Sykes’ free throws lift West girls over Red Springs

Natalee Sykes sank two free throws with 11 seconds remaining Tuesday night that secured a 35-34 Southeastern Conference girls’ basketball victory for West Bladen over Red Springs inside Ken F. Cross Gymnasium.

After Sykes’ key foul shots padded West Bladen’s lead to 35-32, Red Springs’ Allayah Locklear put back a rebound with two seconds left, but with no timeouts left the Lady Red Devils couldn’t stop the clock.

West Bladen (2-11, 1-2 Southeastern) is scheduled to play at West Columbus on Wednesday.

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Sykes buried a 3-point shot with 5:59 remaining to edge West ahead 25-24, then tossed in a 12-footer to widen the gap to 27-24. A pair of buckets by Red Devil freshman Saniyah Sinclair vaulted the visitors back on top 28-27.

Hadley Dove flipped in a lay-up off an assist from Saniya Martin, then toed the 3-point line on a long 2-pointer that gave the Knights a 31-28 edge with 2:34 on the clock.

Kali Allen beat the Red Springs press for a lay-up and a 33-28 West lead at the 2:16 mark. Red Springs’ Cabana Wilkins made four of six free throws over the next two minutes to close the gap to 33-32 with 36 seconds remaining to play.

Sykes pumped in seven of her game-high 14 points in the final period and also collected six rebounds and four steals. Allen contributed seven points, nine rebounds and four steals. Dove racked up seven points, five rebounds and four steals. Amiya McCarty added six points, nine rebounds and three steals. Martin finished with four steals.

Red Springs (2-13, 0-3 Southeastern) was led by Wilkins and Sinclair with 11 points each.

Sykes nailed a 3-pointer in the opening quarter and Abigail Dew and Dove netted free throws to keep West within 6-5 early.

Allen and Sykes banged in follow shots in the second period, McCarty knocked down a 15-footer from the corner, and Sykes banked in a short jumper as the Knights edged in front 13-12 at halftime.

Allen dropped in a lay-up off of a Dew assist and Dove put back a rebound bucket then sent an assist to McCarty for a lay-up that brought West to within 20-19.

Red Springs went up 24-19 before Allen canned a free throw and McCarty cashed in a pair of free throws to slice the visitors lead to 24-22 at the quarter break.

RED SPRINGS (34) — Saniyah Sinclair 11, Tajuana Farrington, Bailey Locklear, Damitriya McArthur 1, Taniyah Ellerbe 1, Allayah Locklear 8, Nahayla Thompson 2, Cabana Wilkins 11.

WEST BLADEN (35) — Hadley Dove 7, Amiya McCarty 6, Haley Taylor, Abigail Dew 1, Saniya Martin, Harmony Richardson, Kali Allen 7, Natalee Sykes 14, Logan Powers, Lauryn Lesane.