03/28/2024
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By Sonny Jones

ELIZABETHTOWN — The ball left Lukus Osborne’s fingertips just before the buzzer sounded. When the ball swished through the net for a 3-pointer it brought to an end an instant classic between a pair of boys’ basketball teams battling for first place in the Southeastern Athletic Conference.

Osborne’s game-winner in the second overtime Friday night lifted St. Pauls to a 62-59 win over East Bladen and left the teams tied atop the conference standings with 5-1 records after the first round of league play.

The fact that an extra eight minutes was needed to decide it seemed improbable after St. Pauls scored 19 of the first 20 points in the game’s first seven minutes. Jacob Nixon’s three-point play near the end of the first quarter left the Eagles trailing 19-4 at the end of the period.

Slowly, but surely, East Bladen chipped away at St. Pauls’ lead. Two baskets by Malcolm Bolden, a 3-pointer by Nixon and a lay-up by Malaki Monroe to open the second quarter pulled the Eagles within 19-13. St. Pauls led 25-16 at half following Josiah Sanders’ three-point play.

After Osborne scored for St. Pauls to open the third quarter, East Bladen reeled off 12 unanswered points to take its first lead at 28-27. Bolden accounted for seven of the points, including a steal and lay-up that gave the Eagles the lead. Osborne’s 3-pointer at the buzzer gave St. Pauls a 35-33 lead at the end of third quarter.

St. Pauls led by nine at 45-36 midway through the fourth quarter before the Eagles rallied once again. East Bladen outscored the Bulldogs 12-3 over the final four minutes of regulation to tie it at 48-all. Bolden connected on two free throws with 13 seconds remaining that knotted the score.

In the first four-minute overtime, the teams traded six points each that made it 54-all with a minute remaining. Neither team could score for the remainder of the first overtime, although each missed potential game-winning 3-pointers.

Much like the first overtime, the second extra session was tight. A free throw by East Bladen’s Rodney Lacewell tied it at 59-all with 33 seconds remaining.

After an East Bladen time out, St. Pauls held the ball for the final shot, then celebrated on the court after Osborne sank his 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Bolden scored 22 points , Nixon netted 14 and had a team-high four assists and Jamar Lewis had 10 points, 16 rebounds and three blocked shots to lead East Bladen, now 13-3 overall. The Eagles are scheduled to host Midway on Tuesday night.

Osborne scored 20 points to lead St. Pauls, now 9-9 overall. Tyson Thompson had 17 points and Marcus Galbreath Jr. added 15. The Bulldogs’ nine non-conference losses have come against teams that were 95-21 prior to Friday’s game.

St. Pauls       19    6  10  13  6  8 — 62
East Bladen  4  12   17  15  6  5 — 59

ST. PAULS (62) — Jordan Cook, Lukus Osborne 20, Elijah Blanding 6, Jamarcus Smith, Marcus Galbreath Jr. 15, Kemarion Baldwin 1, Jamir McMillan, Josiah Sanders 3, Houston Hunt, Tyson Thompson 17.

EAST BLADEN (59) — Dominick Collins 6, Malcolm Bolden 22, Malaki Monroe 2, Lee Barnes, Yontee Dobson, Jacob Nixon 14, Zamar Lewis 10, Peyton Tatum, Rodney Lacewell 5.

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