By Sonny Jones
ELIZABETHTOWN — East Bladen hung with Heide Trask for a half Friday night.
The Waccamaw Conference-leading Titans ramped it in the third quarter on Patty Evers Court in pulling away for a 72-55 win against an East Bladen squad that has lost seven of its last eight games.
A 3-point barrage in the third quarter turned a tenuous 38-35 Trask edge into a comfortable 50-35 lead. The Titans’ Martez Davis and Treyvon Robinson knocked down shots from long range and Myron McKoy followed with a pair of 3-pointers.
Trask outscored the Eagles 22-4 in the third quarter after leading by only one, 34-33, at half.
McKoy led the Titans with 28 points, which included five 3-pointers. Dominick Collins had 21 points to lead the East Bladen offense.
Trask improved its record to 9-0 in the Waccamaw Conference, 17-4 overall and has a 1½ game lead over West Columbus for first place with one week remaining in the regular season.
East Bladen fell to 4-7 in league games, 9-11 overall and will close its regular season Tuesday at home against Whiteville on Senior Night.
The Waccamaw Conference tournament is scheduled to open Feb. 20 with first-round games at the home of higher seeds. The semifinals and championship will be played at Trask.
East Bladen never trailed in the first quarter in its effort to pull the upset against the first-place team. Basketball by Collins and Rodney Lacewell gave the Eagles a 10-4 advantage. Kewone Maynor’s 3-point field goal at the buzzer put East Bladen ahead 17-10.
Trask gained its first lead of the game midway through the second quarter on one of McKoy’s 3-pointers that made it 21-19. The teams played on even terms the rest of the period with McKoy’s two free throws with 4 seconds left giving the Titans a 34-33 edge.
It was all Titans in the third quarter in opening a 56-37 lead. East Bladen got no closer than 15 points in the fourth quarter.
Heide Trask 10 24 22 16 — 72
East Bladen 17 16 4 18 — 55
Heide Trask (72) — Myron McKoy 28, Bradford Bannerman 11, Martez Davis 12, Treyvon Robinson 11, Sherron Henderson, Damorie James, Gio Driggers 4.
East Bladen (55) — Dominick Collins 21, Chace Butler 2, Sherman Long, Shannon Hankins, Kewone Maynor 3, Peyton Tatum 2, Lee Barnes 9, Tevin McLean 3, Keyshawn Kemp 8, Rodney Lacewell 7.
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