By John Clark
PEMBROKE – Junior Collin Sampson blistered the nets with 29 points Friday night to lead Purnell Swett to a 56-45 non-conference boys’ basketball victory over East Bladen.
East Bladen trailed 35-29 late in the 3rd period, but Peyton Tatum tossed in a 15-footer, junior Dominick Collins drove for a lay-up and a 3-point play and junior Kewone Maynor put back a rebound to edge the Eagles ahead 36-35 at the quarter break.
Sampson opened the final quarter with a pull-up 12-footer then hit from the corner. Collins answered with an elbow jumper for East, but Sampson nailed a 3-ball for a 42-38 Ram lead.
Shannon Hankins buried a 3-point shot to pull East within 42-41, but Swett’s Tim Locklear drilled a 3-pointer. Senior Rodney Lacewell banged in a follow shot to keep the Eagles with 45-43, but Sampson, Raymond Cummings and Kollyn Locklear connected on consecutive 3-point shots to open up a 54-43 lead.
Swett rang up five of their ten 3-point baskets in the final quarter. Sampson bombed in four 3-point shots in the 1st half and finished with 7 3-pointers in the game. Tim Locklear totaled 12 points for the Rams, and Cummings followed with 5 points.
Hankins headed the Eagle scoring list with 14 points. Lacewell battled inside for 12 points and 8 rebounds. Collins finished with 9 points and 4 rebounds. Maynor racked up 8 points, and Tatum and Barnes grabbed 4 rebounds each.
The first 5 minutes of the game were a nightmare for the Eagles as Swett forced several turnovers with their press while building a 13-0 lead. “Our youth showed tonight,” said Eagle Coach Aking Elting.
Lacewell finally broke the scoring ice with a lay-up at the 2:44 mark then muscled in another lay-up off of a feed from Barnes. Hankins swished a 3-point shot, and Collins drove for a lay-up that sliced the margin to 13-9 at the quarter break.
Hankins cashed in 3 free throws to whittle the deficit to 13-12 then after a Sampson lay-up, Hankins bombed in a 3-ball to tie the game 15-15. Lacewell turned a rebound basket into a 3-point play and an 18-17 East lead.
Sampson pumped in a pair of 3-balls, before Collins trimmed the margin to 23-20 with a pair of free throws. Swett scored 2 more baskets, before Maynor beat the halftime buzzer with a steal and a lay-up to close the gap to 27-22.
Lacewell rallied the Eagles with a lay-up off another Barnes assist, a free throw and an assist to Maynor for a lay-up. Maynor added another basket as East pulled to within 31-29, but Sampson delivered another 3-ball for a 34-29 lead.
The Eagles, now 2-2, will host West Bladen Tuesday night. The Rams evened their record at 1-1 and will travel to East Bladen Wednesday night.
East Bladen 9 13 14 9 — 45
Purnell Swett 13 14 8 21 — 56
East Bladen (45) — Dominick Collins 9, Chace Butler, Sherman Long, Lee Barnes, Shannon Hankins 14, Ronnie Covington, Kewone Maynor 8, Peyton Tatum 2, Tevin McClean, Rodney Lacewell 12.
Purnell Swett (56) — Collin Sampson 29, Jeremiah Barnes, Jaythan Locklear 4, Zack Harris 1, Raymond Cummings 5, Tim Locklear 12, Darius Bethea, Kaede Collins, Ethan Locklear, Aiden Clewis, Charles Wilkes, Kollyn Locklear 3, Ethan Bullard, Jodi Freeman 2.
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