By John Clark
WILMINGTON –East Bladen’s Eagles battled from behind throughout Friday’s game with Pamlico County and finally caught the Hurricanes at 45-45 with 4:48 left to play, but several Eagle turnovers in the closing minutes helped Pamlico escape with a 56-50 win in the Hoggard Holiday Classic.
Eagle senior Lee Barnes fired in his 4th 3-point basket of the game to knot the score 45-45, but Antoine King put back a rebound, Koby Lane popped in a basket, and junior Tariq Barber scored in transition for a 51-45 Pamlico lead.
Barnes nailed another 3-point shot to trim the margin to 51-48, and East regained possession. However Hurricane senior Braylen Ollison intercepted a pass and dashed for a lay-up and a 3-point play that padded the lead to 54-48 with 1:43 on the clock.
Junior Dominick Collins whittled the margin to 54-50 with a pair of free throws, but Ollison made 2 foul shots to seal the verdict with 11 seconds remaining.
“That was just our youth showing,” said Eagle Coach Aking Elting about the turnovers. “I commend our guys for working hard until the last minute. Our defense was up and it’s something we can rely on. Our defense kept us in it. I can’t be mad at them because of the defense.”
Senior Jayden Williams drained a trio of 3-point shots and a 14-footer to spark the Hurricanes to a 13-7 lead. Collins banked in a 3-pointer for East then sent a pass to senior Rodney Lacewell for a lay-up. Sophomore Ronnie Covington also scored on a follow shot for the Eagles.
Collins flipped in a pair of runners, cashed in 4 of 6 free throws and delivered a long 3-point basket in the 2nd period. Barnes hooked in an 8-foot runner and buried a pair of long of 3-point shots, and junior Kewone Maynor added a free throw as East closed to within 31-27 at halftime.
Williams threw in 3 more 3-pointers in the 2nd period, and Ragan Shields added a 3-ball and another basket to keep the Hurricanes on top.
Collins banked in a 16-footer to slice the Pamlico lead to 31-29 in the 3rd period, but Lane put back a pair of rebounds and a lay-up during a 10-0 spurt that upped the count to 41-29. Barnes answered with another 3-ball, and Collins turned a steal into a lay-up as East narrowed the gap to 41-34.
Maynor tossed in a pair of foul shots then sprinted for a pair of transition lay-ups – one off a Collins assist. Sophomore Keyshawn Kemp pumped in a 10-footer as East pulled to within 43-42 before Barnes tied the game at 45.
Collins led the Eagles with 20 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists. Barnes burnt the nets with five 3-point shots and finished with 17 points and 4 rebounds. Maynor followed with 7 points and 5 rebounds.
Williams ripped the nets with six 3-pointers and scored all 20 of his points for the Hurricanes in the 1st half. Lane followed with 14 points.
The Eagles, now 6-4, return to Waccamaw Conference play Wednesday when they host East Columbus.
East Bladen 7 20 7 16 — 50
Pamlico Co. 13 18 10 15 — 56
East Bladen (50) — Dominick Collins 20, Chace Butler, Lee Barnes 17, Shannon Hankins, Ronnie Covington 2, Kewone Maynor 7, Peyton Tatum, Tevin McClean, Rodney Lacewell 2, Keyshawn Kemp 2.
Pamlico Co. (56) — Braylen Ollison 5, Ragan Shields 5, Jayden Williams 20, Tariq Barber 6, Antoine King 4, V. J. Migette 2, Ayden Broughton, Koby Lane 14.
About Author
