03/19/2024
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CLINTON – East Bladen’s defense slowed down high-scoring Clinton and Mikayla Boykin Wednesday night, but the Lady Dark Horses still posted a 58-31 Four County Conference girls basketball victory over the Lady Eagles.

“They have averaged over 90 points in their last 4 games,” said East Bladen Coach Patty Evers. “We are rebuilding this year, and we put in some gadget plays and wanted to play an X’s and O’s game with them. Anything to slow them down.”

The Lady Eagles held Boykin, a Duke commit, to only 19 points – her lowest point total of the season. “She’s a great player,” noted Coach Evers. “But our girls worked hard on defense. They played hard tonight.” Senior Yolanda Coston and freshman Patience Ward led the defensive effort against Boykin.

Boykin hit her only 3-point shot of the game and scored 8 points in the first period. Teammate Kierra Mabry also hit a 3-point shot and added 7 points as Clinton raced to a 19-3 lead.

Junior Shardajah Brown pumped in the first Eagle basket, and sophmore Ja’Tyra Moore-Peterson hit a free throw for the East Bladen points.

Ashlyn Williams racked up 5 baskets for Clinton in the second period as the lead stretched to 38-12. Moore-Peterson drained a 3-point shot and tacked on 2 more baskets in the quarter for East, and Ward drove for a lay-up.

Ward banked in a runner and threw in 2 more baskets from the paint in the third quarter. Moore-Peterson nailed a 3-point shot and another basket in the period. Brown bombed in a 3-pointer, and senior Emily Scott tossed in a basket to keep East Bladen within 56-28 at the quarter break.

Sophmore Ashley Hardin drilled in a 3-point shot from the top of the key for the Lady Eagle basket in the final quarter.

Williams finished with 15 points, and junior Alex Canady added 11 points for Clinton.

Moore-Peterson led East Bladen with 13 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. Ward totaled 8 points and 3 rebounds, and Brown finished with 5 points. Hardin grabbed 4 rebounds and had 3 steals. Scott dished out 3 assists, and Coston pulled down 3 rebounds.

“This is probably the happiest that I have ever been with a 30-point loss,” added Coach Evers. “I am proud of our effort.”

The Lady Eagles, now 6-2 in league play and 14-4 overall, will host Pender Friday night.

EAST BLADEN (31) – Kaley Smith, Justyna Gargala, Shardajah Brown 5, Emily Scott 2, Anna Kate White, Patience Ward 8, Ashley Hardin 3, Ja’Tyra Moore-Peterson 13, Yolanda Coston, Lorna Mendell.

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