The beginning was shaky and the ending got a bit tight, but, in between, the East Bladen boys’ basketball team controlled play Tuesday in beating Lakewood 56-49 on Patty Evers Court.
The Eagles (7-14, 7-4 Carolina) are assured of a home game in the first round of next week’s conference tournament and could finish as high as second place depending on the outcomes of Thursday’s games that will conclude the regular season.
East Bladen is scheduled to play at East Columbus (10-9, 8-3 Carolina) on Thursday. North Duplin (11-9, 7-4 Carolina) is matched against Lakewood (7-14, 3-8 Carolina ). West Columbus (11-11, 9-3 Carolina) has completed its regular season.
In Tuesday’s other games, the Lakewood girls coasted to a 64-37 victory and the East Bladen junior varsity boys won 56-30.
Master sports schedule | Standings
Keyshawn Kemp scored 25 points and Landyn Scott added for the varsity boys, who lost their first eight games this season before turning it around and contending for the top spot in the conference.
“The second half, we turned it up,” East Bladen coach Aking Elting said. “We looked a lot better in the third quarter. The third quarter was the game changer for us.”
East Bladen outscored the Leopards 17-8 in the third quarter to take a 42-28 lead.
“We were just taking our time and stopped turning the ball over,” Elting said. “That was our problem in the first half. We had the guys really concentrating on taking care of the ball.”
The game didn’t start well for East Bladen. Burroughs Strickland scored seven points as the Leopards scored the first nine points. However, the Eagles had two baskets from Scott and a bucket apiece from Kemp and Jaden Lewis to pull within a point, 9-8, late in the first quarter.
“It was a slow start, but we got out of that hole,” Elting said. “I’m proud of them.
“The guys thought (Lakewood) was going to lay down for them because we won the last game (74-62). I think the guys were a little overconfident,” Elting said.
The Eagles led 25-20 at half, then dominated play in the third quarter for a 42-28 advantage. However, Lakewood had a final run left. The Leopards trimmed a 50-36 deficit with four minutes remaining to 51-47 on a basket by Strickland with under two minutes remaining.
The Eagles countered with a layup by Kemp off a pass from Dashon Campbell, a steal and score by John Monroe and a free throw by Kemp for a 56-47 lead with 37 seconds left.
VARSITY GIRLS: LAKEWOOD 64, EAST BLADEN 37
Areona McKoy scored 29 points and Trinity Bell had 17 as Lakewood (14-7, 8-3 Carolina) beat East Bladen 64-37 to move into a tie for third place with the Eagles (17-5, 8-3 Carolina) with one game remaining.
East Columbus (14-5, 9-2 Carolina) is scheduled to host East Bladen on Thursday to end the regular season. Conference co-leader North Duplin (16-5, 9-2 Carolina) is slated to play at Lakewood. The top seeded team will receive a bye in the first round of next week’s conference tournament.
Sana’a Singletary scored 14 points to lead East Bladen.
Lakewood outscored the Eagles 18-9 in the second quarter to open a 30-17. East Bladen never came closer than eight points in the second half.
JV BOYS: EAST BLADEN 56, LAKEWOOD 30
All 11 East Bladen players scored in a 56-30 rout of Lakewood. Lakota Schmale led the way with 15 points and Joel Lewis had 12.
The teams were tied at 14 at the end of the first quarter, but the rest of the game belonged to East Bladen (10-11, 9-2 Carolina). The Eagles led 29-19 at half and 39-24 at the end of the third quarter.
VARSITY BOYS: EAST BLADEN 56, LAKEWOOD 49
Lakewood (49) — Marquise Owens, Travon Carr 6, Nijal McRae 4, Donovan Smith, Dashaun Carr 11, Juan Parker 14, Burroughs Strickland 14, Devin Jones, Caleb Neal.
East Bladen (56) — Keyshawn Kemp 25, Tevin McLean 5, Khalil McKoy, John Monroe 2, Jaden Lewis 3, Landyn Scott 19, Connor Hill, Dashon Campbell 2.
VARSITY GIRLS: LAKEWOOD 64, EAST BLADEN 37
Lakewood (64) — Takiyah Carr 13, Kaitlynn Martinez, Areona McKoy 29, Jasmin Crumpler 2, Jayla Warren, Trinity Bell 17, Eleasia Owens, Jahmai Rich 3.
East Bladen (37) — Kayla Hall 3, Aaliyah Monroe 6, Ellen Battle 2, Ariel Cromartie 7, Tyliah Freeman 3, Julia Flowers, Sana’a Singletary 14, Nia McKoy, Niyah Wooten 2, Grayce Edwards.
JV BOYS: EAST BLADEN 56, LAKEWOOD 30
Lakewood (30) — Jon Graham 12, Colby Gray 2, Chance Sessoms 3, Jaimir Rich 6, Malik Rhodes 3, Camari Oates 4.
East Bladen (56) — Omar Powell 6, Damian Maynor 4, Ishaq Algozy 2, John High 2, Prince Powell 2, Joel Lewis 12, Fox Sutton 2, Benjamin Lent 3, Lakota Schmale 15, Prince McKoy 2, Tyrone Freeman 6.