03/28/2024
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DUBLIN – Ten different West Bladen players scored Friday night as the Lady Knights rolled to a 63-23 Four County Conference girls basketball victory over winless Heide Trask.

Senior center Jerena Purdie posted a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Logan Autry topped the Lady Knight scoring with 14 points and had 4 steals.

Junior Patience Parker scored 10 points and led the West Bladen defense with 6 steals. “Patience has really come along and is one of our top defenders,” said Lady Knight Coach Rick Rhoda. “She is reacting to the ball a lot better. That is what we want to do is react to the ball and get in the passing lanes.”

Senior Laikyn Pait finished with 10 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals. Junior Indiyah Williams added 5 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals.

Autry sank 4 straight free throws and put back a follow shot in the first 2 minutes, and senior Akira Grimes tossed in a follow from the lane as West grabbed an 8-2 lead.

The visitors pulled to within 8-7, but Pait pumped in a 15-footer, and Parker turned a Grimes feed into a lay-up and a 12-9 lead.

Purdie hit a free throw and converted a Pait feed into a lay-up. Mikayla Winebarger closed the period with a rebound basket that padded the West lead to 17-9.

Senior Jenna Dove and Williams started the second quarter with free throws, and Purdie and Autry put back rebounds. Pait flipped in a runner off of a Purdie assist that grew the lead to 25-10.

Trask’s Kia James drained consecutive 3-point shots to trim the margin to 25-16. Parker answered with 2 free throws, Grimes tossed in a runner, and Autry drained a 17-footer for a 31-16 West halftime lead.

Parker turned steals into 2 lay-ups then found Purdie inside for a lay-up. Autry and Pait hit 2 free throws each, and Purdie converted a Grimes pass into a lay-up. Pait sent a pass to Parker for another lay-up and a 45-17 Lady Knight lead.

Williams dropped in a pair of lay-ups, and sophmore Erica McKoy banked in a runner for a 51-19 lead at the quarter break.

Pait banked in a leaner and put back a rebound to begin the final period. Autry scored in transition, and Purdie hit a free throw and a follow shot. Junior Elizabeth Allbright made a free throw and McKoy drove for the final lay-up.

“The young girls got a lot of playing time tonight,” said Coach Rhoda. “We are losing 5 seniors so it was great to get them that much time. We weren’t that sharp in the first half and missed too many shots in the paint. The second half was a little better.”

The Lady Knights improved to 7-4 in league play and 11-10 overall and will travel to Clinton next Friday after the exam break.

WEST BLADEN (63) – Conner Brisson, Mikayla Winebarger 2, Erica McKoy 4, Patience Parker 10, Logan Autry 14, Indiyah Williams 5, Laikyn Pait 10, Jenna Dove 1, Elizabeth Allbright 1, Akira Grimes 4, Jerena Purdie 12.

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