FAIRMONT – Seniors Karli Priest and AnnaGrey Heustess fired in 3-point baskets in the final period as East Bladen trimmed a 9-point Fairmont lead to 31-26, but the Lady Tornadoes held on for a 39-28 Southeastern Athletic Conference girls’ basketball victory Friday night.
East Bladen, now 6-4 in the SAC-7 and 14-6 overall, will host Red Springs Tuesday night in a game that could clinch 3rd place for the Lady Eagles. Fairmont, now 10-1 in the SAC-7 and 20-3 overall, will travel to Red Springs Friday night.
After the Priest and Heustess 3-balls, East Bladen was limited to a Priest basket as Fairmont rode 3 free throws from Paris Bethea and baskets from Shamiah Smith and Amyrikal Vaught to the win.
Priest drilled in a trio of 3-point shots and led the Lady Eagles with 11 points and 4 rebounds. Sophomore Laila Smith finished with 7 points and 7 rebounds, and sophomore Iveonna “NeNe” Ward followed with 4 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals. Heustess tallied 3 rebounds and 2 steals, and Burney snared 3 rebounds.
Sophomore Shamiah Smith led Fairmont with 10 points, and tall sophomore Taniya Simms totaled 8 points and 10 rebounds. Vaught and senior Sydney Jacobs followed with 7 points each.
Ward sparked East Bladen to an early 9-6 lead with a basket and 2 free throws. Burney drained a 3-point shot, and Laila Smith added a basket in the period.
Vaught keyed a 14-7 Fairmont run in the 2nd period with a 3-ball and another basket. Shamiah Smith added 2 baskets. Laila Smith sank 4 free throws, and Priest buried a 3-point shot to keep East within 20-16 at halftime.
Priest connected on another 3-point shot in the 3rd quarter, and Laila Smith added a free throw. However Jacobs popped in 2 baskets, and Taniya Simms scored 3 points to stretch the lead to 29-20.
East Bladen 9 7 4 8 – 28
Fairmont 6 14 9 10 –39
East Bladen (28) – Iveonna “NeNe” Ward 4, Ariel Cromartie, Cabria Baldwin, AnnaGrey Heustess 3, Karli Priest 11, Zoe Smith, Maegan Burney 3, Laila Smith 7.
Fairmont (39) – Paris Bethea 5, Sydney Jacobs 7, Shaniah Smith, Shamiah Smith 10, Kearstin Hunt, Amyrikal Vaught 7, Zariah Locklear, Taniya Simms 8, Myasia Simms 2.
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