03/29/2024
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ELIZABETHTOWN – East Columbus closed the game with a 28-12 run and posted a 61-40 girls basketball victory over West Bladen Monday night in the opening round of the East Bladen Holiday Classic.

The Lady Gators led 26-21 at halftime, and Mia Campbell nailed a 3-point shot and Tia Campbell threw in a runner to push the lead to 31-21 three minutes into the second half.

Senior Laikyn Pait drilled a 16-footer for West Bladen then turned a long outlet pass from senior Jerena Purdie into a lay-up. A Pait free throw narrowed the gap to 33-26 with 3:37 left in the third period.

Lady Gator star Charity Powell put back a rebound and hit 2 free throws, but Lady Knight senior Akira Grimes scored on a follow shot, and junior Elizabeth Allbright sank a free throw to whittle the lead to 37-29 at the quarter break.

East Columbus pulled away in the final quarter with a 24-11 surge. Powell pumped in a 3-pointer, another basket and 2 free throws, Shynicquel Watson bombed in a pair of 3-pointers and another basket, and Tia Campbell dropped in a trio of baskets for the Lady Gators.

Senior Jenna Dove sank 4 of 4 free throws in the quarter for West Bladen. Senior Logan Autry canned a 15-footer and a free throw. Pait knocked down a 15-footer, and Indiyah Williams tossed in a rebound.

Powell, a UNC-Wilmington commit, led East Columbus with 26 points. Tia Campbell followed with 16 points.

Pait just missed a double-double with 13 points and 9 rebounds for the Lady Knights. Purdie and Autry finished with 8 points each. Grimes grabbed 8 rebounds, Purdie pulled down 5 rebounds, and Autry and Dove added 4 rebounds each.

Turnovers (35) and a 44-32 disadvantage on the boards were key factors in the West Bladen loss.

“We just didn’t box out and let them get too many put-backs,” said Lady Knight Coach Rick Rhoda. “We are not playing good fundamental basketball and have to get back to it.”

Purdie muscled in a rebound, Pait popped in a 15-footer, and Purdie turned an Autry assist into a lay-up into an early 6-2 West lead. Autry canned a 12-footer, and Purdie dropped in a lay-up in transition for a 10-4 lead.

A pair of Powell baskets rallied the Lady Gators to within 10-9 at the break. Purdie answered with a lay-up off of a feed from Grimes. Autry banked in a follow, and a pass from junior Patience Parker resulted in a Grimes lay-up and a 16-9 West lead.

The Lady Gators rallied with a 17-5 spurt that produced a 26-21 halftime lead and was led by 9 points from Powell. Pait threw in a pair of 15-footers, and Autry hit a free throw to account for the Lady Knight points in the final 5:49 of the half.

The Lady Knights are now 4-5 on the season and will play Whiteville Tuesday at 5 p.m. East Columbus is now 6-2 and will battle host East Bladen at 6:30.

WEST BLADEN (40) – Mikayla Winebarger, Erica McKoy, Patience Parker, Logan Autry 8, Indiyah Williams 2, Laikyn Pait 13, Jenna Dove 4, Elizabeth Allbright 1, Akira Grimes 4, Jerena Purdie 8.

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