ST PAULS – Kemarion Baldwin sank a pair of go-ahead baskets in the final quarter as St. Pauls edged East Bladen 62-59 Tuesday night in a key Southeastern Athletic Conference boys’ basketball game.
The lead see-sawed back and forth after the Eagles opened the 4th period with an 8-2 run that produced a 53-52 lead. The teams traded baskets and the lead until Baldwin popped in a short jumper for a 58-57 Bulldog lead with 2:48 on the clock.
Marcus Galbreath widened the gap to 60-57, before Eagle junior Jacob Nixon’s basket sliced the margin to 60-59. After an Eagle turnover, Josh Henderson sank 2 free throws for the Bulldogs with 16 seconds left.
Junior Malcolm Bolden sparked the East Bladen attack with 21 points, 4 assists and 2 steals. Junior Zamar Lewis posted a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds and had 2 assists. Nixon checked all the stat sheet columns with 10 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals. Senior Nazire Smith scored 8 points and dished out 2 assists.
Nixon keyed an early 11-2 Eagle run with 3 quick baskets. Bolden delivered 4 baskets and a 3-ball as the East lead grew to 16-9 at the quarter break then 18-9 before the Bulldogs fought back to take a 27-26 lead. Lewis answered with a basket that put East up 28-27 at halftime.
St. Pauls opened the 3rd period with a 9-0 spurt to take a 36-28 lead, but the Eagles behind 8 points each from Lewis and Smith kept fighting back to within a point twice in the quarter.
Henderson led St. Pauls with 20 points, and Jeyvian Tatum followed with 16 points.
East Bladen, now 3-1 in SAC-7 play and 8-5 overall, will host Fairmont Friday night.
East Bladen 16 12 17 14 – 59
St. Pauls 9 18 23 12 – 62
East Bladen (59) – Malcolm Bolden 21, Jordan Mathis, Jacob Nixon 10, Nazire Smith 8, Cam White 3, Yontee Dobson 1, Zamar Lewis 14, Malaki Monroe 2.
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