Patience Ward poured in 16 points, and Elizabethtown scored 14 unanswered points to defeat visiting Bladenboro 22-19 Tuesday in Bladen Five Middle School Conference girls basketball action.
Ward and Shanell McMillian staked the Lady Cougars to a 4-0 lead with first period baskets. Lexie Corrothers banked in a 3-point shot from the left wing to pull Bladenboro to within 4-3.
The lead see-sawed as Corrothers sank 2 free throws, but Ward answered with a follow shot. Summer Addington grabbed a rebound and popped in a baseline jumper to put Bladenboro up 7-6.
Kasee Singletary sank 2 free throws then drained a 3-point shot to stretch the Lady Bulldog lead to 12-6 at halftime.
Ward opened the second half with a transition lay-up, but Bladenboro’s Tykia Deloach converted a Singletary assist into a lay-up. Nyasia Ellison canned 2 free throws to extend the Lady Bulldog lead to 16-8 with 1:49 left in the third quarter.
Chasity Carter made 2 free throws for Elizabethtown, and Ward got behind the Bladenboro defense again for a lay-up that trimmed the Lady Bulldog lead to 16-12 at the quarter break.
Ward stole the ball and raced for another lay-up to begin the final quarter, then pumped in a turn-around 6-footer to tie the score 16-16 with 4:54 left.
Magdiel Gonzalez hit 2 free throws at the 3:40 mark to put Elizabethtown ahead to stay. Ward leaked out and beat the Bladenboro defense down the floor for lay-ups twice in the final minute that pushed the lead to 22-16. Ward had 5 lay-ups in the game beating the defense down the floor.
Corrothers banked in a 3-point shot with four seconds left to slice the final margin to 22-19.
Ward just missed a double-double with 9 rebounds. Carter also grabbed 9 rebounds, and Gonzalez and Levada Jackson pulled down 8 rebounds each for Elizabethtown.
Corrothers topped the Bladenboro scoring with 8 points and 6 rebounds. Singletary contributed 5 points, 9 steals and 6 rebounds. Addington collected 6 rebounds.
The Lady Bulldogs have concluded their season with a 4-2 record. Elizabethtown improved to 3-2 and will host first-place Clarkton Thursday at 4 p.m. A Lady Cougar victory would result in a 3-way tie for first place between Elizabethtown, Clarkton and Bladenboro.
B’bro (19) – Jordan Benson, Ellie Smith, Jamil Bostic, Summer Addington 2, Lexie Corrothers 8, Kasee Singletary 5, Taylor West, Rainey Thompson, Ocean Woody, Tykia Deloach 2, Essance Murphy, Kaylex Wilcox, Nyasia Ellison 2.
E’twn (22) – Zion McKoy, Magdiel Gonzalez 2, Shanell McMillian 2, Shykia Rhodes, Lexus Smith, Patience Ward 16, Amyia Williams, Chasity Carter 2, Lavada Jackson, Cheylee Mathis, Tinyauh Rhoda.
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