ELIZABETHTOWN — The final buzzer was 24 minutes away, but for all intents and purposes Monday’s matchup between visiting Pender County and the Lady Eagles of East Bladen was over at the end of the first quarter.
East Bladen put together a near-perfect opening period and raced out to a 28-0 advantage, highlighted by points from all over the court and a tenacious defense.
The Lady patriots finally got on the board in the second stanza, but East Bladen outscored the visitors by an 11-7 margin and took a 39-7 lead into intermission.
With coach Patty Evers sifting in her bench throughout the second half, the Lady Eagles outscored Pender County 9-5 in the third quarter to open a 48-12 lead. The Lady Patriots managed to get the better of East Bladen’s subs in the fourth frame, 8-6, but the game was far out of reach.
Lacey Suggs led the Lady Eagles in limited playing time with 20 points, seven steals and five rebounds. Abby Ward contributed 10 points, nine steals and four assists, while Ja’Tyra Moore-Peterson added nine points and four steals. Ashley Hardin grabbed seven rebounds and Christiana Cromartie blocked four shots for East Bladen.