Staff Report
WINSTON-SALEM — East Bladen hung with defending champion Cherokee for the first half Friday afternoon.
The Braves dominated the second half inside Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum and pulled away for an 84-48 victory in the N.C. High School Athletic Association girls’ 1A championship game.
“We’ve had a great season,” East Bladen coach Patty Evers said in the post-game media conference, “I don’t think anybody expected us to be here. We were a No. 7 seed and knocked off the No. 1, the No. 2 and No. 6 seeds and that’s a lot. I’m very proud of them just to get to the state championship game. It’s a once in a lifetime thing and I want them to remember that.”
It was East Bladen’s fifth trip to the state championship game. The Eagles, who made the 1A East Regional final last season, lost to Salisbury in the 2A state finals in 2010 and 2011 and to Bishop McGuiness in the 1A state finals in 2007 and 2009.
Whitney Rogers poured in 33 points for Cherokee (28-2). She scored 21 in the first half to help the Braves hold a 35-31 advantage.
Lalia Smith scored 22 points and NeNe Ward added 12 for East Bladen (26-4).
“I thought we play one heck of a half of basketball,” Evers said. “That first half we couldn’t have played any better. But, they just jumped all over us in the second half and they’re a very good team.”
Cherokee outscored the Eagles 18-8 in the third quarter and 31-9 in the fourth quarter.
Cherokee forced 36 East Bladen turnovers, which led to 42 points. The Braves attempted 97 field goals, making 34, and went 2-for-24 from 3-point range.
East Bladen made 20 of 49 field goal attempts, including 1 of 10 from behind the 3-point line.
East Bladen’s lone lead came in the opening minute on Smith’s floating jump 38 seconds into the game. Rogers scored the next nine points that gave Cherokee a 9-2 lead and the Braves never trailed thereafter.
East Bladen tied it at 9-all on Ariel Cromartie’s lay-up off a pass from Ward midway through the first quarter.
Rogers finished with 14 points in the first quarter and Cecily Swimmer’s basket at the buzzer gave Cherokee an 18-15 lead.
East Bladen cut a 30-20 deficit to one on a nine-point run midway through the second quarter capped by Smith’s rebound basket. Another basket by Smith with 1:30 remaining in period pulled the Eagles within 33-31. Cherokee led 35-31 at half.
In the third quarter, Ward’s lay-up with 6:07 remaining brought the Eagles within a pair at 37-35. Cherokee scored the next eight points and built a 53-39 by the end of the period. East Bladen never got closer in the fourth quarter.
Smith and Ward were the only seniors on East Bladen this season. The duo each surpassed 1,000 career points last season as juniors.
“I first watched (Smith and Ward) play in the seventh grade and I’m glad I stuck around (to coach),” Evers said. “They have come a long way, but they train, they’re pure ballers. They’re good in the classroom. They don’t give me any problems. They’ve done amazing things. They’re best friends and we’re going to miss them. I’m proud of them.”
EAST BLADEN (48) — NeNe Ward 12, Ariel Cromartie 4, Laila Smith 22, Niyah Wooten 2, Aaliyah Monroe 2, Taylor Dowless, Tatum Allen, Neveah Brown, Tyliah Freeman, Sana’a Singletary, Julia Flowers.
CHEROKEE (84) — Madison Rogers 10, Cecily Swimmer 15, Daisee Fourkiller-Raby 6, Joscelyn Stamper 8, Whitney Rogers 33, Marlee Hicks, Kyla Moore 4, Lilly Lossiah, Yvonne Saunooke 4, Hailee Lossiah 4, Livia Crowe, Emilee Brady.
Here is the schedule for regional and state championships (seeding in parenthesis):
Monday, March 10
3A West girls: (1) Stuart Cramer 62, (3) North Lincoln 38
3A East boys: (2) Southern SES 78, (1) Swansboro 65
3A East girls: (2) Western Alamance 64, (1) Terry Sanford 48
3A West boys: (11) Ben L. Smith 69, (12) Hunter Huss 57
Tuesday, March 11
1A West boys: (5) Corvian Community 75, (3) Queens Grant 44
1A East girls: (7) East Bladen 77, (1) Perquimans 63
1A East boys: (2) Southern Wake 70, (1) Washington County 56
1A West girls: (2) Cherokee 65, (1) Bishop McGuinness 61
Wednesday, March 12
4A West boys: (3) North Mecklenburg 64, (13) Chambers 56
4A East boys: (1) New Hanover 83, (3) Sanderson 55
4A East girls: (2) Wakefield 31, (1) Wilmington Hoggard 23
4A West girls: (2) Lake Norman 68, (1) McDowell 52
Thursday, March 13
2A East girls: (12) Southeast Alamance 48, (2) Seaforth 45
2A East boys: (3) Northwood 57, (4) West Bladen 38
2A West girls: (1) North Wilkes 60, (2) East Burke 36
2A West boys: (1) Reidsville 79, (15) Bandys 50
Friday, March 14
1A boys championship: (5) Corvian Community 58, (2) Southern Wake 55, overtime
1A girls championship: (2) Cherokee 84, (7) East Bladen 48
3A girls championship: (2) Western Alamance 76, (1) Stuart Cramer 58
3A boys championship: (11) Ben L. Smith 64, (2) Southern SES 62, overtime
Saturday, March 15
4A girls championship: (2) Wakefield vs. (2) Lake Norman, 12:05 p.m.
4A boys championship: (3) North Mecklenburg vs. (1) New Hanover, 2:35 p.m.
2A girls championship: (12) Southeast Alamance vs. (1) North Wilkes, 5:05 p.m.
2A boys championship: (3) Northwood vs. (1) Reidsville, 7:35 p.m.
Author: Sonny Jones
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