ELIZABETHTOWN – East Bladen’s Lady Eagles remained atop the Three Rivers Conference girls basketball standings with a 58-50 victory over St. Pauls Wednesday night in a battle of two of the league’s unbeaten teams.
Junior Patience Ward and senior Ja’Tyra Moore-Peterson threw in 3 baskets each in the opening quarter as the Lady Eagles raced to leads of 12-5 and 19-12 at the quarter break. Freshman Mya McDonald added a basket and a free throw.
Moore-Peterson and the East Bladen defense took charge in the second quarter as St. Pauls went over 8 minutes without a field goal. Moore-Peterson fired in a 3-point shot, another basket and 2 free throws
Junior Erica McKoy tossed in a basket and a free throw, and senior Anna Kate White scored a basket as the lead grew to 31-14. A basket and a free throw from T. J. Eichelberger brought St. Pauls to within 31-17 at halftime.
Shakiya Floyd pumped in a couple of baskets and a free throw as St. Pauls trimmed the margin to 32-25 midway the third quarter.
Moore-Peterson and Ward delivered a basket and 2 free throws each, and McKoy tacked on a basket and a free throw as the Lady Eagles stretched the lead back to 45-31 at the quarter break.
Eichelberger sparked a 10-0 Lady Bulldog run with 7 points that cut the East lead to 45-41 with 4:45 on the clock.
Ward pumped in a basket and 2 free throws, and McKoy popped in a basket and a free throw as a 7-1 run opened up a 53-42 East Bladen lead with 2:22 remaining.
Moore-Peterson led East Bladen with 19 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. Ward finished with 14 points, and McKoy totaled 11 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals. Senior Ashley Hardin snared a team-high 8 rebounds, and McDonald collected 6 rebounds and 5 points.
About the two second-half St. Pauls runs, East Bladen Coach Patty Evers said, “We made some passes and rushed the offense with the lead. We can’t turn the ball over like that and win too many games.”
Eichelberger topped all scorers with 20 points for St. Pauls, and Floyd finished with 14 points.
East Bladen improved to 6-0 in league play and 11-1 overall. The Lady Eagles will travel to East Columbus Friday night.
St. Pauls 12 5 14 19 -50
East Bladen 19 12 14 13 -58
EAST BLADEN (58) – Katie Evans, Erica McKoy 11, Mya McDonald 5, Alexus Mitchell, Anna Kate White 4, Patience Ward 14, Ashley Hardin 1, Ja’Tyra Moore-Peterson 19, Lorna Mendell 4.
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