The East Bladen boys’ and girls’ basketball teams won Monday in the Carolina Conference tournament. Both advance to Wednesday’s semifinals at Union High School against top-seeded East Columbus.
In the boys’ game, Keyshawn Kemp came off the bench to score 21 points and grab 10 rebounds as the fourth-seeded Eagles defeated No. 5 Hobbton 65-56.
In the girls’ game, Ariel Cromartie scored 19 points and Sana’a Singletary had 14 points and 19 rebounds in a 68-30 rout of fifth-seeded Union.
Wednesday’s winners will play Friday at Union for the tournament championship.
Master sports schedule | Standings
BOYS
The Eagles fell behind by as many as 11 points in the first half, rallied to tie it by the break, then led for almost the entire second half in eliminating Hobbton from the conference tournament.
“We turned the ball over too many times in the first quarter,” East Bladen coach Aking Elting said. “We had like 10 turnovers in the first quarter. We just had to tighten up on protecting the ball. In the second half, we did better with that.”
Kemp led the charge after entering the game in the second quarter. East Bladen’s leading scorer had sat out last week’s regular season finale at East Columbus and the first quarter of Monday’s game for discipline reasons, according to Elting.
A 3-pointer by Hobbton’s Javont’e Johnson gave the Wildcats a 21-10 lead in the opening minute of the second quarter. Two baskets by Landyn Scott and a basket each from John Monroe and Tevin McLean pulled East Bladen within 21-18. A pair of baskets by Kemp and a 3-pointer by McLean in the final two minutes of the second quarter allowed East Bladen to pull even at 27-all.
Hobbton built a 38-34 lead midway through the third quarter before the Eagles reeled off 11 straight points for a 45-38 advantage with 1:23 remaining in the period.
Hobbton pulled even at 47-all in the opening two minutes of the fourth quarter. Again, East Bladen recovered. The Eagles scored nine of the next 11 points for a 56-49 lead midway through the fourth quarter, then sealed it with a 7-0 run in the final minute.
“We did a good job pressing them and having them turn the ball over in the second half,” Elting said. “A lot of teams, if they press, they don’t like to get pressed. We did a good job with our press.”
Scott finished with 15 points and five assists and McLean had seven points and five assists for East Bladen (8-15).
Richard Simpson scored 19 points for Hobbton (6-15).
GIRLS
East Bladen raced to a 14-3 lead in the opening five minutes and limited Union to only 10 points in the second half.
“I’m really proud of the girls for playing hard for 32 minutes,” East Bladen coach Patty Evers said. “That was the focus in the locker room. The energy was there.”
Cromartie scored six points during the opening run, Niyah Wooten nailed a 3-pointer, Aaliyah Monroe had four points and Ellen Battle added a free throw.
Union briefly rallied, cutting the deficit to 18-13 on a pair of free throws by Zadariyah Faison to open the second quarter, but the Eagles countered with a 10-0 run for a 28-13 lead. Singletary had eight of the 10 points.
Union never came closer than 15 points for the remainder of the game.
Monroe scored 13 points and had five assists for the Eagles (18-6). Wooten scored six points, collected 13 rebounds, dished out five assists and had four steals.
Makayla Hall scored 12 points and Centavia McKoy had 11 to lead Union (10-13). Zadariyah Faison, who poured in 34 points Jan. 13 in the Spartans’ 61-47 loss at East Bladen, was limited to six points Monday.
BOYS: EAST BLADEN 65, HOBBTON 56
Hobbton (56) — Reggie Thompson 7, Amir Tate 2, Javont’e Johnson 11, Richard Simpson 19, Lathan Warren 3, Idaris Eason 14.
East Bladen (65) — Keyshawn Kemp 21, Tevin McLean 7, Khalil McKoy 3, Yoni Gonzales, John Monroe 6, Jaden Lewis 3, Landyn Scott 15, Tucker Smith, Connor Hill, Benjamin Lent 4, Dashon Campbell 6.
GIRLS: EAST BLADEN 68, UNION 30
Union (30) — Centavia McKoy 11, Zadariyah Faison 6, Anastasia Galarza 1, Makayla Hall 12.
East Bladen (68) — Kayla Hall 2, Aaliyah Monroe 13, Ellen Battle 6, Ariel Cromartie 19, Tyliah Freeman, Julia Flowers 3, Sana’a Singletary 14, Janiya Jones, Nia McKoy 5, Niyah Wooten 6, Grayce Edwards.
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