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By John Clark

ELIZABETHTOWN – Junior Laila Smith recorded a double-double of 25 points and 11 rebounds, and sophomore Niyah Wooten made key plays down the stretch as East Bladen knocked East Columbus from the unbeaten ranks with a 60-57 Waccamaw Conference girls’ basketball victory Wednesday night.

Laila Smith drove for a 3-point play that snapped a 55-55 tie with 3:26 remaining. The Lady Gators Malia Graham put back a rebound to trim the margin to 58-57 with 3:01 left. Both teams suffered 2 turnovers each as 2 minutes ran off the clock.

East Columbus missed 4 free throws in the final minute, but kept capturing the rebound. Finally a lob pass to 5-11 Malia Graham was knocked away and stolen by Wooten. After a foul Wooten grabbed the in-bounds pass and sent an assist to sophomore Ariel Cromartie for a lay-up at the buzzer.

“We got a little rattled with 4 minutes left, but we regained our composure,” said Lady Eagle Coach Patty Evers. “The defense was together, and we worked together as a team. They all did their job. This was a really good win for these young players, and they had increased opportunities to contribute.”

Laila Smith also contributed 5 steals and 4 assists. Cromartie finished with 14 points, 4 steals and 3 rebounds. Junior Iveonna “NeNe” Ward chipped in with 11 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals. Wooten had 3 key rebounds in the closing minutes and totaled 4 rebounds and 3 assists.

Senior Zoe Smith and sophomore Cabria Baldwin grabbed 3 rebounds each and Baldwin had 2 steals.

Sophomore Malia Graham led the Lady Gators with 17 points, and teammate Chynna Patrick, a 6-foot senior, racked up 13 points. Senior Destiney Mitchell added 9 points, and junior Malayah Hines tossed in 8. The Lady Gators held a 43-29 rebounding advantage and pulled down 15 rebounds in the final quarter.

Malia Graham scored twice from the lane and netted 2 free throws for an early 8-3 Lady Gator lead. Ward hit a foul shot, and Cromartie turned a Laila Smith assist into a lay-up. Freshman Taylor Dowless bounced in a 3-point shot to whittle the margin to 8-6, but a Hines lay-up and 2 free throws by Destiney Mitchell swelled the lead to 14-6.

Dowless sank a free throw, and Laila Smith converted a Wooten assist into a lay-up, banked in a 6-footer and made a free throw to close the gap to 16-12 at the break.

Laila Smith opened the 2nd period with a pair of lay-ups, and Ward cashed in 2 free throws, stole the ball and raced for a lay-up as an 8-0 East Bladen spurt produced a 20-16 lead. Laila Smith banked in a 3-pointer, and Zoe Smith turned a Wooten assist into a lay-up. Laila Smith added a free throw, and Baldwin, Ward and Cromartie scored on follow shots to keep the Lady Eagles up 32-28 at halftime.

Laila Smith started the 2nd half with 2 free throws, and Ward tossed in 2 foul shots. Laila Smith stole the ball and pitched ahead to Cromartie for a lay-up and a 38-34 lead. Laila Smith made another free throw, and a Ward assist led to a Cromartie lay-up. Cromartie popped in a baseline jumper for a 43-38 Lady Eagle lead.

East Columbus answered with a 10-0 run that featured a pair of Patrick inside baskets and a Kaley Mitchell 3-ball and free throw. Laila Smith beat the buzzer with a follow shot to trim the Lady Gator lead to 48-45 at the break.

Laila Smith began the final period with a steal and sent assists to Wooten and Cromartie for lay-ups then drove for a lay-up and a 51-50 East Bladen lead at the 6:23 mark. Ward converted a steal into a lay-up, and Laila Smith flipped in a 4-footer for a 55-52 East Bladen lead before Destiney Mitchell’s 3-ball tied the game 55-55.

The Lady Eagles improved to 2-0 in Waccamaw Conference play and 10-2 overall. East Bladen will visit Pender Friday night. East Columbus, now 1-1 in the league and 8-1 overall, will host South Columbus Friday night.

East Columbus 16 12 20 9 — 57
East Bladen 12 20 13 15 — 60

East Columbus (57) — Malayah Hines 6, Rylie Graham 8, Malia Graham 17, Chynna Patrick 13, Kaley Mitchell 4, Destiny Mitchell 9, Shamiah Johnson.

East Bladen (60) — Iveonna “NeNe” Ward 11, Ariel Cromartie 14, Cabria Baldwin 2, Tatum Allen, Zoe Smith 2, Taylor Dowless 4, Laila Smith 25, Niyah Wooten 2