LELAND – Junior Megan Pait fired in 8 of her game-high 20 points during a 20-3 closing blitz that propelled West Bladen to a 51-33 non-conference girls’ basketball victory over North Brunswick Wednesday night.
With West clinging to a 31-30 lead, Pait buried a 3-point shot to start the final period. Senior Rylee Chadwick who tallied 7 of her 12 points during the Lady Knights winning run sank 2 free throws, and junior Kiera Lewis hit one.
Pait popped in a baseline 12-footer to boost the lead to 39-31. Lewis drove for a lay-up, and Chadwick canned a 15-footer and a 10-footer. Pait drained a corner 3-ball, junior Brookee Singletary powered in a follow shot, and Chadwick tacked on a free throw for the final margin.
It was the 8th straight win for Coach Brian McCleney’s Lady Knights who will take an 8-1 record into the Christmas break. West Bladen will resume their season on January 3rd at Whiteville.
“Our system of constant pressure wears on our opponents both physically and mentally,” said McCleney. “I think we wore them down mentally in the fourth quarter. Proud of the effort of our girls who battled some fatigue from last night and fought through it.”
Singletary just missed a double-double with 8 points, 11 rebounds and 2 steals. Lewis racked up 5 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals. Sophomore Alina Chavez grabbed 9 rebounds. Chadwick corralled 4 rebounds, and senior Lainey Autry added 2 assists and 2 steals.
Mariah Bell who led the Lady Scorpions with 14 points scored twice for an early 6-2 North lead. Chadwick answered with a lay-up off a Pait assist then hit a free throw and a short jumper off of an Autry assist.
Pait stole the ball and raced for a lay-up, then netted 2 free throws and flipped in a runner to tie the game 11-11 at the quarter break.
Sophomore Holland Davis drove for a lay-up, and Singletary turned assists from Autry and Chadwick into a pair of lay-ups. Pait and Chavez made free throws to push West ahead 19-17 at halftime.
Pait pulled up for a 10-footer to begin the 2nd half then banked in a 3-point shot. Lewis stole the ball and darted for a lay-up and a 26-19 West lead. Freshman Natalee Sykes drilled in a corner 3-ball, and Singletary cashed in 2 free throws to keep the Lady Knights up 31-30 at the quarter break despite 6 more points from Bell.
West Bladen 11 8 12 20 – 51
North Brunswick 11 6 13 3 – 33
WEST BLADEN (51) – Lainey Autry, Megan Pait 20, Holland Davis 2, Faith Wren, Rylee Chadwick 12, Kirsten Warrick, Brookee Singletary 8, Kiera Lewis 5, Natalee Sykes 3, Kali Allen, Alina Chavez 1.
NORTH BRUNSWICK (33) – Ke’Ari Alston, Mariah Bell 14, Brianna Bennett 4, Darl’elle Young 6, Ayanna Meyers 6, Katherine Kayler, Jadamis Burnett 3.
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