By John Clark
BLADENBORO – West Bladen’s defense held Midway to a single free throw in the 4th quarter as the Knights rode a 12-1 closing spurt to a 54-38 Southeastern Athletic Conference boys basketball victory over the Raiders Friday night.
Midway’s Jack Hazelbeck threw in a 3-point shot, and senior Jamir McCrae sank 2 free throws in the final minute of the 3rd period as the Raiders trimmed a once13-point Knight lead to 42-37 at the quarter break.
Sophomore Hezekiah Adams drove through traffic for a Knight lay-up to begin the final period. Freshman Jackson Pait drilled in a 3-point bomb to widen the gap to 47-37. After Midway’s Casey Culbreth hit a free throw, Chase Williams, 6-7 sophomore center, popped free out of the Knights’ weave and slammed in a dunk for a 49-38 lead.
Adams sank a free throw with 1:22 left, and Williams dropped in lay-ups off of assists from Pait and freshman Tylik McCall in the final minute.
“We played 9 guys tonight and all 9 of them contributed,” said Knight Coach Travis Pait. “Tylik hit 2 big shots to start the game, and Gary (Parker) came up big for us in the last few minutes. ‘Peanut’ (Anthony Mitchell gave us a really big 4 or 5 minutes. Hezi (Adams) was amazing at making plays for us.”
Adams and Pait shared scoring honors for the Knights with 14 points each. Adams had 2 steals, and Pait burnt the nets with four 3-point shots. McCall buried a trio of 3-point shots and finished with 12 points and 4 rebounds. Williams posted 11 points and 8 rebounds including 6 points and 4 rebounds in the final quarter.
McCrae’s 13 points led Midway and Tripp Westbrook added 10 points.
McCall and Westbrook traded 3-point baskets to start the game, but McCall nailed another 3-ball, and Williams popped in 2 free throws for an 8-3 West lead. Culbreth pulled Midway even 8-8 with a follow shot and a foul shot. Pait fired in a pair of long 3-balls, junior Andre Moore sent a pass to Mitchell for a lay-up, and Adams raced for a lay-up and an 18-10 Knight lead off of a steal that Pait created with a deflection.
Midway began the 2nd quarter with an 8-0 run to tie the game 18-18, but McCall knocked down another 3-ball. Adams flipped in a baseline jumper, then after a Williams free throw, Adams delivered another 3-ball for a 27-18 West lead. A goaltending call led to a 3-point play for the Raiders’ McCrae, but Parker and Westbrook swapped free throws to keep the margin at 28-22 at halftime.
Mbagnick Dione trimmed the lead to 28-24 with 2 foul shots in the 3rd period, but McCall banked in a runner then tacked on the free throw for a 3-point play. Williams cashed in 2 free throws, and Adams made one. Pait bombed in another 3-ball then flipped in a baseline runner for a 39-26 Knight lead.
Two free throws from both Trey Gregory and Westbrook plus a McCrae lay-up narrowed the gap to 39-32, but Adams snatched a long rebound and flew down the court for a lay-up that grew into a 3-point play with a free throw that upped the count to 42-32 West.
McCrae topped the Raider scoring with 13 points, and Westbrook followed with 10 points.
“This is a big win for us,” said Coach Pait. “That is a very good team.”
The Knights improved to 3-3 in the league and 12-6 overall and will host Clinton Tuesday night. Midway, now 2-4 in the SAC-7 and 10-6 overall, will visit East Bladen Tuesday night.
Midway 10 12 15 1 – 38
West Bladen 18 10 14 12 – 54
Midway (38) – Jack Hazelbeck 2, Davis Williams 3, Trey Gregory 2, Casey Culbreth 4, Jamir McCrae 13, Mbagnick Dione 4, Tripp Westbrook 10, Israel Cook, Josh Lupo.
West Bladen (54) – Jackson Pait 14, Hezekiah Adams 14, Tylik McCall 12, Andre Moore, Cornelius Esters, Gary Parker 1, Walter Bealon, Anthony Mitchell 2, Chase Williams 11.
About Author
