Both East Bladen varsity basketball teams were regular-season runners-up in the Southeastern Athletic Conference and will host opening round games in the SAC-7 Tournament Monday night, while both of West Bladen’s girls and boys varsity teams will be at Fairmont Monday.
Coach Patty Evers’ Lady Eagles, 10-2 in conference play and 21-2 overall, will host Clinton, 2-10 in SAC-7 and 10-11 overall, at 6 p.m. Monday night. It will be the 3rd game in 6 days between the East Bladen and Clinton varsities.
Coach Aking Elting’s Eagle boys won their final 4 games of the season to capture 2nd place with a 9-3 record and a 14-7 overall mark. The 14 wins is the most for an East Bladen boys team since the 2012-2013 Eagles of Coach Ken Cross finished 15-10. The Eagles will entertain the Clinton boys who finished 1-11 in the SAC-7 and 7-15 overall immediately following the East Bladen girls’ game Monday night.
Coach Travis Pait’s Knights won their last 3 games to claim 5th place in the SAC-7 with a 4-8 league mark and 11-12 overall record. West Bladen will play at No. 4 Fairmont, 6-6 in SAC-7 and 8-12 overall, immediately following the girls’ game between the 2 schools Monday night.
Coach Brian McCleney’s Lady Knights, 2-10 in SAC-7 and 9-12 overall, won a coin flip with Clinton to claim the No. 6 seed and will travel to No. 3 Fairmont, 8-4 in SAC-7 and 14-8 overall, Monday for a 6 p.m. game.
The other first round SAC-7 Tournament opening round games will be at Red Springs where the No. 5 seeded Midway girls, 4-8 in SAC-7 and 10-12 overall, will play No. 4 seed Red Springs, 4-8 in league and 8-16 overall, at 6 p.m.
The 6th seeded Midway boys, 2-10 in SAC-7 and 8-14 overall, will play No. 3 seed Red Springs, 8-4 in SAC-7 and 13-11 overall, at approximately 7:30 Monday.
The St. Pauls boys, 12-0 in league and 17-5 overall, and St. Pauls girls, 12-0 in SAC-7 and 21-1 overall, received first round byes as regular-season champs.
Girls semi-final games will be at Red Springs Wednesday night, and boys semi-finals will be at Red Springs Thursday night. Championship games are slated for Friday night at Red Springs.