ELIZABETHTOWN- South Columbus capitalized on East Bladen foul trouble to open the second half with a 9-0 run en route to a 47-33 Three Rivers Conference boys basketball victory Friday night.
With the scored tied 17-17, East Bladen’s Darrell Banks and Javant McDowell both picked up fouls in the opening minute of the second half that sent both of them to the bench.
Stallion junior Riley Hewett snapped the tie with a 3-point bomb, and senior Rakeem Gerald netted a lay-up. Senior Traquan Bellamy popped in a runner and a corner jumper to put the visitors up 26-17.
Eagle senior Bryon Bowen ended the run with a free throw, and senior Greyson Heustess drove for a lay-up to slice the lead to 26-20 with 2:50 left in the quarter.
Senior Shiquaun Conyers drove for a lay-up then spun down the lane for a basket and a 34-22 Stallion lead at the quarter break.
Banks returned to the line-up and nailed a 3-point shot to start the final period, but Conyers answered with a basket, and Hewett knocked down another 3-pointer as the lead grew to 39-25 with 5:15 on the clock.
Senior Keshaun Davis spun down the lane for a basket, and Banks sank 2 free throws to close the gap to 39-29. McDowell powered in a lay-up, and Banks canned 2 more free throws for the final Eagle points.
Traquan Bellamy led the Stallions with 15 points. Conyers followed with 11 points, and Aveon Bellamy and Hewett totaled 8 points.
Banks sparked the Eagles with 9 points, 5 rebounds and 4 steals. Davis finished with 6 points, and McDowell and Corey McKoy totaled 4 points each. Senior Robbie Cooley grabbed a team-high 6 rebounds.
A Conyers 3-point shot helped the Stallions grab an early 5-0 lead, but McDowell and Davis dropped in lay-ups to trim the margin to 5-4. Traquan Bellamy’s short jumper put South up 7-4 at the quarter break.
The lead stretched to 11-4, before Eagle junior Tyshawn Berkeley hurled in a runner that turned into a 3-point play. McKoy made a free throw, and Banks popped in a 12-footer to whittle the lead to 13-10.
Cooley muscled in a follow, and McKoy buried a 3-point shot from the corner to tie the game. Banks stole the ball and raced for a lay-up and a 17-15 East lead. Free throws by Aveon Bellamy and Traquan Bellamy pulled the Stallions even 17-17 at halftime.
“We are just not playing good basketball right now – especially on the defensive end,” said Eagle Coach Kenzil McCall.”
The Eagles will host West Brunswick Monday at 3:30 in a non-conference game.
South Columbus 7 10 17 13 – 47
East Bladen 4 13 5 11 – 33
EAST BLADEN (33) – Keshaun Davis 6, Greyson Heustess 3, Bryon Bowen 1, Javant McDowell 4, Juwan Baldwin, Tyshawn Berkeley 3, Darrell Banks 9, Robbie Cooley 3, Corey McKoy 4.
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