Junior Stephon McDonald fired in 15 points, and sophomore forward Sayaun Dent posted a double-double to lead West Bladen to a 57-47 Four County Conference boys’ basketball victory at East Bladen Wednesday night.
McDonald pumped in 8 of his team-high 15 points in the first quarter as the Knights raced to a 14-5 lead.
“Stephon didn’t try to do too much,” said Knight Coach Travis Pait. “Those three guards – McDonald, Rahu Purdie and Malcolm Vaught – complement each other so well. If one of them is hot, the other two will get him the ball.”
Dent finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds, including four key defensive rebounds in the closing minutes as the Knights were holding onto a four-point lead. “Sayaun played good,” said Coach Pait. “He was really big on the boards – at the end and in the first half.”
Dent flipped in a floater to start the game, and McDonald popped in a 15-footer. Junior center Chris Cromartie muscled in a rebound for East, but Vaught banked in a runner, and McDonald sank 2 foul shots then pulled up for a 10-footer and a 10-2 West lead.
Senior Farrell Murchison drove for a lay-up and a 3-point play that brought East to within 10-5, but another driving lay-up by McDonald and a pair of free throws by senior center Brandon Council gave West the 14-5 advantage at the quarter break.
Jermaine Robinson drained a 3-point shot to begin the second period, and Cromartie put back a rebound. Senior Monterro Graham turned a feed from sophomore Eian Hines into a lay-up that put East within two at 14-12.
Purdie drilled a pull-up from the right elbow, and McDonald made 3 of 4 free throws. Murchison buried a 3-pointer to keep East within 19-15, but Dent answered with a follow shot.
Sophmore Ethan Hines, Eian’s brother, elevated for a lay-up off of an in-bounds pass, but Dent answered again with a rebound basket. Farrell Murchison powered in a rebound, but Vaught hit a free throw to keep West ahead 24-19 at halftime.
Murchison nailed another 3-pointer to bring the Eagles to within 24-22, but Dent responded with a 3-pointer from the right wing, and Purdie tossed in a floater and tacked on a free throw for a 30-22 Knight lead.
Vaught knocked down a 3-pointer for a 33-22 lead, but Robinson swished a 3-pointer for East. Senior Brian Floyd rattled in a 15-footer for West, and Council banked in a 6-footer to up the count to 37-25.
Murchison banked in a follow shot from the baseline and tacked on a free throw, and Cromartie put back a rebound to close the gap to 37-30. Purdie scooped in a lay-up that resulted in a 3-point play and a 40-30 West lead at the quarter break.
Purdie pulled up for a 15-footer and a 42-30 lead, but Murchison canned 2 foul shots for East. Vaught nailed another 3-ball for West, but Murchison netted 2 more foul shots. Council’s lay-up gave West a 47-34 lead with 6:29 left.
Murchison drained a 3-pointer, and teammate Dayvon Powell hit a foul shot. Murchison’s assist led to a Graham lay-up, and Murchison stole the ball and raced for a lay-up that pulled East to within 47-42 with 3:59 on the clock.
Council scored inside for West, but Ethan Hines connected on a 3-pointer that trimmed the margin to 49-45. East regained possession, but turned the ball over which led to a Dent lay-up. Eian Hines banked in a runner that narrowed the gap to 51-47 with 2:47 remaining.
The Eagles had one more chance to get closer than four points, but a traveling call gave the ball back to West, and Dent drove the baseline for a bank shot that made it 53-47 with 2:04 left. Both teams missed opportunites, before McDonald and Purdie converted 2 free throws each in the final 17 seconds.
Purdie scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half, and Vaught finished with 9 points. Council grabbed 10 rebounds and tallied 8 points for the winners.
“This was a big win for us,” said Coach Pait. “Anytime East Bladen and West Bladen play, it is big. I thought we controlled the game, just like I thought they controlled the last two games against us last year.”
Farrell Murchison poured in 18 points and grabbed 7 rebounds to lead the Eagle attack. Ethan Hines followed with 8 points, and Cromartie and Robinson added 6 points each. Cromartie pulled down 11 rebounds, Graham grabbed 7 rebounds, and Eian Hines corralled 6 rebounds.
“We made too many unforced turnovers,” said Eagle Coach Ken Cross. “Their shooting 18 free throws in the first half to our one didn’t help, but we can’t blame it on that. We didn’t play well enough to win.”
The Knights, now 3-3 in the Four County and 12-3 overall, will travel to Union Friday night. East Bladen, now 3-4 in the league and 8-8 overall, goes to league-leader Midway Friday night.
WB (57) – Justin Ruffin, Joseph Miller, Rahu Purdie 12, Malcolm Vaught 9, Stephon McDonald 15, Brian Floyd 2, Sayaun Dent 11, Jonathan Robinson, Brandon Council 8.
EB (47) – Denzel Johnson, Jermaine Robinson 6, Dayvon Powell 1, Monterro Graham 4, Farrell Murchison 18, Chris Cromartie 6, Ethan Hines 8, Eian Hines 4, Larrell Murchison.
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