By John Clark
CLINTON – So close and yet so far! East Bladen’s Eagles had several key shots roll off the rim and almost fall in Friday night, but in the end St. Pauls’ size and length helped the Bulldogs claim the Southeastern Athletic Conference Tournament Championship with a 41-38 overtime victory.
With the score tied 31-31 in regulation, St. Pauls held the ball for the final 2:25 of regulation, but Eagle senior Malaki Monroe punched the ball loose to sophomore Dominick Collins who pitched ahead to senior Malcolm Bolden whose lay-up attempt rolled over the rim. Not sure if Bolden’s shot would have beat the buzzer but it was extremely close.
Senior Lukus Osborne’s baseline jumper put the Bulldogs ahead in overtime, but Bolden flipped in a runner to tie the game. After a Monroe steal, Bolden tossed in a running 1-hander for a 35-33 East lead. However, senior Elijah Blanding drained a 3-ball, and 6-9 freshman Tyson Thompson put back a rebound for a 38-35 St. Pauls lead.
Bolden answered with a free throw with 38 seconds left, and with St. Pauls holding the ball again, senior Jacob Nixon stole the ball but his attempt at a tying lay-up fell off. Osborne and Thompson hit free throws for a 40-36 Bulldog lead, but Bolden raced to the basket for a lay-up. Jamir McMillian hit a free throw to pad the lead to 41-38 with 3 seconds left, and Bolden’s tying 3-point attempt at the buzzer bounded off the front rim.
Thompson led the Bulldogs with 15 points, 6 rebounds and 3 blocked shots. Osborne followed with 7 points, and freshman Josiah Sanders added 6 points and 4 rebounds. The tall Bulldogs who played a line-up of 6-9, 6-8 and 6-6 across the back in the 2nd half outrebounded East 36-22.
Bolden topped all scorers with 18 points and 2 assists. Collins followed with 11 points and 2 steals. Senior Zamar Lewis racked up 6 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocked shots and 3 assists. Senior Yontee Dobson netted 5 points. Nixon corralled 6 rebounds and dished out 4 assists. Sophomore Rodney Lacewell snared 5 rebounds, and Monroe had 2 steals.
“This was a tough one for sure,” said Eagle Coach Aking Elting. “But we are alright. It would have been like having a cherry on top of the championship that we have already won. The new season starts tomorrow with the state playoffs.”
Bolden opened the game with a 3-point shot, and a Lewis assist resulted in a Dobson lay-up. Thompson powered in a pair of follow shots for an 8-5 Bulldog lead, but a leaping Lewis sent a spectacular assist to Dobson who slammed in a dunk. Collins popped in a floater for a 9-8 East lead. Senior Cameron Revels drained a 3-point shot, and Sanders pumped in a 15-footer, before Collins driving bank shot trimmed the St Pauls’ lead to 13-11 at the break.
A Lewis assist produced a Bolden lay-up to begin the 2nd period. Collins drove for a lay-up, but Sanders powered in a bucket then scooped in another for a 17-15 Bulldog lead. A Nixon assist resulted in a power lay-up for Lacewell, Bolden tossed in a runner and Lewis hammered in a dunk off a Nixon assist to vault the Eagles back on top 21-17 at halftime.
A Thompson lay-up and a follow shot from 6-8 Marcus Galbreath tied the game 21-21. Dobson hit a free throw, but Osborne pumped in a 15-footer, Thompson muscled in a turn-around and Sanders made 2 free throws. A Bolden free throw kept East within 27-23 at the quarter break.
After Revels made 2 free throws, Bolden turned a goaltending call into a 3-point play then flipped in a 6-footer. Lewis muscled in a follow for a 30-29 Eagle lead. A Sanders assist led to a Thompson lay-up, but a Collins free throw knotted the score 31-31.
The Eagles had their 4-game winning streak snapped and are now 19-6. St. Pauls’ raised their record to 15-12. Both team’s now await the release of the state playoff pairings Saturday afternoon.
St Pauls 13 4 10 4 10 — 41
East Bladen 11 10 2 8 7 — 38
ST. PAULS (41) – Jordan Cook, Cameron Revels 5, Lukus Osborne 7, Elijah Blanding 3, Kemarion Baldwin, Theo Setzer, Marcus Galbreath 4, Jamir McMillan 1, Josiah Sanders 6, Tyson Thompson 15.
EAST BLADEN (38) – Dominick Collins 11, Malcolm Bolden 18, Malaki Monroe, Lee Barnes, Yontee Dobson 5, Jacob Nixon, Zamar Lewis 2, Rodney Lacewell 2.
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