[slideshow_deploy id=’74290′]
CERRO GORDO – Senior Sayaun Dent banked in the winning basket as time expired to lift West Bladen to a 53-51 non-conference boys basketball victory over West Columbus Wednesday night.
West Columbus had taken their first lead of the second half at 51-50 on Jake Brownlee’s follow shot with 43 seconds left to play. Knight senior Kalvin Page hit a free throw with 8 seconds left to tie the game.
After West Columbus’ Dalijawan Willis missed 2 free throws with 5 seconds on the clock, Dent took the in-bounds pass and raced end-to-end soaring up on the right side of the lane and banking in the runner just ahead of the final horn.
“Every time that I have ever come over here it seems like it is a one or two point game,” said West Bladen Coach Travis Pait. “We have got to get better. We guarded horribly in the second half.”
It was a game of runs as West Bladen would surge ahead only to have the Vikings answer with a surge of their own. “It was a weird game,” noted Coach Pait. “I kept thinking we were going to get a working margin, but we just aren’t clicking yet.”
Page opened the game with a transition lay-up, and junior Jonathan Robinson tossed in a jump-hook. Senior John Bowen hit a free throw, and Dent flipped in an acrobatic follow as he sailed toward the endline for a 7-2 Knight lead.
Drew Harris popped in a turn-around, and Dent drilled a 3-point shot for a 12-2 West Bladen lead with 1:54 left in the quarter.
The Vikings answered with a 9-1 spurt as Jake Brownlee delivered a pair of 3-point shots that sliced the Knight lead to 13-11 at the quarter break.
Page drove for a lay-up, Dent made a free throw, and Bowen scored a lay-up in transition as West Bladen padded the lead to 18-11.
Back came the Vikings with a 10-0 run keyed by a pair of 3-point bombs by Tayvon Tyler. Brownlee added a lay-up and a follow shot as West Columbus went up 21-18.
Dent snapped the scoring drought with a rebound basket, and junior Jimmy Williams canned a free throw then stuffed in a follow shot for a 23-21 Knight lead at halftime.
The Knights opened the second half with another 11-2 run. John Bowen worked the baseline for a lay-up, and Dent drained a 15-footer and a 3-point shot. Robinson flipped in another jump-hook and Bowen put back a rebound for a 34-23 West Bladen lead.
The Vikings bounced back as Willis supplied all of the scoring in a 9-0 run that whittled the Knight lead to 34-32.
Dent halted the Viking spurt with a free throw, and Williams stole the ball and passed ahead to Dent for a lay-up. John Bowen pumped in a baseline jumper to grow the lead to 39-32. Dent bombed in a 3-ball that kept the Knights up 42-35 at the quarter break.
Page stole the ball and sprinted for a basket that began the final period. Brownlee and Willis ignited an 11-2 Viking rally that tied the game 46-46 with 2:55 remaining.
Page and Dent sank 2 free throws each to keep West Bladen up 50-48 with 48 seconds on the clock.
Dent topped all scorers with 23 points and collected 5 rebounds. John Bowen posted a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Page finished with 7 points and Robinson grabbed 5 rebounds.
“Jonathan competed hard and had some big rebounds for us,” said Coach Pait. “John Bowen had a lot of rebounds. We have 2 of the best players in the area (Dent and Bowen) but we just aren’t good right now.”
The Knights struggled at the foulline making only 10 of 23 free throws.
Brownlee led West Columbus with 16 points, and Willis followed with 13 points.
The Knights, 1-2, have almost a week off before traveling to Red Springs Wednesday night.
WEST BLADEN (53) – Kalvin Page 7, Scott Bowen 1, Jimmy Williams 3, Keshawn Lewis, Drew Harris 2, Sayaun Dent 23, Gerardo Reyes, Jonathan Robinson 4, John Bowen 13.
About Author
