East Bladen’s girls completed an undefeated regular season Thursday night with a 57-20 Four County Conference basketball victory over rival West Bladen that was the 400th career coaching victory for East Bladen Coach Patty Evers.
“I’m happy for the girls to get the 24-0, undefeated regular season,” said Coach Evers. “It was one of our goals, and it was special to get it here at home even though we were supposed to be at West. I am so proud of these girls.”
The game would have been played at West if not for a bat infestation that shut down the gym at West Bladen.
Senior Abbey Norris nailed a 16-foot jumper to start the Lady Eagle scoring, and senior Imani Turner-Dobson flipped in a short jumper.
After a free throw by junior Lacey Suggs, sophomore Alanna Ludlum bombed in a 3-pointer to pull West within 5-3. Suggs turned an Abby Ward pass into a lay-up, and Norris banked in an 8-foot runner.
Moments later Suggs was whistled for her third foul and went to the bench. Norris pumped in a corner jump shot, but Ludlum banked in a follow shot to keep West within 11-5 at the quarter break.
With their star sidelined by the foul trouble, the Lady Eagles responded with a 19-2 second quarter blitz that was led by Norris’ 9 points. “When Lacey went out, the other girls did a super job,” said Coach Evers. “This was a team effort.”
Norris turned a Ward assist into a lay-up to begin the second period, then added a foul shot. Ward popped in a 16-footer from the right elbow. Norris connected from 15 feet to push the lead to 18-5.
Junior Christiana Cromartie threw in a 15-footer, before West Bladen’s Laikyn Pait put back a rebound to trim the margin to 20-7.
Ward knocked down a 10-footer, and Norris buried a 17-footer. A trio of Ward free throws sandwiched around a Norris rebound basket pushed the halftime margin to 30-7.
The Lady Eagle onslaught continued in the third period. Turner-Dobson dropped in a lay-up, and Suggs returned to drive for a lay-up and hit 2 free throws.
After Pait banked in a 6-footer for West, Cromartie knocked down a 15-footer, then passed to Turner-Dobson for a lay-up.
Turner-Dobson and Norris put back rebound baskets, and Turner-Dobson popped in a 12-footer.
Sophomore Logan Autry fired in a 12-footer for West, but Norris was on target again from the corner. A free throw by Turner-Dobson, and Suggs’ 6-foot runner widened the gap to 51-11 and set the 40-point lead running clock in motion.
Autry scored on a follow shot, and Suggs responded with a runner. Tierra McKoy bombed in a 3-point shot to pull West within 53-16 at the quarter break.
Two McKoy free throws and one each by Ludlum and Jenna Dove accounted for the rest of the Lady Knight scoring.
Shardajah Brown sank 2 foul shots, and Emily Scott dropped in a lay-up the final East basket.
Norris rang up 15 of her career-high 19 points in the first half and grabbed 7 rebounds. “She had to score tonight with Lacey out,” said Coach Evers. “That was huge for us. She’s a senior; that is what seniors do.”
Despite the foul trouble, Suggs finished with 11 points and 6 rebounds. Turner-Dobson posted a double-double of 11 points and 14 rebounds. Norris pulled down 7 rebounds.
Ward, a junior, finished with 7 points, 5 assists and 4 steals. Junior Miller Heustess dished out 4 assists.
Ludlum topped the West scoring with 6 points. McKoy finished with 5 points, and Autry and Pait totaled 4 points each. Pait also led the Lady Knights on the boards with 6 rebounds.
East Bladen, the conference champion with a 14-0 league record, is expected to host a first-round Four County Tournament game Monday against last-place Union.
West Bladen dropped to 8-6 in the league and 12-12 overall. The Lady Knights will be the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament.
EB (57) – Abby Ward 7, Lexie Mendell, Lacey Suggs 11, Miller Heustess, Christiana Cromartie 4, Abbey Norris 19, Imani Turner-Dobson 11, Emily Scott 3, Shardajah Brown 2, Lexi Dawson.
WB (20) – Miriam Mendoza, Breanna Jackson, Alanna Ludlum 6, Kassidy Anderson, Akira Grimes, Logan Autry 4, Laikyn Pait 4, Alex Perry, Jenna Dove 1, Tierra McKoy 5, Evelin Ortiz.
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