By Sonny Jones
ELIZABETHTOWN — Jacob Nixon knocked down seven 3-pointers and finished with 32 points as East Bladen made better than 60% of its field goal attempts Monday night in rolling past Clinton 79-37 in the opening round of the Southeastern Athletic Conference boys’ basketball tournament.
The last 14 minutes were played with a running clock after Nixon’s basket put the Eagles ahead 57-17. The clock does not stop in the second half except for injuries and time-outs once a team leads by 40 points. East Bladen scored 31 consecutive points at one juncture in the first half.
Nixon made a trio of 3-pointers in the first and fourth quarters and added one in the third to highlight his scoring spree. The senior also added three assists and five steals.
Zamar Lewis had eight of his 12 points in the first quarter. The senior center collected 13 rebounds and blocked two shots. Malcolm Bolden had 11 points, five rebounds and seven assists. Point guard Dominick Collins had six points and six assists.
East Bladen (18-5) finished the regular season tied for first with West Bladen, but lost a coin flip and was seeded No. 2 for the conference tournament. The Eagles will play No. 3 Red Springs (17-8) in the semifinals Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Sampson Middle School in Clinton. Red Springs eliminated No. 6 Fairmont 54-47 on Monday.
Top-seeded West Bladen (18-6) will play No. 4 St. Pauls (13-12) in Thursday’s other semifinal game. St. Pauls beat No. 5 Midway 69-51 on Monday. The championship game is set for Friday at 7:30 p.m.
After a 3-point basket by Clinton’s Walker Spell pulled the Dark Horses within a pair at 7-5, East Bladen scored 31 unanswered points for a 38-5 lead midway through the second quarter.
Ny’Darion Blackwell scored nine points to lead Clinton, which finished the season 4-20.
Clinton 5 12 13 7 — 37
East Bladen 26 25 13 15 — 79
CLINTON (37) — Camden Davis 3, Walker Spell 6, T.K. Raynor, Javier Joyner, Cashmon Edwards 7, Ny’Darian Blackwell 9, Zy’Mel McKellan 2, Jaymon Bryant, Tairik Dyches, Henry Faison 2, Josiah McLaurin 2, Gregory Coxum 6, Darvarious Hemingway.
EAST BLADEN (79) — Dominick Collins 6, Malcolm Bolden 11, Malaki Monroe 4, Lee Barnes 3, Cameron White, Yontee Dobson 5, Jacob Nixon 32, Chris Harding, Zamar Lewis 12, Peyton Tatum 4, Rodney Lacewell 2.
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