LAKE WACCAMAW – It was fast.

It was furious.

And, for the West Bladen boys’ basketball team, it was a fantastic way to open the season.

Jackson Pait and Tylik McCall each scored 23 points Tuesday as the Knights trounced East Columbus 68-32 in a non-conference high school game at The Swamp.

“We just wanted to come out and win,” McCall said. “The guys have put confidence in me to go out there and play with each other. We played hard and got the dub tonight.”

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McCall scored 17 points in the first half and Pait netted 13 in the first quarter, including a trio of 3-point field goals, as West Bladen built a 24-6 lead at the end of the opening period and led 47-19 at half.

“I was very happy with the team tonight,” Jackson Pait said. “One thing I hope we do better is halfcourt defense, but I thought we did a great job.

“All my points came off being set up by others. It’s a lot easier when you have somebody like Tylik on the floor at the same time. He takes a lot of pressure off me,” Jackson Pait said.

East Columbus’ Kevin Stackhouse scored the first basket of the game, but the Knights countered with 13 straight points and were never threatened. Pait’s 3-pointer midway through the third quarter gave West Bladen a 56-21 lead and resulted in a running clock for the remainder of the game.

“I was very happy how hard the guys played,” West Bladen coach Travis Pait said. “We were really concerned. That’s a very talented team and I thought we jumped on them and stayed on them. I’m just very proud of the guys.”

The West Bladen defense left little space for the East Columbus offense to operate, constantly pressuring the ball and taking away passing lanes.

“The defense played good,” McCall said. “We stayed on them. They got tired.”

Jamari Adams-Peterson added 11 points for West Bladen as 10 of the 15 players scored. The Knights made 17 of 25 free throw attempts.

“We’ve got to shoot free throws better,” Travis Pait said. “I thought our rotations weren’t good at times, so we’ve got to be better on our rotations. But, it’s nice to win in your opener and we’ll take it.

Stackhouse led East Columbus with 13 points.

West Bladen is scheduled to play at West Columbus on Friday. The Vikings are coached by former West Bladen girls’ basketball head coach Brian McCleney.

WEST BLADEN (68) – Jackson Pait 23, Demarion Bryant 3, Sayvion Covington, Tylik McCall 23, Kendall Lessane 2, Keonta Hill, Jaquan Lessane 1, Jamari Adams-Peterson 11, Carnell Lewis 1, Keon Whittington, Ethan Bourhill, Ahmbrie Cooper, Cyncere Jessup, Blake Britt 2, Justin Pauls 2.

EAST COLUMBUS (32) – Adrion Jenrette 4, Korey Beatty 2, Ryan Cobb 4, Kevon Stackhouse 13, Tyron Keaton 7, Rudy Jernigan 2.

Sonny Jones can be reached at [email protected].