Seniors Lacey Suggs and Abby Ward combined for 15 points during a 17-8 fourth quarter run that secured a 52-39 non-conference girls basketball victory for East Bladen Tuesday night at Wilmington Ashley.
“Lacey and Abby, our seniors, led the team really well tonight, “ said East Bladen Coach Patty Evers. “There were some key learning points for our young players tonight, but I am really proud of them.”
Suggs posted a double-double of 24 points and 11 rebounds, and dished out 4 assists. Ward was a stat-producing machine with 11 points, 7 rebounds, 6 steals and 5 assists.
Ashley led 23-22 at halftime, but Suggs worked a give-and-go with senior Christiana Cromartie for a lay-up, then canned a pair of free throws to edge East ahead 26-25 two minutes into the second half.
After the home team went back on top 29-26, Ward stole the ball and pitched ahead to Suggs for a lay-up. Cromartie rattled in a 17-footer from the left-corner, and freshman Ja’Tyra Moore-Peterson stole the ball and dropped in a lay-up for a 32-29 East lead.
Moore-Peterson cashed in a free throw, and Suggs found freshman Ashley Hardin inside for a lay-up and a 35-31 East Bladen lead at the quarter break.
A Suggs assist led to a Ward lay-up that began the final period. Moore-Peterson grabbed a long rebound and fired the ball ahead to Suggs for a lay-up and a 39-31 lead.
Ward flipped in a 10-foot runner for a 41-33 lead with 4:40 left to play. Ashley rallied to within 41-37, but Suggs sank 4 straight free throws to push the lead back to 45-37.
Hardin popped in a baseline 10-footer off of a Suggs feed, and Suggs knocked down 2 more free throws for a 49-39 lead with 54 seconds remaining.
Ward hit a free throw then stole the ball and raced for another lay-up with 12 ticks left.
“We got out and ran in the second half and that opened things up for us,” said Coach Evers. “We knew it would be a close game. They are fundamentally sound, play good defense and have good post players.”
Sophmore guard Lola Levitt nailed a pair of 3-point shots and topped the Ashley scoring with 16 points. Sophmore teammate Angel Smith followed with 8 points.
Hardin finished with 6 points and 6 rebounds for East Bladen, and Moore-Peterson added 5 points. Cromartie grabbed 9 rebounds and blocked 2 shots.
Cromartie put back a rebound, and junior Emily Scott popped in a 12-foot jumper to keep the Lady Eagles tied early in the game at 4-4.
A Smith lay-up, a pair of Carly Baron free throws and a Levitt 3-pointer opened up an 11-4 Ashley lead. Ward pumped in a 12-footer for East, but Levitt hit again from the left corner for a 13-6 Ashley lead at the quarter break.
Suggs began the second quarter with a transition lay-up then turned a Ward assist into a lay-up and a 3-point play. A Suggs follow-shot and free throw capped an 8-0 East run and vaulted the vistitors in front 14-13.
Another Levitt 3-ball put Ashley back in front 18-14, but Ward pulled up for a 12-footer then passed to Hardin for a lay-up and an 18-18 tie.
Suggs spun to the basket for a lay-up, and a Hardin pass set up a Moore-Peterson lay-up that kept East within 23-22 at halftime.
“We fought for every basket that we got in the first half,” said Coach Evers. East Bladen remained undefeated at 7-0 with the win and will open Four County Conference play at Midway next Tuesday.
East Bladen (52) – Abby Ward 11, Lexie Mendell, Michelle Page, Emily Scott 2, Lacey Suggs 24, Miller Heustess, Christiana Cromartie 4, Ashley Hardin 6, Ja’Tyra Moore-Peterson 5.
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