ELIZABETHTOWN – The only thing that could slow down sophmore Patience Ward and East Bladen’s Lady Eagles Wednesday night were a pair of electrical outages.
Ward just missed a triple-double with 27 points, 13 rebounds and 8 steals as East Bladen raced to leads of 17-2 and 30-9 en route to a 54-15 season-opening non-conference victory over South Brunswick.
“That’s incredible,” said Lady Eagle Coach Patty Evers when advised of Ward’s final numbers. “She’s got a motor that just keeps on running.”
Ward started the game with a pair of transition lay-ups, and junior Ja’Tyra Moore-Peterson buried a 3-point shot from the right corner for a 7-0 East lead. My-love Haymer cracked the scoring ice for South with a short turn-around at the 3:59 mark.
Ward reeled off 10 straight points turning feeds from junior Ashley Hardin and from Moore-Peterson into lay-ups, putting back a pair of rebound baskets then closing the quarter with a transition lay-up that widened the lead to 17-2.
Moore-Peterson sank a trio of free throws and banked in a runner, and Ward banged in a pull-up 8-footer before Haymer’s 3-point play kept the Lady Cougars within 24-7.
Ward turned another Hardin assist into a lay-up, and Moore-Peterson drilled a 15-footer to pad the lead to 28-7 before the lights blinked the first time 55 seconds before halftime.
When play resumed Hardin snatched a loose ball and powered in a lay-up to give East Bladen a 30-9 halftime lead.
Junior Anna Kate White turned a steal into a lay-up to begin the second half, and sophmore Lorna Mendell dropped in a lay-up off of a Moore-Peterson assist. Ward stole the ball and drove for a lay-up, tossed in a baseline jumper and banked in a 6-footer to push the lead to 40-11 at the quarter break.
All of the lights went out before the final period could begin. According to Coach Evers the problem was with the power company switching feeds and not due to any problem with the school.
When lights were restored, Ward bounced an assist to Moore-Peterson for a lay-up then turned a rebound into a 3-point play. Mendell flipped in a jump-hook and added a lay-up to grow the lead to 49-13.
Sophmore Abbie Cross and junior Kabarah Moore drained 16-foot jumpers, and White netted a free throw for the final margin.
“I’m excited. I didn’t know what to expect tonight because of what we had coming back (only 2 starters),” said Coach Evers. “We played great defense. Our goal was 20 steals and we had 25 steals.” East Bladen also forced 37 South Brunswick turnovers in the game.
Moore-Peterson finished with 12 points, 6 steals, 3 rebounds and 3 steals. “Ja’Tyra did a great job of controlling the game and the tempo,” said Coach Evers.
Mendell made her first start at center and tallied 6 points. “Lorna did a great job,” noted Coach Evers. “She is playing with more and more confidence.”
Hardin grabbed 8 rebounds, dished out 4 assists and had 4 steals. “Ashley had a complete game,” said Coach Evers. “She has her hands in everything and does a lot of things away from the ball.”
East Bladen will host North Brunswick Tuesday at 6 p.m.
South Brunswick 2 7 2 4 -15
East Bladen 17 13 10 14 – 54
EB (54) – Katie Evans, Kaley Smith, Izzy Smith, Anna Kate White 3, Abbie Cross 2, Kabarah Moore 2, Patience Ward 27, Ashley Hardin 2, Ja’Tyra Moore-Peterson 12, Lorna Mendell 6.
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