ELIZABETHTOWN –Hunter Hester poured in 10 of his game-high 19 points during a 17-4 Bladenboro spurt that propelled the Bulldogs to an 45-29 Waccamaw Middle School Conference boys’ basketball victory over Elizabethtown.
Tevin McLean sparked the Cougars to an early lead with a pair of baskets. Teammates Braylon Cromartie and Isaiah Lee added buckets to put Elizabethtown up 8-5. Jackson Pait and Kendell Lesane pumped in baskets for Bladenboro and Hester made a free throw.
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Photos by Kenneth Armstrong
Hester took charge in the 2nd period working the paint for 4 baskets and 2 free throws. Pait bombed in a 3-point shot and netted another basket. Teammate Elijah McCollum popped in a basket as Bladenboro built a 22-12 lead. Cromartie and Ronnie Covington threw in baskets for the Cougars in the period.
Cromartie blistered the nets with a trio of 3-point shots and another basket in the 3rd period. Lee and McLean added a basket each. Hester continued to pound the boards for 2 more baskets, and Pait, Gavin Elks, Tylik McCall and Justin Spaulding fired in a basket each to keep the Bulldog lead at 34-27.
Hester banged in 2 more baskets in the final quarter. Elks delivered a 3-point basket, and McCall and McCollum flipped in a basket each. McLean sank 2 free throws for the Cougars in the period.
Pait followed Hester on the Bulldog scoring list with 9 points. Elks finished with 5 points, and McCall and McCollum scored 4 points each. Cromartie topped the Cougar scoring with 15 points. McLean racked up 8 points, and Lee tallied 4 points.
Coach Joe Gore’s Bulldogs improved to 7-0 and will travel to Clarkton School of Discovery Tuesday night. The Cougars, now 3-4, will visit Tar Heel Tuesday.
Bladenboro 5 17 12 11 –45
Elizabethtown 8 4 15 2 – 29
Bladenboro (45) – Jackson Pait 9, Kendell Lesane 2, Tylik McCall 4, Justin Spaulding 2, Gavin Elks 5, Elijah McCollum 4, Jonah Bryan, Hunter Hester 19.
Elizabethtown (29) – Isaiah Lee 4, Ayden Williams, Torrean Cogdell, Braylon Cromartie 15, Ronnie Covington 2, Tevin McLean 8, John Monroe.