DUBLIN – West Bladen’s Lady Knights scored the first 5 points of the overtime period and held on to defeat Pender 45-43 Wednesday night in Four County Conference girls basketball action.
Last year the same two teams played a triple overtime game at West Bladen, but the Lady Knights took charge early in the extra period as sophmore Erica McKoy popped in a 10-footer. After Pender missed 2 free throws, West senior Laikyn Pait made one of 2 foul shots.
Senior Akira Grimes stole the ball after the second free throw and dropped in a lay-up for a 42-37 Lady Knight lead. After 2 Pender free throws, senior Logan Autry hit one for West to keep the margin at 43-39.
Grace Vincent threw in a 12-footer to pull Pender to within 43-41 with 26 seconds left in overtime. Autry sank 2 free throws at the 23-second mark that pushed the lead to 45-41.
Pait led the Lady Knights with 13 points, 9 rebounds and 4 steals. “Laikyn did a great job of following her own shot and putting it back in,” said West Bladen Coach Rick Rhoda. “I believe she did that 3 times.”
Autry finished with 11 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals. McKoy, junior Patience Parker and senior Jerena Purdie scored 5 points each. Parker and Grimes grabbed 4 rebounds each. Freshman Conner Brisson added 3 rebounds and 3 steals.
“Conner has become a great defender,” said Coach Rhoda. “She made some great stops late in the game. Patience got some key steals for us. She has worked to be a better defender.”
Autry drove for a lay-up and connected on 4 of 4 first period free throws, and Pait canned all 4 of her free throws in the quarter as the Lady Knights edged ahead 12-11 at the quarter break.
Brisson flipped in a short jumper, and Purdie turned a Pait assist into a lay-up and added a free throw to keep the Lady Knights within 19-17 at halftime.
The Lady Knights turned up their pressure defense early in the third quarter. Pait followed up her own shot twice to score rebound baskets. McKoy pumped in a 12-footer, and Pait banked in a turn-around as West Bladen took a 25-21 lead.
The Lady Patriots answered with a 7-1 spurt, but a Pait lay-up tied the game 28-28. Pender led 29-28 at the quarter break.
A Purdie lay-up started the final quarter, but Ratavia Merritt bombed in a 3-pointer for a 34-30 Pender lead. Brisson followed up her own miss with a basket, and Autry drove for a lay-up that tied the game 34-34.
Two Parker free throws edged West in front 36-35, but Merritt connected from 15 feet for a 37-36 Pender lead. Parker made a free throw with 41 seconds left that tied the game and eventually forced the overtime period.
Taylor Marshall topped the Pender scoring with 14 points, and Merritt followed with 12 points.
The Lady Knights remained unbeaten in league play at 3-0 and are 7-5 overall. West Bladen will entertain high-scoring Clinton Friday night.
WEST BLADEN (45) – Conner Brisson 3, Erica McKoy 5, Patience Parker 5, Logan Autry 11, Indiyah Williams, Laikyn Pait 13, Jenna Dove, Elizabeth Allbright, Akira Grimes 3, Jerena Purdie 5.
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