CERRO GORDO – West Columbus sandwiched halftime with a 23-0 run that snapped a 29-29 tie and propelled the first-place Vikings to a 76-48 Three Rivers Conference boys basketball victory over West Bladen.
Sophmore Shyron Adams popped in a baseline jumper to knot the score 29-29 with 2:01 left in the half. Junior Marquise Ratliff raced to the rim for a pair of transition baskets as the Vikings closed the half with an 8-0 flurry.
Junior Ty’Quawn Johnson fired in a 3-point shot and 2 more baskets to begin the second half as the margin grew to 52-29. West Bladen’s Trashawn Ballard snapped the run with a high-arching basket.
Knight junior Tyre Boykin pulled the Knights to within 57-34 at the quarter break with a steal, a lay-up and a free throw.
“Their size got to us in the second half,” said West Bladen Coach Travis Pait. “The kids played hard, but we just ran out of scoring. We forced some bad shots, but they were able to get the rebound.”
Senior Jaheim Lesane flipped in a tear-drop, and Boykin canned 2 free throws and a runner in the fourth quarter. Junior Nijeah McKoy muscled in a follow, and senior Cameron Taylor pumped in a 15-footer, 2 free throws and ended the scoring with a lay-up.
Senior Joel Sturdivant popped in 2 baskets and 4 free throws for the Vikings in the final period. Senior Garrell Evans nailed a pair of 3-point shots in the quarter.
Boykin fired in 22 points to lead all scorers for the Knights. Taylor finished with 8 points and 5 rebounds. McKoy, senior Kerron Washington and Adams netted 4 points each. Boykin and junior Nolan Bryant pulled down 4 rebounds each.
Ratliff led the Vikings with 14 points. Johnson followed with 12 points, and senior Daquan Hardie and Sturdivant totaled 10 points each. Sophmore Brandis Kelly grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked 4 shots.
McKoy put back a rebound, and Boykin drilled in a 3-point shot and a free throw as the Knights took an early 6-2 lead. Boykin threw in a 3-pointer then pitched ahead to senior Keshawn Lewis for a lay-up and an 11-8 lead.
Adams converted a steal into a basket, but Johnson bombed in a 3-pointer to edge the Vikings ahead 14-13 at the quarter break.
Boykin nailed a 3-point shot to begin the second period, then turned a steal into a lay-up to tie the game 21-21. Washington banked in a 3-pointer, and Taylor hurled in a follow shot for a 26-23 lead. A Washington free throw pushed the Knight lead to 27-23.
A follow shot and a baseline jumper by Hardie vaulted the Vikings in front 29-27.
West Bladen will host South Robeson Thursday night.
West Bladen 13 16 5 14 –48
West Columbus 14 23 20 19 –76
WEST BLADEN (49) – Kerron Washington 4, Jaheim Lesane 2, Shyron Adams 4, Tyre Boykin 22, Keshawn Lewis 2, Eddie Perez-Ortiz, Trashawn Ballard 2, Drew Harris, Nijeah McKoy 4, Jackson Norris, Nolan Bryant, Cameron Taylor 8.
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