Staff Report
WILSON — East Bladen played away from home for the first time in the playoffs, but the result was the same.
A dominating performance sent the Eagles into the fourth round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 1A girls basketball playoffs.
NeNe Ward and Ariel Cromartie combined to score as many points as Wilson Prep on Tuesday night as seventh-seeded East Bladen raced to a big lead and eliminated the second-seeded Tigers 68-43.
Ward netted 25 points and Cromartie pumped in 18 as East Bladen (24-3) advanced to a fourth-round game scheduled Friday at No. 6 seed North Duplin (24-4).
North Duplin defeated Northside-Pinetown 58-45 on Tuesday.
East Bladen opened a 28-10 lead at the end of the first quarter with Ward connecting on a pair of 3-pointers and scoring 12 points and Cromartie added nine points, including a 3-point field goal.
The Eagles built their advantage to 46-12 at half and coasted to victory.
Kaiden Brown scored 16 points for Wilson Prep (25-2), which lost for only the second time this season.
EAST BLADEN (68) — NeNe Ward 25, Aaliyah Monroe 3, Ariel Cromartie 18, Cabria Baldwin 3, Taylor Dowless 2, Laila Smith 9, Niyah Wooten 8, Nevaeh Brown, Tyliah Freeman, Tatum Allen, Sana’a Singletary, Julia Flowers.
WILSON PREP (43) — Janiya Johnson 3, Nakiya Boston 8, Kaiden Brown 16, Paris Best 8, Aceona Stancil 6, MyAngel Brimage 2.
Author: Sonny Jones
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