Spread the love

By John Clark

ELIZABETHTOWN – East Bladen’s pressure defense forced a number of 1st half turnovers as the Lady Eagles raced to an early 17-0 lead enroute to a 54-34 non-conference girls’ basketball victory over West Bladen Tuesday night.

Junior Iveonna “NeNe” Ward keyed the East defensive effort racking up 25 points, 9 steals, 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Ward also nailed five 3-point shots in the game. Junior Laila Smith finished with 11 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists.

Sophomore Cabria Baldwin followed with 6 points and 5 rebounds. Sophomore Niyah Wooten grabbed 11 rebounds. The Eagle defense came up with 20 steals in the game.

“The press hadn’t been that good for us, but we really worked on it in practice,” said Lady Eagle Coach Patty Evers. “We had more hustle tonight, and the girls played hard. We are so young as a team.”

Sophomore Kali Allen topped the West scoring with 10 points and had 4 rebounds. Senior Mallory Bryan tossed in 7 points and added 5 rebounds and 2 steals. Sophomore Natalee Sykes drained a pair of 3-point shots for 6 points.

Lady Knight senior Kiera Lewis finished with 5 points and 6 rebounds, and junior Alina Chavez posted 4 points and 4 rebounds. Junior Holland Davis snared 4 rebounds.

Baldwin cashed in 2 free throws and a lay-up for an early 4-0 East lead. Ward stole the ball and darted for a lay-up then put back a rebound for an 8-0 edge. Laila Smith hit 2 free throws then drove for a 3-point play. Another Ward lay-up came off a turnover, before Laila Smith’s steal and lay-up pushed the lead to 17-0.

Lewis sank a free throw to crack the scoring column for West, and an East player scored in the wrong basket to whittle the margin to 17-3 at the quarter break.

Sophomore Ariel Cromartie turned a steal into a lay-up to begin the 2nd period. Laila Smith pumped in a 15-footer, but Lewis hooked in a runner for West. Senior Zoe Smith swished a free throw then buried a 3-point shot for a 25-5 lead.

Allen popped in a 10-footer for West then drove for a lay-up after a Laila Smith free throw. Sykes fired in a 3-pointer, but Baldwin netted 2 free throws, and Ward bombed in a 3-ball to push the Lady Eagle lead to 31-12 at halftime.

Ward opened the 2nd half with a pair of 3-point baskets then stole the ball and raced for a lay-up. Laila Smith hit a free throw for a 40-12 East lead.

Bryan drove for a pair of lay-ups – one off her own steal. Chavez muscled in lay-ups off assists from Lewis and Sykes to narrow the gap to 40-20.

Lady Eagle freshman Tyliah Freeman pumped in a baseline jumper to halt the run, and sophomore Nia McKoy dropped in a lay-up. Allen connected on 2 free throws for West, and Sykes delivered a 3-ball to trim the margin to 44-25 at the quarter break.

Ward started the final period with a pair of 3-point baskets then converted another steal into a lay-up. Cromartie also turned a steal into a lay-up. Allen and Lewis sank baskets for West, Bryan hurled in a 3-point basket, and Davis dropped in a short jumper.

East Bladen, now 4-1, will host Purnell Swett Wednesday night. West Bladen (0-4) will travel to South Columbus Thursday night.

West Bladen 3 9 13 9 — 34
East Bladen 17 14 13 10 — 54

West Bladen (34) — Faith Wren, Mallory Bryan 7, Shy’asia Ratliff, Natalee Sykes 6, Tah’lela Bethea, Holland Davis 2, Kiera Lewis 5, Kali Allen 10, Alina Chavez 4, Zamariah Ward.

East Bladen (54) — Iveonna “NeNe” Ward 25, Nevaeh Brown, Aaliyah Monroe, Ariel Cromartie 4, Cabria Baldwin 6, Tyliah Freeman 2, Tatum Allen, Zoe Smith 4, Taylor Dowless, Laila Smith 11, Nia McKoy 2, Niyah Wooten.