A pair of Sincere Smith 3-point baskets ignited a 27-7 closing blitz that carried East Bladen’s Eagles to a 55-38 Four County Conference boys basketball victory over visiting Union Tuesday night.
The Spartans led 27-26 at the third quarter break and stretched their lead to 31-28 on Samuel Crumpler’s rebound basket with 6:53 left to play.
Eian Hines turned a pass from senior Chris Cromartie into a lay-up, before Smith drilled in a 3-point shot from the left corner that put the Eagles ahead to stay at 33-31.
East senior Dayvon Powell stole the ball but missed a lay-up attempt that Eian Hines put back in for a 35-31 lead. Smith knocked down another 3-pointer from the left corner for a 38-31 lead with 5:12 remaining.
Union’s Donta Chavious made 2 free throws, but junior Denzel Johnson buried a 3-pointer from the right corner that pushed the Eagle lead to 41-33. Johnson then stole the ball and raced for a lay-up and a 43-33 lead.
From that point on the Eagles spread the floor and drove for six straight lay-ups -four by junior Ethan Hines and two by Eian Hines.
“We wanted to spread the floor and make them chase us,” said East Bladen Coach Ken Cross. “All we did after that was shoot lay-ups.”
Smith led the Eagles with 13 points and 5 rebounds. Eian Hines finished with 10 points, 6 rebounds and 3 blocked shots. Ethan Hines also scored 10 points and had 3 steals and 3 rebounds.
Johnson followed with 8 points, 2 rebounds and 2 steals. Cromartie totaled 6 points and 4 rebounds, and Powell finished with 3 rebounds and 3 steals. Junior Derrick Burney also grabbed 3 rebounds.
The Eagles started fast as Cromartie put back a rebound, and Johnson nailed a 3-pointer from the right wing for a 5-0 lead. Smith drained a 3-pointer from the right wing then powered in a bank shot on a baseline drive for a 10-2 lead.
Eian Hines turned a Smith assist into a lay-up and a 12-2 lead. Senior Jermaine Robinson fired in a 3-pointer from the left wing then stole the ball and drove for a lay-up and a 17-6 lead.
The Eagle offense went cold in the second quarter as Union used a 10-2 spurt to close the gap to 19-16 at halftime. Powell stole the ball and sprinted for a lay-up for the only East points in the quarter.
Cromartie worked inside for a pair of baskets, Ethan Hines turned a Johnson assist into a lay-up, and Burney cashed in a free throw for the only Eagle points in the third quarter.
Chavious tossed in 13 points for Union, and Crumpler followed with 12 points.
The Eagles improve to 3-10 in league play and 6-15 overall, will host West Bladen Thursday on Senior Night.
East Bladen (55) –Jermaine Robinson 5, Dayvon Powell 2, Ethan Hines 10, Eian Hines 10, Chris Cromartie 6, Trevor Lloyd, Derrick Burney 1, Denzel Johnson 8, Sincere Smith 13, Demetrius Wooten.
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