Spread the love

By John Clark

WHITEVILLE — West Bladen’s Lady Knights saw their coach go down in the 3rd quarter Friday night, but the Lady Knights didn’t panic and eventually pulled out a 40-35 non-conference girls’ basketball victory over Whiteville.

Coach Brian McCleney dropped to the floor 3 minutes into the 2nd half due to what he described as a large sugar drop. After he was administered to and helped to the locker room, boys’ coach Travis Pait directed the Lady Knights until McCleney was able to return to the bench in the 4th quarter.

West Bladen led 22-15 when the incident occurred, but Ceonna Dennis’ follow shot trimmed the margin to 22-18. West senior Mallory Bryan sank a free throw, before sophomore Kali Allen nailed a 3-point shot then added a free throw. Junior Holland Davis knocked down a 3-ball from the left corner to boost the lead to 30-18.

Junior Elayzia Dawson rallied the Lady Wolfpack with a lay-up, a follow shot and a 3-point bomb, but another Bryan free throw kept the Lady Knights up 31-25 at the quarter break.

Dawson began the final period with a lay-up, and junior Serenity Harvey turned a rebound basket into a 3-point play that whittled the West lead to 31-30.

Bryan and junior Alina Chavez tossed in 2 free throws each to push the Lady Knight lead to 35-30. Chavez rang up another foul shot before another Dawson lay-up trimmed the lead to 36-33. Allen and Davis netted free throws for a 38-33 lead, and senior Kiera Lewis made 2 foul shots to pad the lead to 40-33 with 1:02 left.

“I am so proud of these girls,” said McCleney. “They stuck together and made some big shots, grabbed some big rebounds. and made some key free throws. They didn’t give up.”

Allen led the Lady Knights with 10 points. Davis followed with 9 points, and Chavez powered in 8 points. Bryan finished with 7 points, and Lewis scored 4 points.

Harvey topped all scorers with 12 points for Whiteville, and Dawson followed with 11 points.

Davis drilled in 3-point shot, and Chavez threw in 2 free throws as West edged ahead 5-4 in the opening quarter. Sophomore Natalee Sykes drove the baseline for a reverse lay-up and a 7-6 Lady Knight lead at the quarter break.

A 6-0 Whiteville run started the 2nd period, but Chavez popped in a 6-footer. Davis and Lewis drove for lay-ups, and Allen swished 2 free throws as West built a 15-12 halftime lead.

Bryan and Allen bombed in 3-point shots to begin the 2nd half, and Chavez added a free throw, before McCleney’s health issue halted play.

“It’s a big win because it’s over here where it has been tough to win, but mostly because of the way the girls played despite all that was going on around them and with me,” said McCleney. It was the Lady Knights 1st win at Whiteville since a 52-50 victory in December 2018 and the 1st West girls win over Whiteville since a 45-42 victory in December 2019.

The Lady Knights improved to 2-4 and will host South Columbus Tuesday night.

West Bladen 7 8 16 9 — 40
Whiteville 6 6 13 10 — 35

West Bladen (40) — Mallory Bryan 7, Shy’Asia Ratliff, Natalee Sykes 2, Tah’lela Bethea, Holland Davis 9, Kiera Lewis 4, Kali Allen 10, Alina Chavez 8.

Whiteville (35) — Idonia McCullon, Gabby Inman 3, Erianna Green, Ladasia Riddy, Martasia Smith, Elayzia Dawson 11, Serenity Harvey 12, Demeria Phillips 4, Lashai Logan, Ceonna Dennis 5.