called for a 5-second violation on an attempted inbounds pass at midcourt.

After Rhett Britt made one of two free throws to put Topsail ahead 45-44 with 1:15 remaining, Collins drove to the basket for the go-ahead score.

Topsail, which had committed only one foul in the fourth quarter, was forced to repeatedly foul in the final minute in an effort to put East Bladen on the free throw line.

Finally, on Topsail’s fifth team foul of the period, McLean sank two free throws with 12 remaining that gave the Eagles a 48-45 lead.

After a Topsail timeout, the Pirates missed a 3-point field goal attempt. McLean made the first free throw with 0.05 seconds left to seal the win.

Collins led East Bladen with 15 points. Sherman Long scored his nine points in the first half.

Landon Kaiser had 12 points for Topsail (1-3) while Spencer Harvey and Britt each had 11.

Neither team led by more than seven points during the tight contest. East Bladen held an 8-6 lead after the first quarter. Topsail reeled off six straight points late in the second quarter for a 26-20 edge and the Pirates led 28-22 at half.

A 3-pointer by Harvey gave Topsail the largest lead of the game at 31-24 early in the third quarter. The Eagles countered with an 11-2 scoring spree, sparked by 3-pointers from Collins and Lee Barnes, to take a 35-33 lead. Topsail got baskets by Britt and Kaiser in the final minute of the third quarter for a 38-37.

East Bladen (2-1) is scheduled to play at Purnell Swett on Friday.

Topsail 6 22 10 7 — 45
East Bladen 8 14 15 12 — 49

Topsail (45) — Spencer Harvey 11, Tristen Robles 5, Jariel Howard 2, Nick Kross, Landon Kaiser 12, Rhett Britt 11, Duron Vaughn, Caden Wilson 2, Ilias Carrillo 2.

East Bladen (49) — Dominick Collins 15, Chace Butler, Sherman Long 9, Lee Barnes 7, Shannon Hawkins, Ronnie Covington 5, Kewone Maynor 2, Peyton Tatum, Tevin McLean 5, Rodney Lacewell 6.