03/28/2024
Bladen County Sports
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 ELIZABETHTOWN – East Bladen outscored Union 32-16 over the final 11 minutes to claim a 68-49 Four County Conference boys basketball victory Friday night.
 
Senior Paris Baker’s transition basket with 3:41 left in the third period pulled Union to within 36-33, but Eagle senior Eian Hines drove the baseline for a lay-up and sophmore Adonis Avery and senior Demetrius Wooten bombed in 3-point shots to stretch the East lead to 44-33.
 
After Derrick Smith’s 3-point shot pulled the Spartans to within 44-37 early in the final period, Demetrius Wooten weaved through the Union defense for a lay-up then hit a free throw.
 
Senior Denzel Johnson nailed a 3-point shot, and Demetrius Wooten scored on a baseline drive to keep the Eagle lead at 52-41with 5:13remaining.
 
Junior Xavier Wooten sank 4 free throws in the next 2 minutes, Hines made 3 and Demetrius Wooten canned 2 free throws as the East lead grew to 61-45 at the 2:35 mark. Avery bombed in a 3-point shot and hit 2 free throws, and Demetrius Wooten drove for a lay-up that stretched the Eagle lead to 68-45.
 
Demetrius Wooten scored 18 of his 20 points in the second half and topped the Eagle scoring. “He had a big second half,” said Eagle Coach Kenzil McCall. “We came out as a team and played hard in the second half.
 
Avery and Hines both finished with 14 points, and Johnson followed with 10 points. Hines posted a double-double as he grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds.
 
Xavier Wooten pulled down 9 rebounds. “Xavier was so scrappy in there,” said Coach McCall. “He might make me start going out and finding middle linebackers to play inside.”
 
Johnson and Demetrius Wooten corralled 5 rebounds each, and Avery snatched 4 rebounds as the Eagles enjoyed a 41-29 advantage on the boards.
 
The Eagles raced to an early 8-0 lead as Avery hooked in a runner then hit 2 free throws. Johnson dashed ahead for a transition lay-up then turned an Xavier Wooten steal into a lay-up.
 
The Spartans rallied for 8 straight points as the Eagles suffered through a 4-minute scoring drought. Demetrius Wooten buried a 3-point shot from the left wing to give East Bladen an 11-10 lead at the quarter break.
 
Hines turned an Xavier Wooten pass into a lay-up, then put back a rebound, and Johnson drilled a 3-point shot for an 18-11 East lead5:49 before halftime.
 
Hines scored in transition then sent a pass to Demarius McArthur for a lay-up. McArthur put back a rebound, and Hines buried a 3-point shot for a 27-16 Eagle lead with 1:41 remaining.  The Spartans closed the half with an 8-0 run to slice the lead to 27-24.
 
A pair of Johnson assists created lay-ups for Xavier Wooten and Demetrius Wooten, and a Johnson steal resulted in an Avery lay-up. Demetrius Wooten nailed a 3-point shot that kept the Eagles ahead 36-33 midway the third quarter.
 
“We’re getting there,” said Coach McCall. “Every game we see improvements, and the attitude of the kids is so good. As a coach I could get down, but they are working so hard to get better that their attitude makes it easier for me.”
 
Nadir Goodwin led the Union scoring with 18 points, and Smith followed with 17 points.
 
The Eagles who claimed their first conference win will host FairmontWednesday at 6 p.m. in an Endowment Game.
 
EB (68) – Demarius McArthur 4, Demetrius Wooten 20, Eian Hines 14, Xavier Wooten 6, Denzel Johnson 10, Aaron Laforte, Adonis Avery 14, Deondre Harris, Joshua McKoy, Jordan Payton.

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