03/28/2024
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Photos by Kenneth Armstrong

Playing with only two of their regular varsity players and five players called up from the jayvee team – East Bladen’s Eagles dropped a 74-52 Four County Conference decision at Pender Friday night.

“It was a decision made after a meeting between school and athletic officials, including myself,” said East Bladen Coach Ken Cross.

Regular varsity players Trevor Lloyd and Jermaine Robinson and five players up from the jayvee team comprised the Eagle roster at Pender.

Robinson nailed a couple of 3-point shots and vaulted the Eagles into a quick 6-0 lead. The senior wing player tallied 10 points in the quarter, and Lloyd drained a 3-point basket to keep East within 14-13 at the quarter break.

Robinson bombed in 2 more 3-point baskets and racked up 12 points in the second quarter. Guard Messiah Leach threw in a 3-point shot before halftime, but Pender widened the gap to 39-32 at intermission.

Anthony Wooten fired in a pair of 3-point shots in the third quarter, but the Patriots opened up a 61-42 lead.

“They went to the full-court press in the second half, and we didn’t handle it well,” said Coach Cross.

Wooten and Robinson delivered one 3-point basket each in the final quarter. Robinson lit up the scoreboard with 27 points in the game. Wooten finished with 10 points, and Leach added 8.

Guard Jarious Williams led Pender with 20 points.

East Bladen, now 2-8 in the league and 5-13 overall, will host league-leader Heide Trask Tuesday night.

East Bladen (52) – Trevor Lloyd 5, Jermaine Robinson 27, Zaire Turner-Dobson 2, Anthony Wooten 10, Messiah Leach 8, Braydan McDowell, Shawn Marshall.

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