By John Clark
BLADENBORO – Senior Rylee Chadwick threw in 7 of her team-high 18 points during a 14-0 West Bladen spurt that sliced a 22-point Clinton lead to eight, but the Lady Dark Horses held on for a 57-48 Southeastern Athletic Conference girls basketball victory Tuesday night.
Senior Brittany Blackburn dropped in 3 lay-ups early in the final quarter that grew Clinton’s lead to 56-34 with 5:21 left to play. Chadwick flipped in a basket and 3 free throws to begin the Lady Knight rally. Freshman Natalee Sykes pumped in a 16-footer to close the gap to 56-41.
Sophomore Holland Davis buried a 3-point shot and a foul was whistled on the rebound that enabled Chadwick to sink 2 more free throws to complete a 5-point play and whittle the margin to 56-46. Chadwick delivered an assist to Davis for a lay-up that pulled West to within 56-48 with 1:16 remaining.
Tara Joyner netted a free throw 8 seconds later to stop the run and finish with 15 points for Clinton. Blackburn rang up 25 points to lead all scorers for Clinton.
“We dug ourselves too deep of a hole early,” said Lady Knight Coach Brian McCleney. “Some shots didn’t go in and we fell behind. Having to come back from that far down just drains your energy. But we will get back to work tomorrow and get ready for next week.”
Chadwick recorded a double-double for West with 18 points, 11 rebounds and 2 steals. Senior Lainey Autry fired in a trio of 3-point shots and totaled 9 points for the Lady Knights. Junior Brookee Singletary finished with 5 points, 9 rebounds and 3 steals. Davis and freshman Kali Allen tallied 5 points each. Sophomore Alina Chavez snared 5 rebounds, junior Kiera Lewis grabbed 4 rebounds and Sykes had 2 steals.
Blackburn poured in 10 points in the opening period as Clinton built an 18-6 lead. Chadwick canned a free throw, Allen nailed a 3-point shot, and Singletary hooked in a lay-up for the West Bladen points.
Chadwick popped in a pair of 10-footers and hit 3 free throws in the 2nd quarter for West. Autry bombed in a 3-ball, Lewis netted 2 free throws and Allen banked in an 8-footer. However 7 points from Blackburn and 4 points from Joyner kept Clinton up 35-21 at halftime.
Autry drilled in another 3-pointer to start the 2nd half. Chadwick knocked down 3 free throws, Singletary made 2 foul shots, and Sykes connected on a corner jumper to keep the Lady Knights within 47-31 at the quarter break. Autry drained a 3-point shot early in the final period to keep the margin at 52-34.
The Lady Knights, now 1-6 in the SAC-7 and 8-8 overall, will host East Bladen Monday night. Clinton, also 1-6 in the SAC-7 and 8-8 overall, will entertain East Bladen Thursday night.
Clinton 18 17 12 10 – 57
West Bladen 6 15 10 17 – 48
Clinton (57) –Tara Joyner 15, KaMyah Smith 2, Larkin Best 2, Janiya Mosely 2, Brittany Blackburn 25, Ava Williford 7, Anna Perry Sinclair 2, Avery Evans 2, Evan Gillespie, Karen King, Giana Smith.
West Bladen (48) – Lainey Autry 9, Holland Davis 5, Rylee Chadwick 18, Kirsten Warrick, Brookee Singletary 5, Kiera Lewis 2, Natalee Sykes 4, Kali Allen 5, Alina Chavez.
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