03/29/2024
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BLADENBORO – Junior Makayla Wright and sophomore Mallory Bryan keyed a 28-6 surge that propelled West Bladen to a 41-19 lead and eventual 52-28 Southeastern Athletic Conference girls’ basketball victory over Clinton Tuesday night.

“I am proud of the girls. They played hard,” said Lady Knight Coach Brian McCleney. “We have been through some tough times this year with players out of the line-up. Now that we are getting most of them back maybe we can build some momentum.”

Junior Lainey Autry nailed a 3-point shot and another basket to start the game. Senior Hannah Pait worked the paint for 2 baskets, and sophomore Brookee Singletary dropped in a basket and the 2 free throws that knotted the score 13-13 at the quarter break.

Wright drained a 3-point shot then raced end-to-end for a lay-up to begin the 2nd period. Bryan sank 2 foul shots, before Autry fired in a 3-pointer. Wright hit a free throw then banked in a 12-footer to cap a 13-1 spurt that opened up a 26-14 West halftime lead.

Hannah Pait and Autry dropped in follow shots to start the 2nd half. Bryan bombed in a pair of 3-point shots, flipped in a runner and drove for a lay-up to grow the West lead to 41-19 at the quarter break.

Bryan sent an assist to Singletary for a lay-up then beat the Clinton press for a lay-up to begin the final period. Hannah Pait turned an Autry assist into a lay-up then stole the ball and flipped in another lay-up. Autry’s free throw pushed the Lady Knight lead to 50-22. Bryan netted 2 foul shots at the 1:03 mark to close out the scoring.

Bryan topped the West Bladen scoring with 16 points. Autry finished with 11 points, and Hannah Pait followed with 10 points. Wright added 9 points, and Singletary tallied 6 points.

“Hannah did a really good job for us on the boards,” said McCleney. “She played probably her best game of the year. Mallory did a good job of opening things up for her teammates. We were really good on defense and didn’t allow a single basket off of in-bounds plays. That is something we focus on.”

Senior Khaliah Chestnutt topped the Clinton scoring with 16 points.

West Bladen, now 1-4 in the SAC-7 and 8-6 overall, will host East Bladen Monday at 6 p.m.

Clinton              13      1      5        9 – 28
West Bladen    13    13    15     11 – 52

Clinton (28) – Tara Joyner 4, Perla Villagran, JaDai Wilson, Khaliah Chestnutt 16, Larkin Best 2, Brittany Blackburn 3, Zole Avery, Avery Evans 3, Desirae Rodgers, Akayla McPhail.

West Bladen (52) –Lainey Autry 11, Megan Pait, Mallory Bryan 16, Holland Davis, Makayla Wright 9, Azillyah McDonald, Kirsten Warrick, Brookee Singletary 6, Kiera Lewis, Alina Chavez, Anasia Baxley, Hannah Pait 10.

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