BLADENBORO — Bladenboro’s Lady Bulldogs defeated Elizabethtown 34-31 Thursday to clinch a tie for the Waccamaw Middle School Conference’s ‘AA’ Division girls’ basketball championship.
Four teams entered Thursday’s action tied for 1st in the ‘AA’ Division, but Bladenboro and East Columbus, a 22-18 overtime winner over Whiteville, emerged as co-champions. Coach Hayley Baxley’s Lady Bulldogs edged East Columbus 24-23 earlier in the season, but Waccamaw rules do not use a tie-breaker if teams tie for the top spot, they are both co-champions.
Elizabethtown carried a 24-21 lead into the final quarter, but Addison Wilcox fired in a basket and 4 free throws, Hadley Dove threw in a basket, and Allison Hickman and Amiya McCarty sank free throws. Ellen Battle tossed in a basket and a free throw for the Lady Cougars, and teammates Sana’a Singletary and Zariyah Riddy pumped in a basket each to keep the score knotted 31-31.
McCarty cashed in another free throw to edge the Lady Bulldogs ahead 32-31 and Adyson Carroll dropped in a lay-up to pad the final margin to 34-31.
Wilcox topped the Bladenboro scoring with 8 points, and Dove and McCarty rang up 7 points each. Carroll finished with 6 points and Hickman added 4 points.
Battle poured in 16 points to lead Elizabethtown and teammate Sana’a Singletary worked the paint for 12 points.
McCarty sparked the Lady Bulldogs to an early 10-9 lead by connecting on 2 baskets and a free throw. Dove nailed a 3-point shot, and Carroll netted a basket. Battle powered in 3 baskets for the Lady Cougars and Singletary canned a basket and a free throw.
Battle banged in 2 baskets and a free throw in the 2nd quarter, and Singletary hurled in a basket. Dove, Hickman, Liz Miller and Carroll scored baskets in the period to push Bladenboro ahead 18-16 at halftime.
Two free throws by Wilcox and one by Hickman accounted for all the Lady Bulldog scoring in the 3rd period. Singletary rallied the Lady Cougars with 3 free throws and a basket. Battle popped in a basket, and Morgan Hammon made a free throw to put Elizabethtown on top 24-21.
The Lady Bulldogs, now 8-1 overall, will return to action in the Bladen County Tournament that is slated to begin on February 26. Elizabethtown, now 7-2, will host Tar Heel Tuesday.
Elizabethtown 9 7 8 7 — 31
Bladenboro 10 8 3 13 — 34
Elizabethtown (31) — Sana’a Singletary 12, Ellen Battle 16, Morgan Hammon 1, Zariyahh Riddy 2, Racquel Whittington, Ny’Asia Lyles, Kaitlyn Chambers, Alexandra Riveria, Gabbi West, Shamairrha McCechen.
Bladenboro (34) — Maycee Kinlaw, Logan Powers, Hadley Dove 7, Kristen Singletary, Allison Hickman 4, Venus Cortes, Addison Wilcox 8, Amiya McCarty 7, Brooklynn McKee, Rebekah Arnold, Liz Miller 2, Adyson Carroll 6, Sa’Bria Cobb, Maleigha Chatman, Camarie Covington, Caity McLaurin.
About Author
