03/29/2024
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Photos by Kenneth Armstrong

ELIZABETHTOWN – Sophmore Patience Ward posted a double-double of 26 points and 12 rebounds to lead East Bladen to a 58-38 girls basketball victory over West Columbus in the Three Rivers Conference Tournament Championship Game.

Coach Patty Evers’ Lady Eagles ran their winning streak to 21 games and will enter next week’s NCHSAA Class 2A Play-offs with a 25-1 record. The Lady Eagles captured both the Three Rivers regular-season and tournament championships.

Ward banged in a follow-shot, turned a feed from junior Ja’Tyra Moore-Peterson into a lay-up and hit a free throw to edge East Bladen ahead 5-4 with 4:15 left in the first period.

A Moore-Peterson free throw kept the Lady Eagles in front 6-5, before junior Ashley Hardin nailed a 3-point shot, and another Moore-Peterson assist resulted in a lay-up for junior Erica McKoy and an 11-5 East lead.

Tahnijah McKoy popped in an 8-footer to pull the Lady Vikings to within 11-7 at the quarter break.

Brown knocked down a pair of jumpers to ignite an 8-2 Lady Eagle run to start the second period. Ward put back a rebound then turned a Moore-Peterson assist into a lay-up and a 19-9 lead.

Ward sprinted for another transition lay-up, and Hardin buried a 3-point shot for a 24-13 lead. West Columbus trimmed the margin to 24-17 at halftime.

Ward stole the ball and raced for a lay-up to begin the second half then banked in a follow shot. Erica McKoy drilled in a 3-point shot, and Brown canned a 15-footer for a 33-19 East Bladen lead.

Another Moore-Peterson assist led to a Ward lay-up, and sophmore Izzy Smith dropped in a follow shot. Junior Anna Kate White drained a corner jumper, and Ward scored again in transition to pad the East lead to 41-25 at the quarter break.

Ward started the final period with a free throw and a follow shot, and Erica McKoy hit a free throw then netted a transition lay-up for a 47-28 East Bladen lead at the 5:15 mark.

Brown got behind the West defense for a lay-up, and Ward converted assists from Moore-Peterson and Erica McKoy into lay-ups as the margin swelled to 53-30.

Brown powered in a follow, Erica McKoy scored a lay-up off of a Moore-Peterson assist. Moore-Peterson sank a free throw to pad the lead to 58-31.

“I was happy with the way we came out of the locker room in the second half,” said Coach Evers. “Ja’Tyra and Erica did a great job of passing the ball, and Patience has a motor that never stops. She got her hands on a lot of balls defensively.”

“Shar and Ashley did a great job and really battled on the boards,” continued Coach Evers. Brown totaled 10 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals. Hardin finished with 6 points, 6 rebounds, 6 steals and 3 assists.

Erica McKoy tallied 10 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Moore-Peterson scored only 2 points, but dished out 9 assists and grabbed 6 rebounds.

“That shows that it takes all five players going forward,” said Coach Evers. “We don’t ever want to rely on just one person.”

Sophmore Lorna Mendell pulled down 4 rebounds, and White was credited with 3 steals.

Annela Tiffany led the Lady Vikings with 13 points, and Tahnijah McKoy followed with 8 points.

EAST BLADEN (58) – Katie Evans, Erica McKoy 10, Kaley Smith, Izzy Smith 2, Shardajah Brown 10, Anna Kate White 2, Abbey Cross, Kabarah Moore, Patience Ward 26, Ashley Hardin 6, Ja’Tyra Moore-Peterson 2, Lorna Mendell.

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