By John Clark
WILMINGTON –Topsail closed the 3rd period with an 11-0 run that opened up a 41-24 lead and propelled the Lady Pirates to a 54-30 victory over East Bladen Thursday in the Hoggard Holiday Classic.
East Bladen had claimed a 68-55 win over Topsail on November 30, but Thursday the Lady Eagles shot 7 for 22 at the foul line, suffered 26 turnovers – 18 in the 1st half – and were outrebounded 41-26.
“We didn’t show up,” said East Bladen Coach Patty Evers. “And Topsail played much better today.”
East Bladen junior guard Iveonna “NeNe” Ward nailed a 3-point shot to start the game, but Topsail sophomore Reed Garofano answered with a pair of 3-point bombs. Riley Trimble, Brianna Jones and Garofano dropped in transition lay-ups for a 14-3 Lady Pirate lead.
Junior Laila Smith stole the ball and raced for an East lay-up then fired a long outlet pass to sophomore Ariel Cromartie for a lay-up that trimmed the margin to 14-7.
Trimble banked in a pair of runners to begin the 2nd period, and Charley Moore drained a 3-point shot and a lay-up to push the Topsail lead to 23-7.
Ward buried a 3-point shot, and Laila Smith banked in a 1-hander and netted a free throw to slice the deficit to 23-13. Laila Smith converted a Ward assist into a lay-up then netted 2 free throws. Freshman Tatum Allen made a free throw to trim the halftime margin to 28-18.
Senior Zoe Smith sank 2 free throws, Laila Smith netted a transition lay-up and freshman Taylor Dowless pumped in a corner jumper to pull East Bladen to within 30-24 with 3:42 left in the 3rd quarter.
However Lady Pirate senior Rhianna Garmendiz hooked in a pair of lay-ups, Jaelyn Dabideen threw in 2 free throws and a transition lay-up, and Garofano delivered another 3-point bomb for a 41-24 lead.
Ward connected on another 3-pointer in the final period, and Laila Smith flipped in a lay-up and a free throw for the final Lady Eagle points.
Trimble topped the Lady Pirates with 14 points, and Garofano followed with 12 points. Laila Smith led East Bladen with 14 points, 9 rebounds and 3 steals. Ward followed with 9 points and 3 steals. Ward and Zoe Smith grabbed 3 rebounds each.
The Lady Eagles, now 9-2, return to Waccamaw Conference play Wednesday when they host East Columbus.
Topsail 14 14 13 13 — 54
East Bladen 7 11 6 6 — 30
East Bladen (30) — Iveonna “NeNe” Ward 9, Nevaeh Brown, Aaliyah Monroe, Ariel Cromartie 2, Cabria Baldwin, Tyliah Freeman, Tatum Allen 1, Zoe Smith 2, Taylor Dowless 2, Laila Smith 14, Nia McKoy, Niyah Wooten.
Topsail (54) — Reed Garofano 12, Charley Moore 8, Riley Trimble 14, Emmy Clark, Rhianna Garmendiz 6, Malory Oakley, Hayden Procida, Nora Mcclintock, Sailor Heitmann, Jaelyn Dabideen 6, Brianna Jones 8, Anna Krieger, Libby Hubbard, Willow Case, Clara Smith.
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