ELIZABETHTOWN – East Bladen senior Patience Ward celebrated her ‘Signing Day’ with a double-double of 26 points and 13 rebounds that led her Lady Eagles to a 75-44 non-conference girls basketball victory over Midway Wednesday night.
Ward had signed a letter-of-intent earlier Wednesday to continue her basketball career next season at Cape Fear Community College.
East sophmore Alexus Mitchell and senior Lorna Mendell dropped in lay-ups off of assists from sophmore Mya McDonald and Ward to start the game, but the Lady Raiders rode a trio of Kris-shyia McKoy lay-ups to an early 11-4 lead.
Ward banked in a runner then popped in an 8-footer. A pair of Mitchell assists resulted in lay-ups for Mendell and freshman Maegan Burney. Freshman AnnaGrey Heustess canned a free throw to pull East Bladen to within 16-13 at the quarter break.
Mitchell started the second period with a lay-up off of a Ward assist, and McDonald raced for a lay-up in transition that edged East ahead 17-16. Junior McKenzi Hudson’s follow shot and free throw put Midway up 19-17.
A Burney feed to Heustess for a lay-up ignited a 12-2 Lady Eagle spurt. Ward flipped in a floater and drove for a lay-up and a 3-point play. McDonald buried a 3-point shot, and Mendell upped the count to 29-21 with a lay-in. Free throws by McDonald and Mitchell and a Burney rebound basket kept East up 33-24 at halftime.
Ward stole the ball and sprinted for a lay-up to ignite a 24-10 Lady Eagle blitz. Ward added a lay-up and 4 free throws. Mitchell scored 3 transition lay-ups and drilled in a 3-point shot. Heustess worked the paint for 3 lay-ups and a free throw. Burney, Ward and McDonald contributed assists to the run.
East Bladen led 57-38 at the third quarter break. Mendell hurled in a short hook shot to begin the fourth period. Ward connected from 15 feet then dashed to the basket for 2 lay-ups and a free throw. McDonald dropped in 2 lay-ups and a free throw, and Mitchell tossed in a 6-footer, before Ward capped the scoring with a follow shot.
Mitchell finished with 17 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. McDonald racked up 10 points, 6 rebounds and 6 steals. Heustess scored 10 points, and Mendell added 8 points and 5 rebounds. Burney and junior Katie Evans had 3 steals each.
“We played with a lot of energy in the second half,” said Lady Eagle Coach Patty Evers. “It was fun. We played well as a team. The freshmen are picking up our schemes and getting more confident.”
McKoy led the Midway scoring with 15 points, and Hudson followed with 11 points.
The Lady Eagles improved to 14-3 on the season and will host Red Springs Friday night.
Midway 16 8 14 6 — 44
East Bladen 13 20 24 18 — 75
MIDWAY (44) — Caitlyn Holland 4, Kris-shyia McKoy 15, Allison Belflowers 5, Rylie Williams, Kaylah Jackson, Mckenzi Hudson 11, Jenna Pope 8, Sydney Williams 1, Ashanta Warren.
EAST BLADEN (75) — Katie Evans, Lily Lin, Mya McDonald 10, Alexus Mitchell 17, AnnaGrey Heustess 10, Karlie Priest, Abbie Cross, Maegan Burney 4, Patience Ward 26, Sara Gargala, Aaniyah Jackson, Lorna Mendell 8.
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