Senior Lacey Suggs recorded a triple-double of 25 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists to lead unbeaten East Bladen to a 61-33 Four County Conference girls basketball victory over visiting Wallace-Rose Hill Thursday night.
Coach Patty Evers’ Lady Eagles, the top-ranked Class 2A team in the state, improved to 12-0 in the league and 22-0 overall. East Bladen clinched a tie for the Four County regular-season title and secured the top seed for the conference’s post-season tournament.
Senior guard Abby Ward racked up 12 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds and 5 steals for the winners. “Strong play again from Lacey and Abby,” said Coach Evers. “What can you say about those two.”
Ward knocked down a pair of long 2-point shots to start the game, and Suggs drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Senior Christiana Cromartie pumped in a 15-footer, and Ward drained a 3-pointer from the right wing for a 12-0 lead.
Suggs hit from 15 feet and banked in a runner, and freshman Ja’Tyra Moore-Peterson connected from 17 feet to put East up 18-3.
Suggs drove for a lay-up and a 3-point play to begin the second quarter. The Lady Bulldogs rallied to within 22-12, but Suggs banked in another runner, made a free throw and found Moore-Peterson on the baseline for a short jumper and a 27-15 halftime lead.
Suggs put back her own miss to begin the second half, Moore-Peterson raced for a transition lay-up and Suggs flipped in a baseline one-hander off of a Moore-Peterson assist.
Ward buried a jumper from the key, and senior Miller Heustess popped in a 14-footer. Ward pumped in a baseline jumper, and Moore-Peterson stole the ball and sprinted for a lay-up.
Suggs scooted end-to-end for a lay-up then popped in a turn-around 6-footer for a 45-21 East lead at the quarter break.
A Ward steal produced a Moore-Peterson lay-up to start the final quarter. Cromartie turned another Ward assist into a lay-up, and a Cromartie pass found Heustess inside for a lay-up.
Heustess connected again from 13 feet, before Suggs dribbled end-to-end for another lay-up. Suggs cashed in 2 free throws with 2:26 left that pushed the lead to 57-28 and sent the Lady Eagle starters to the bench.
Michelle Page and Danielle McDowell scored the final East Bladen baskets.
Moore-Peterson finished with 10 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals. Heustess followed with 6 points and 3 rebounds.
“Miller got her shot off and was 3 for 3 shooting,” said Coach Evers. “We need her to shoot the ball. We did a better job as a team and didn’t rush our shots in the second half.”
Cromartie grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked 5 shots. Freshman Ashley Hardin collected 4 rebounds, and Suggs had 3 steals.
“Chris finished strong in the paint,” continued Coach Evers. “We have got to be able to take the ball to the basket and finish strong as a team.”
Justice Carr led Wallace-Rose Hill with 13 points.
East Bladen will host Union Tuesday night.
East Bladen (61) – Abby Ward 12, Lexie Mendell, Michelle Page 2, Shardajah Brown, Lacey Suggs 25, Miller Heustess 6, Danielle McDowell 2, Christiana Cromartie 4, Ashley Hardin, Ja’Tyra Moore-Peterson 10.
About Author
