DUBLIN – Sophmore Tyquawn Johnson fired in 32 points Tuesday night to lead South Columbus to a 76-61 boys basketball victory over West Bladen in Three Rivers Conference action.
Johnson bombed in a pair of 3-pointers to ignite a 12-0 opening spurt by the Stallions. Senior Gerardo Reyes cracked the scoring ice with a 3-pointer for West, and teammates Jimmy Williams and Jaheim Lesane drained 3-point shots to pull the Knights to within 14-9.
Williams banked in an 8-footer, but South padded the margin to 20-11. Williams and junior Drew Harris hit free throws, freshman Shyron Adams muscled in a follow, and sophmore Tyre Boykin canned 2 free throws to pull West to within 20-17 at the quarter break.
Harris dropped in a lay-up to keep the Knights within 22-19, but another Johnson 3-ball sparked an 11-2 South flurry that upped the count to 33-21.
Junior Jackson Norris banged in a turn-around, Reyes pumped in a follow and Boykin turned a steal into a lay-up that trimmed the Stallion lead to 35-27. A 7-2 South run padded the lead to 42-29 at halftime.
Williams buried a 3-point shot to open the second half, but 5 quick points from Johnson padded the lead to 47-32.
Boykin banked in a runner and netted 2 free throws, and junior Keshawn Lewis popped in a pull-up 12 footer and made 2 free throws to slice the lead to 51-41.
Senior Jonathan Robinson cashed in 2 free throws, Williams hit one and Boykin drained a 3-point shot to pull West Bladen to within 55-47. Johnson threw in a corner 3-ball, and junior Shiquaun Conyers dropped in a lay-up to put South up 60-47 at the quarter break.
A pair of Johnson baskets and a Riley Hewitt 3-ball pushed the lead to 67-47. Adams and Reyes buried 3-point shots, and Williams tossed in 2 baskets and 2 free throws as West whittled the final margin to 76-61.
Williams led the Knight scoring with 17 points, and Boykin followed with 11 points. Reyes finished with 9 points. Robinson grabbed a team-high 6 rebounds.
“We forced 25 turnovers and couldn’t score but 61 points – that’s 100 possessions,” said Knight Coach Travis Pait. “We are missing Scott (Bowen – ankle injury), but we have got to be able to score, especially in transition.”
Conyers and Hewitt followed Johnson with 12 points each for South Columbus.
West Bladen will host Red Springs Friday night.
WEST BLADEN (61) – Drew Harris 3, Jaheim Lesane 3, Kerron Baldwin-Washington 3, Jimmy Williams 17, Keshawn Lewis 5, Eddie Perez-Ortiz, Tyre Boykin 11, Shyron Adams 5, Trashawn Ballard, Gerardo Reyes 9, Kristaun Baldwin, Jackson Norris 3, Trenton Lyons, Jonathan Robinson 2.
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