WHITEVILLE – Sophomore Laila Smith pounded the backboards for a double-double of 22 points and 14 rebounds Friday night to lead unbeaten East Bladen to a 56-44 non-conference girls’ basketball victory over Whiteville.
“It was a game of 3 minute spurts,” said East Bladen Coach Patty Evers. “When we stopped running and pressing, we had some scoring droughts. We also struggled at the free throw line (16-35) but that is just mental. It’s a good feeling when you get 2 wins over Whiteville. They are a really good team.”
The Lady Wolfpack opened the 2nd half with a 13-5 run that sliced a 32-20 East halftime lead to 37-33 on 3 consecutive baskets off of turnovers. Senior Maegan Burney halted the run with a free throw, and Laila Smith stole the ball and raced for a lay-up and a 40-33 lead.
Burney grabbed a long rebound and pitched ahead to Laila Smith for another lay-up. Another Burney assist resulted in a lay-up for senior AnnaGrey Heustess, and Laila Smith muscled in a follow shot to stretch the East lead to 46-33 at the quarter break.
Laila Smith started the final period with a lay-up off of a Burney assist, and Burney sank 2 free throws to give the Lady Eagles their biggest lead at 50-33. Burney banked in 2 more lay-ups in the quarter off of assists from sophomore Iveonna “NeNe” Ward and senior Karli Priest. Junior Zoe Smith and Laila Smith added free throws.
Heustess racked up 15 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists. Burney totaled 14 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Ward finished with 7 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists. Priest had 3 assists, and Laila Smith had 3 steals.
Laila Smith carried the load for the Lady Eagles early flipping in 2 lay-ups, making 5 of 6 free throws and nailing a 15-footer. Heustess popped in a baseline jumper and put back a rebound, and Burney drilled in a 3-point shot as East led 18-13 at the 1st quarter break.
Heustess dropped in 4 lay-ups in the 2nd period off of 2 assists from Burney and 1 assist each from Zoe Smith and Priest. Heustess and Laila Smith cashed in 2 free throws each, and Priest hit one. The East lead reached 32-17 and was 32-20 at halftime.
“It was a total team effort,” noted Evers. “AnnaGrey had a really great game. Maegan and NeNe played great defense. Karli hit a really big 3-point shot for us. Laila rebounded and scored. Zoe and Cabria (Baldwin) all did good things when they were in there.”
Freshman Zhari Shipman topped the Whiteville scoring with 16 points, and senior Mauricia Bennett followed with 13 points.
The Lady Eagles, now 7-0, will visit Midway Friday night for their Southeastern Athletic Conference opener.
East Bladen 18 14 14 10 – 56
Whiteville 13 7 13 11 – 44
EAST BLADEN (56) – Iveonna “NeNe” Ward, Cabria Baldwin, AnnaGrey Heustess 15, Karli Priest 4, Zoe Smith 1, Maegan Burney 14, Laila Smith 22.
WHITEVILLE (44) – Zhari Shipman 16, Mauricia Bennett 13, Mykelliona Shipman 4, Marnasia Smith, Elayzia Dawson 8, Idonia McCullum, Serenity Harvey 1, Kailah Jordan, Ceonna Dennis.
About Author
