DUBLIN – Junior Caleel Mitchell blistered the nets with five 3-point shots and led Red Springs to a 67-52 non-conference boys basketball victory over West Bladen Tuesday night.
Mitchell finished with 19 points, teammate Monte Wilkerson followed with 18 points, and Eric Graham chipped in with 11 for the Red Devils, now 2-0.
West Bladen Coach Travis Pait was not pleased with his team’s performance saying, “We are not real good right now. Their press bothered us in the beginning, and they just out-toughed us.”
Eight Knight turnovers in the opening quarter helped Red Springs grab an early lead, but senior John Bowen nailed a trio of 3-point shots to keep West within 14-11 at the quarter break.
Bowen and senior Kalvin Page canned 2 free throws each to begin the second period, and Page drove for a transition lay-up that trimmed the lead to 18-17. Red Springs widened the gap to 23-17, but Page sandwiched a trio of free throws around a 3-point bomb from the corner by senior Sayaun Dent to knot the score 23-23.
Dent popped in a jumper from the key, and junior Jonathan Robinson flipped in a jump-hook that edged West ahead 27-25.
Wilkerson’s driving lay-up put Red Springs back in front, before Page lobbed a pass to Bowen who slammed in a dunk for a 29-29 tie 22 seconds before halftime. Mitchell beat the buzzer with a 25-foot 3-pointer that gave the Red Devils a 32-29 halftime lead.
Page’s baseline drive kept West within 33-31, but Red Springs reeled off 7 straight points. Robinson drove the lane for a basket, and Dent cashed in 2 free throws that cut the margin to 40-35. However the Devils pushed the lead back to 46-37 at the quarter break.
Dent pulled up for a 16-footer, made 3 free throws and drove for a pair of lay-ups to keep West Bladen within 57-46 with 4:35 left but the Knights could get no closer.
Dent poured in 24 points to lead all scorers and grabbed 6 rebounds. Bowen followed with 13 points and 5 rebounds. Page totaled 7 points and 4 rebounds. Robinson added 6 points and 4 rebounds.
“We’ve got some new kids who are still learning our system, and some others that we were counting on who need to start producing,” said Coach Pait. “We have got to get a lot better. The good news is we get 3 days to practice this week and one next week, before we play again.”
WEST BLADEN (52) – Kalvin Page 7, Scott Bowen 2, Jimmy Williams, Keshawn Lewis, Drew Harris, Sayaun Dent 24, Gerardo Reyes, Jonathan Robinson 6, John Bowen 13.
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