Ariel Cromartie had 22 points and eight steals Thursday night as East Bladen rolled to a 59-26 non-conference high school girls’ basketball game played on Patty Evers Court.
The Eagles (9-2) raced to a 16-2 lead and were never threatened in bouncing back from their 57-47 Carolina Conference loss at North Duplin on Tuesday.
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Leading 35-14 at half, East Bladen scored the first 13 points of the second half. A basket by Aaliyah Monroe midway through the third quarter that made it 50-15 and initiated a running clock for the remainder of the game.
Bristol Parker scored 10 points for South Columbus (2-8).
South Columbus (26) — Arianna Faulk 8, Makayla Moore 4, Bristol Parker 10, Morgan Boyd 2, DeAisa Johnson 1, Addison Araujo 1
East Bladen (59) — Aaliyah Monroe 9, Ellen Battle 7, Ariel Cromartie 22, Tyliah Freeman, Julia Flowers 2, Sana’a Singletary 8, Nia McKoy 6, Niyah Wooten 5, Grayce Edwards.
VARSITY BOYS: SOUTH COLUMBUS 49, EAST BLADEN 46
Khalil Morgan scored 26 points and made two key free throws with 27 seconds remaining as the Stallions slipped past East Bladen 49-46 in a non-conference game.
Neither team led by more than five points in the second half. It came with 55 seconds remaining when Nasir Hutchinson’s free throw gave South Columbus (5-4) a 45-40 advantage. The Eagles quickly rallied on a 3-point field goal from the right corner by Landyn Scott and a basket by Tevin McLean off a steal by Keyshawn Kemp with 30 seconds remaining.
Morgan made his two free throws three seconds later and Jordan Hardy scored a decisive basket with 8 seconds left that put South Columbus up 49-45.
McLean made a free throw with 3/10ths of a second remaining for East Bladen to account for the final score.
McLean scored 13 points for East Bladen (1-9), Kemp had 12 and Scott had 10.
South Columbus (49) — Nasir Hutchison 6, Kameron Johnson 10, Jordan Hardy 6, Khalil Morgan 26, Christopher Joseph 1.
East Bladen (46) — Keyshawn Kemp 12, Tevin McLean 13, Khalil McKoy 4, John Monroe, Jaden Lewis, Landyn Scott 10, Dashon Campbell 7.
JV BOYS: EAST BLADEN 32, SOUTH COLUMBUS 17
The Eagles won their second straight game, outscoring South Columbus 15-4 in the second half for a 32-17 victory.
Darnell Rouse scored 11 points for East Bladen (3-7).
South Columbus (17) — Walker Smith 9, Cooper Coleman 1, Jamarion Stackhouse 2, Jamarious Hemingway 5.
East Bladen (32) — Omar Powell 2, Damian Maynor 3, Ishaq Algozy, John High, Prince Powell, Joel Lewis, Fox Sutton 6, Benjamin Lent 6, Lakota Schmale 4, Prince McKoy, Darnell Rouse 11, Tyrone Freeman.
JV GIRLS: EAST BLADEN 32, SOUTH COLUMBUS 14
Kayla Hall scored 10 points as the Eagles dominated the second half. East Bladen (6-3) held a 14-9 lead at half, but outscored the Stallions 18-5 in the second half.
South Columbus (14) — Jayda William 9, Riley Suggs 4, Macealynn Gray 1.
East Bladen (32) — Kayla Hall 10, Kayelynn Chambers 5, Zariyah Riddy 4, Angelina Jones 8, Jenniyah Jones 5, Kylee Spaulding, Paris Jenkins, Lila Young.
THURSDAY, JAN. 8
HIGH SCHOOL
Basketball
Varsity boys: South Columbus 49, East Bladen 46
Varsity girls: East Bladen 59, South Columbus 26
JV boys: East Bladen 32, South Columbus 17
JV girls: East Bladen 32, South Columbus 14
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Basketball
Boys: Midway vs. Emereau Bladen
Girls: Midway vs. Emereau Bladen
FRIDAY, JAN. 9
HIGH SCHOOL
Basketball
West Bladen at Whiteville, JV girls 4 p.m., JV boys 5 p.m., Varsity girls 6 p.m., Varsity boys 7:30 p.m.
East Bladen at West Columbus, JV boys 5:15 p.m., Varsity girls 6 p.m., Varsity boys 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, JAN. 10
RECREATION
Basketball
Lil Knights at West Bladen High gym
College
UNC vs. Wake Forest, 9:25 a.m.
Duke vs. N.C. State, 10 a.m.
NBA
Thunder vs. Lakers, 9:25 a.m.
Spurs vs. Knicks, 10 a.m.
SUNDAY, JAN. 11
No games scheduled
MONDAY, JAN. 12
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Basketball
Bladen County preseason tournament
At Clarkton School of Discovery
Girls: Bladenboro vs. Tar Heel, 4 p.m.
Girls: Clarkton vs. Elizabethtown, 5:15 p.m.
RECREATION
Basketball
7-9-Year-Old Girls at King Street Gym, Elizabethtown
Bulldogs vs. Pirates, 5:45 p.m.
7-9-Year-Old Boys at King Street Gym, Elizabethtown
Gators vs. Bears, 6:30 p.m.
Longhorns vs. Yellow Jackets, 7:15 p.m.
Huskies vs. Blue Devils, 8 p.m.