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By John Clark

BLADENBORO – For 2 weeks ‘The Castle’ had been quiet as problems with the weather had halted the 9-game winning streak of the West Bladen Knights.

Tuesday night basketball was finally back. Juniors Chase Williams and Hezekiah Adams combined for 35 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Knights to a 57-22 victory over Clinton in their Southeastern Athletic Conference opener. It was the 10th straight win for West and raised their season record to 12-1.

Williams narrowly missed a double-double with 21 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocked shots. Adams finished with 14 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, 5 deflections and 2 blocked shots. Sophomore Tylik McCall added 11 points and 3 rebounds. Sophomore Jackson Pait totaled 5 points, 3 steals and 2 assists.

Pait drilled a corner 3-ball, Williams spun to the basket for a lay-up then hammered in a dunk in transition for a quick 7-0 lead. Things slowed down as Clinton rallied to within 7-4, but McCall buried a 3-point shot, and Adams powered in a follow for a 12-4 West lead.

Clinton senior Camden Davis sliced the West lead to 12-7 with a 3-ball, but the Knights answered with a 13-0 blitz. Williams sank 2 free throws, Adams converted a steal into a lay-up. Williams turned a loose ball into a lay-up then banked in a runner.

McCall knocked down another 3-ball, and freshman Kendell Lessane delivered an assist to Adams for a lay-up and a 25-7 lead. Williams drove for a lay-up to keep West up 27-11 at halftime.

Williams powered in a follow then sent an assist to McCall for a lay-up. Davis connected on another 3-ball for Clinton, but 2 Williams free throws and another McCall corner 3-ball ignited an 18-0 Knight run. Adams dashed end-to-end for a lay-up, and Pait wheeled to the hoop for a lay-up.

A trio of Williams free throws plus a lay-up off an assist from senior Andre Moore upped the count to 45-16. Adams stole the ball and sprinted for a lay-up then dropped in another lay-up for a 49-16 lead at the break.

Junior Ty’Leak Ballard started the final period with a rebound basket for West. Adams and Lessane flipped in lay-ups, and Lessane sent an assist to junior Conner Monroe for a lay-up.

“We played hard all night,” said Knight Coach Travis Pait. “We were sloppy on offense in the first half, but we were better in the 2nd half and moved the ball better. Two weeks off and now get ready for a tough opponent on Friday at Midway.”

Davis led the Clinton scoring with 8 points, and Gregory Coxum tallied 6 points. Clinton, now 6-3, will travel to James Kenan Wednesday night.

Clinton 4 7 5 6 — 22
West Bladen 12 15 22 8 — 57

Clinton (22) — Walker Spell 2, T. K. Raynor 4, Holden Spell 2, NyShawn Sampson, Camden Davis 8, Griffin Williams, Jaymon Bryant, Gregory Coxum 6, Trejon Gayle, Garrison Hill, Royer Sanches, Alex Evans.

West Bladen (57) — Jackson Pait 5, Hezekiah Adams 14, Tylik McCall 11, Kendell Lessane 2, Conner Monroe 2, Andre Moore, Cornelius Esters, Donovan Tubbs, Ty’Leak Ballard 2, Chase Williams 21.