CERRO GORDO — West Columbus clinched the Waccamaw Conference’s top 1A playoff spot Tuesday night with a 72-58 boys’ basketball victory over East Bladen.
East Bladen, now 4-6 in Waccamaw play and 9-10 overall, will host Heide Trask Friday night. West Columbus, now 7-2 in the Waccamaw and 11-5 overall, will visit South Columbus Friday night.
Senior Peyton Tatum poured in a career-high 15 points to lead the Eagle scoring. Junior teammate Dominick Collins rang up 12 points. Senior Lee Barnes finished with 10 points, and Sherman Long followed with 9 points. Junior Kewone Maynor added 7 points.
Freshman Larry Graham fired in 19 points to lead all scorers for the Vikings. Senior Jaylen Bellamy pumped in 14 points, and senior Unique Kelly finished with 12 points. Sophomore Emanuez Jones tallied 9 points.
Bellamy delivered a pair of 3-point bombs in the opening quarter, and Tyler Brown also connected on a 3-ball as the Vikings grabbed a 17-12 lead. Tatum buried a 3-point shot and 2 other baskets for East, Long drained a 3-ball, and sophomore Keyshawn Kemp powered in a basket.
Jones rang up 9 points for West in the 2nd period as the lead grew to 33-23. Tatum sank a basket and 2 free throws, Maynor flipped in a basket and a free throw, and Collins nailed a 3-point shot for East. Kemp canned a free throw.
Collins and Barnes threw in 2 baskets each in the 3rd quarter. Tatum worked the paint for a basket and 2 free throws. Long bombed in a 3-ball, and Maynor hurled in a basket. However a pair of Bellamy 3-balls and 5 points each from Graham and Kelly kept West ahead 53-40.
Graham burnt the nets with a pair of 3-balls and 10 points in the final period. Long answered with a pair of 3-pointers for East. Collins rattled the rims with 2 baskets and a free throw. Barnes swished a 3-ball, and Kemp and Maynor added baskets.
East Bladen 12 11 17 18 — 58
West Columbus 17 16 20 19 — 72
West Columbus (72) — Jaylen Bellamy 14, Unique Kelly 12, Tristen Freeman 2, James Craven Axleberg 6, Tyler Brown 5, Emanuez Jones 9, Larry Graham 19, Dwayne Bryant, Zion Eady 2, Za’Davion Baldwin 3, Ty Mason.
East Bladen (58) — Dominick Collins 12, Chace Butler, Sherman Long 9, Lee Barnes 10, Shannon Hankins, Kewone Maynor 7, Peyton Tatum 15, Tevin McLean, Keyshawn Kemp 5, Rodney Lacewell.
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