Bladenboro (gold jerseys) and Tar Heel (black jerseys) played Tuesday in the Bladen County middle school basketball preseason tournament at Clarkton School of Discovery.
Sonny Jones / Bladen Journal
Bladenboro (gold jerseys) and Tar Heel (black jerseys) players battle for the basketball during Tuesday’s game in Clarkton.
Sonny Jones / Bladen Journal
Bladenboro and Clarkton won games Tuesday in the Bladen County middle school boys’ basketball preseason tournament played inside Harold L. Ford Gymnasium.
The winning teams are scheduled to play for the championship Thursday at Clarkton School of Discovery following the girls’ title game between Bladenboro and Elizabethtown that is set to tip at 4 p.m. Admission is $6.
Master sports schedule | Standings
In the first semifinal, eight different Bladenboro players scored as the Bulldogs defeated Tar Heel 28-23. Bladenboro led 10-8 at halftime and built its lead to 21-13 at the end of the third quarter, then held off the Panthers in the fourth quarter.
Keithan Russ scored six points to lead Bladenboro. Derion Parker netted 13 points for Tar Heel.
In the second semifinal, the homestanding Blue Devils used a balanced scoring attack and led throughout in defeating Elizabethtown 38-21.
Clarkton broke out to a 13-2 lead at the end of the first quarter and held a 27-6 lead at halftime.
Malakye Roger scored eight points and Braylan Smith had seven for the Blue Devils, who had nine players in the scoring column.
BLADENBORO 28, TAR HEEL 23
BLADENBORO (28) — Zion Ellison 2, Avion Murphy 3, Jamarie Shaw 4, Kamarrie Barr 2, Brayden Freeman 4, Keithan Russ 6, Jayden Ruffin 5, Ronderick Bellamy 2, Braylon Melvin, Triton Bordeaux, Tyler Thurman.
TAR HEEL (23) — Daveon Whittington 5, Carlos Flores 2, Elijah Willis, Domani Grimes 1, Derion Parker 13, Tyshawn King 2.
CLARKTON 38, ELIZABETHTOWN 21
CLARKTON (38) — Shawn Davisson 3, Jaylin Ballard 2, Dyson Moore 6, Markel Jacobs, Braylan Smith 7, Travaughn Shipman 4, Tyquan Jones 2, Malakye Rogers 8, Mari Byrd 2, Chatham Rigsbee, Trasyn Smith 4, Aiden Wooten, Owen Hall, Levi Jackson.
ELIZABETHTOWN (21) — Khalik 3, KyJuan 2, Ayden, Malikhi 6, Jabrel 6, Eli, Malikhil, Jayden 2, Jaylyn, Deshawn 2.
To report sports news, email Sonny Jones at [email protected].