WHITEVILLE – Freshman Jackson Pait and sophomore Hezekiah Adams scored 14 of their 34 points in the final period Tuesday night to spark West Bladen to a 45-38 non-conference boys basketball victory over Whiteville.
Pait and Adams both connected on four 3-point shots in the game. Pait sank 6 of 7 free throws and led the Knights with 18 points and had 3 rebounds. Adams pumped in 16 points and totaled 3 rebounds and 2 steals. Sophomore Chase Williams, a 6-7 center, dropped in 10 points, grabbed 6 rebounds and blocked 2 shots. Junior Andre Moore pulled down 5 rebounds.
Will Fisher pulled the Wolfpack even at 29-29 with a bucket to begin the final quarter, but Pait sent a pass to Adams who buried a 3-ball from the right corner for a 32-29 West lead.
“It felt like Hezi’s 3 was a back-breaker for them,” said Knight Coach Travis Pait. “Walter (Bealon), Andre and Tylik (McCall) all came up big for us in the back. Andre has been solid all year, and Tylik was attacking more.”
Pait drained a 3-point shot to boost the lead to 35-29 at the 5:10 mark. Williams dropped in 2 free throws to keep the margin at 37-31, but Amari Best answered for the Wolfpack to trim the lead to 37-33.
Moore delivered a pass to Adams for a lay-up and a 39-33 lead with 2:03 remaining. Fisher popped in a 10-footer, but Pait and Adams cashed in 2 free throws each to stretch the lead to 43-35. Fisher threw in another basket, but Pait sealed the verdict with 2 more free throws.
“It was a good win,” said Pait. “We only played 8 guys and all 8 of them made huge contributions. We didn’t turn the ball over (10 turnovers). It was a great team effort. I am very proud of them.”
Williams worked the paint for an early 3-point play, but Best’s 3-ball gave Whiteville a 7-3 lead. Pait knocked down a 3-ball, but Best pumped in a pair of baskets for a 13-6 Wolfpack lead. Adams fired in a 3-ball to slice the lead to 13-9 at the quarter break.
A Bealon assist resulted in a Williams lay-up, but Cade Little’s follow shot kept Whiteville up 15-11. McCall hit a free throw, before Adams tied the game with a 3-ball. Adams swished a corner 3-ball, and Pait made 2 free throws for a 20-15 West lead. Kyan Ganus’ rebound basket whittled the margin to 20-17 at halftime.
After a Williams free throw, lay-ups by Montrez Holland and Ganus tied the game 21-21. Pait drilled in a pair of 3-balls, and Williams tossed in an elbow jumper to push West ahead. Ganus answered with a lay-up and 2 free throws to keep Whiteville within 29-27 at the quarter break.
Best led Whiteville with 11 points, and Holland and Ganus followed with 8 points each.
West Bladen improved to 10-3 on the season and will visit rival East Bladen Friday night.
West Bladen 9 11 9 16 – 45
Whiteville 13 4 10 11 – 38
West Bladen (45) – Jackson Pait 18, Hezekiah Adams 16, Tylik McCall 1, Andre Moore, Cornelius Esters, Gary Parker, Walter Bealon, Chase Williams 10.
Whiteville (38) – Amari Best 11, Will Fisher 6, Kyan Ganus 8, Cade Little 5, Kayshawn McCullum, Montrez Holland 8, Damarion Hall, Dashaun Shipman, Zayshaun Bennett.
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