Junior Akira Grimes popped in a jumper from the lane to break a 39-39 tie and spark West Bladen to a 43-39 girls basketball victory at Midway in the opening round of the Four County Conference Tournament .
After the Lady Knights regained possession, junior Laikyn Pait sank 2 free throws in the closing seconds to seal the verdict. “Laikyn made some clutch free throws for us,” said West Bladen Coach Rick Rhoda. “Erika McKoy and Kassidy Anderson made clutch lay-ups for us, before Akira hit the big shot.”
Midway had beaten the Lady Knights by over 20 points in both of their first two meetings, but it was a different West Bladen team that traveled to Spivey’s Corner Tuesday night.
“I have never seen my girls so fired up,” said Coach Rhoda. “We played tough defense, and my girls got up into them and really had them rattled.”
Trailing 23-16 at halftime, Grimes and junior guard Logan Autry keyed an 11-6 third period spurt that trimmed the Midway lead to 29-27 at the quarter break. Grimes canned 3 free throws and tossed in two baskets, and Autry scored 2 baskets in the period.
The Lady Knight run continued in the final period as West outscored the Lady Raiders 16-10. Grimes pumped in a jumper, and Pait threw in a basket and a free throw. McKoy also connected on a free throw and added a basket.
West took the lead 31-29 midway the quarter. The Lady Knights kept the margin at 36-35 with 1:36 left, but Midway tied the game 39-39 with 29 seconds left.
Grimes and Pait shared scoring honors with 11 points each. Grimes scored all 11 of her points in the second half. “Akira came alive in the second half and really hit some big shots for us,” said Coach Rhoda.
Junior Alanna Ludlum and McKoy finished with 5 points each, and Autry followed with 4 points. McKoy also dished out 5 assists. “We haven’t seen that from Erika until tonight,” noted Coach Rhoda.
Pait and Autry led the Lady Knights on the boards with 8 rebounds each. “Logan looked like a different player tonight,” said Coach Rhoda. “She really came up big for us.” Autry also had 2 assists and 2 steals. Pait also had 2 steals.
Grimes pulled down 5 rebounds, and junior Jerena Purdie and sophmore Elizabeth Allbright grabbed 3 rebounds each.
Guard Leah Williams and Alyssa Wrench connected for 2 baskets each in the first quarter, and senior Taylor Faircloth bombed in a 3-pointer as the Lady Raiders jumped in front 13-6 early.
Ludlum nailed a 3-point shot and knocked down 2 free throws in the quarter for West Bladen.
Faircloth buried another 3-ball and a 2-point shot to keep Midway ahead at halftime. Pait rallied the Lady Knights with a pair of baskets and 2 free throws. Purdie worked inside for a basket and 2 more free throws.
Faircloth led all scorers with 18 points, and Wrench finished with 10. However the West defense held Williams to only 7 points in the game and only 2 free throws in the second half.
The Lady Knights improved to 8-16 with the win and advance to the tourney semi-finals against top seed and unbeaten East Bladen at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
West Bladen (43) – Alanna Ludlum 5, Kaylee Stevens, Erika McKoy 5, Patience Parker, Kassidy Anderson 2, Logan Autry 4, Laikyn Pait 11, Jenna Dove, Elizabeth Allbright, Akira Grimes 11, Jerena Purdie 5.
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