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By Sonny Jones

ELIZABETHTOWN — The East Bladen girls’ basketball team needed a quarter to get their game in gear Tuesday night. The Eagles played the final three quarters in overdrive.

Laila Smith scored 24 points and East Bladen made 10 3-point field goals in routing Southeastern Athletic Conference foe Red Springs 77-46 in the opening round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 2-A playoffs.

The win sends East Bladen (19-7, No. 14 seed) into Thursday’s second round in Elizabeth City against third-seeded Northeastern (25-1). Northeastern defeated Princeton 69-45 on Tuesday.

Red Springs (13-14), which beat the Eagles 44-40and lost to East Bladen 48-33 during the season, roared out of the gate in racing to a lead of 9-3 behind three baskets from Monica Washington, then increased it to 13-5 late in the first quarter before East Bladen began to dominate.

“I kind of thought we came out flat and were outhustled in the first half,” East Bladen coach Patty Evers said. “We didn’t get after it on defense. Our players weren’t getting where we were supposed to be to cut off the sideline. They just kept going around us.”

The momentum changed in the second quarter with a 12-0 run, sparked by Laila Smith’s nine points, that put East Bladen ahead 21-16. A lay-up by Washington with 1:20 remaining gave the Red Devils a 27-26 edge before East Bladen used a 3-pointer by Zoe Smith, two free throws from Laila Smith and the second of four 3-pointers by AnnaGrey Heustess for a 34-27 halftime lead.

“We talked about it at halftime,” Ever said, “and we were able to knock down some big shots. We got fired up at halftime and started playing defense, getting some turnovers and making some shots.”

East Bladen outscored Red Springs 43-19 in the second half. The Eagles had a 9-0 run in the third quarter and a 12-0 run to start the four quarter.

Laila Smith missed her first three shots, but finished 8 of 13 from the field with 5 rebounds and 3 assists. NeNe Ward had 16 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, dished out 8 assists and had 6 steals. Heustess scored all of her 12 points on 3-pointers, collected 6 rebounds and blocked 4 shots. Maegan Burney added 10 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals.

Sydney Bell and Washington each scored 14 points for Red Springs.

Red Springs 13 14 12 7 — 46
East Bladen 9 25 22 21 — 77

RED SPRINGS (46) — Rilee Sampson, Elora Oxendine 9, Sydney Bell 14, Jada Kells, Monica Washington 14, Nakira Hunt 7, Adrianna Locklear 2, Cabanna Wilkins 1, Genesis McCadney, Javonstaee McNeill, Alena Oxendine.

EAST BLADEN (77) — NeNe Ward 16, Martha Simmons, Ariel Cromartie 3, Cabria Baldwin, AnnaGrey Heustess 12, Karli Priest 3, Zoe Smith 5, Maegan Burney 10, Laila Smith 24, Nia McKoy, Brianna Phillips 2, Niyha Wooten 2.