LAKE WACCAMAW — A 12-0 spurt to open the game helped send the Lady Eagles of east Bladen High past a pesky East Columbus High team on Tuesday, 43-36.

Despite the Lady Eagles scoring the game’s first 12 points, East Columbus roared back to score the final seven points of the first quarter to cut the deficit to 12-7, holding the Lady Eagles scoreless for 6 minutes.

The two teams traded six points in the second stanza and East Bladen took an 18-13 lead into intermission.

The Lady Gators hung right with East Bladen in the third quarter and managed to trim the margin to 38-35 as the quarter expired.

Down the stretch, it was the thievery of the Lady Eagles that helped seal the win. A full-court press created turnovers and scoring opportunities, and East Bladen outscored the Lady Gators by a 15-11 margin to take the seven-point win.

“We pressed the whole game, which means I am subbing a lot and trying to find the right combinations coming off the bench,” East Bladen coach patty Evers said. “I think the girls kept their composure in the last 4 minutes and the pressing helped create turnovers, which led to the win.”

Melissa Macon led East Bladen with 13 points, fueled by a trio of three-pointers. Lacey Suggs contributed 12 points and Asha Graham had 11 points.

Evers said the Lady Eagles totaled 21 steals in the game.

— In St. Pauls on Wednesday, the lady Eagles used a big fourth-quarter spurt to take a 47-34 win over St. Pauls High.

The win improves East Bladen to 2-0.

The Lady Eagles’ swarming defense forced St. Pauls into 45 turnovers and East Bladen took advantage along the way.

The Lady Bulldogs took an early 12-6 lead after one quarter and stretched it to 21-12 in the second, but East Bladen sliced the deficit to 23-17 by halftime.

In the third, the Lady Eagles went on a 9-0 run and, when the quarter ended, East Bladen was up 30-27.

Down the stretch, the Lady Eagles put together a 17-2 spurt that carried them to the win.

Asha Graham led East Bladen with 12 points, while Melissa Macon added 10.