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By John Clark

ELIZABETHTOWN — East Bladen’s Lady Eagles raced to leads of 24-0 and 36-3 then played mostly freshmen in the 2nd half to claim a 53-10 girls’ basketball victory over West Columbus.

With the win Coach Patty Evers’ Lady Eagles improved to 7-1 in the Waccamaw Conference and 15-3 overall and moved into a 1st place tie with East Columbus. The win was also the 599th victory of Coach Evers’ career. East Bladen will host Pender Friday night, and a win would be No. 600 for their coach.

Sophomore Cabria Baldwin turned an assist from junior Iveonna “NeNe” Ward into a lay-up to start the game. Sophomore Niyah Wooten delivered a pass to freshman Taylor Dowless who popped in s short jumper. Ward bombed in a 3-point shot for a 7-0 lead.

Junior Laila Smith made a free throw, assisted on a Ward lay-up then tossed in an 8-footer for a 12-0 lead. Baldwin nailed a 3-point shot, and Ward stole the ball and dashed for a lay-up.

Sophomore Ariel Cromartie hit a free throw, turned an assist from freshman Tatum Allen into a lay-up then buried a 16-footer off an assist from freshman Aaliyah Monroe. Freshman Nevaeh Brown hooked in a 6-footer off another Allen assist to push the lead to 24-0.

Wooten tossed in a runner to begin the 2nd period. Cromartie stole the ball and raced for a lay-up. Nakysha Johnson turned a rebound into a 3-point play for the 1st West Columbus points at the 3:48 mark. Brown dropped in a lay-up off a Ward assist.

Ward put back a rebound, and Brown scored again off an assist from senior Zoe Smith. Monroe stole the ball and beat the buzzer with a lay-up that stretched the lead to 36-3.

The 2nd half was played with a running clock. Brown converted a Dowless assist into a lay-up then scored on a follow shot. Monroe drove for a lay-up, and Allen drained a 17-footer. Monroe sped to the rim for a transition lay-up, and Dowless canned a baseline jumper off a Brown assist.

Brown put back a rebound, and Monroe tacked on a free throw as the lead grew to 51-7. Allen banked in an 8-footer for the only East basket in the final period.

“The freshmen really played good,” said Coach Evers. “They worked the ball around and played good defense.”

Brown topped all scorers with 12 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals. Ward finished with 9 points, 2 assists and 2 steals. Monroe followed with 7 points and 2 steals. Cromartie totaled 7 points and 2 steals. Baldwin contributed 5 points and 2 steals. Allen added 4 points and 2 assists.

Laila Smith grabbed 5 rebounds and had 2 steals. Wooten pulled down 5 rebounds. Dowless chipped in with 4 points, 3 rebounds and 3 steals, and freshman Tyliah Freeman collected 4 rebounds and 3 steals.

Iyanna Lowery led the Lady Vikings with 4 points.

West Columbus 0 3 4 3 — 10
East Bladen 24 12 15 2 — 53

West Columbus (15) — Iyanna Lowery 4, Madison Thomas, Tigeria Chisolm 1, Nakysha Johnson 3, Alleyna Roberts 2, Shanija Beathem.

East Bladen (53) — Iveonna “NeNe” Ward 9, Nevaeh Brown 12, Aaliyah Monroe 7, Ariel Cromartie 7, Cabria Baldwin 5, Tyliah Freeman, Tatum Allen 4, Zoe Smith, Taylor Dowless 4, Laila Smith 3, Niyah Wooten 2.