LOUISBURG — Louisburg Magnet closed the game with a 30-5 surge over the final 12 minutes to pull away from West Bladen and claim a 67-44 victory Tuesday night in the opening round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3A girls basketball playoffs.
West Bladen, the No. 22 seed, concluded its season with a 5-18 record. Louisburg (11-11), the No. 11 seed, advanced to play No. 6 Wake Prep on Thursday.
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Freshman Tamela Person poured in 15 of her game-high 30 points during the winning run. Braelyn Welker pumped in 12 of her 17 points during the spurt. Tamiya Mayo netted 12.
Natalee Sykes drained a trio of 3-point shots and led the Knights with 14 points, four rebounds and three steals. Kali Allen fired in a trio of 3-points shots for nine points and collected six rebounds and two steals. Amiya McCarty racked up seven points, four rebounds and four steals before fouling out with 6:11 remaining.
The taller Louisburg team held a 33-23 edge in rebounds, but also made 24 of 40 free throws while West was 8 for 20 at the foul line.
Louisburg grabbed an early 7-0 lead, before Hadley Dove’s 3-ball broke the ice for West. Sykes turned an assist from Logan Powers into a lay-up, delivered an assist to Harmony Richardson for a lay-up then swished a corner 3-ball to trim the margin to 15-10.
McCarty sank 2 free throws, but the Warriors stretched their lead to 24-12. Sykes put back a follow shot before Allen swished a pair of 3-balls from the right wing. Sykes bombed in a long 3-ball from the left wing to whittle the deficit to 24-23 at the 3:23 mark.
Three free throws and a lay-up by Person pushed the margin to 31-23, but McCarty drove for a 3-point play, Sykes tossed in another 3-ball and Powers made a free throw to trim the margin to 32-30 at halftime.
Powers opened the second half with a 3-ball and McCarty dropped in a lay-up off an Allen assist to put West on top 35-32. A pair of Mayo buckets rallied Louisburg, but Powers cashed in a free throw and Allen drilled in a corner 3-ball to give the Knights the 39-37 lead.
Dove banked in a 10-footer and hit a free throw and Sykes and Powers made free throws for the final West points.
WEST BLADEN (44) — Hadley Dove 6, Amiya McCarty 7, Saniya Martin, Logan Powers 6, Harmony Richardson 2, Kali Allen 9, Natalee Sykes 14, Lauryn Lesane, Abigail Dicicco, Serenity Council.
LOUISBURG (67) — Brionna Coleman 2, Mariyah Davis, Tamiya Mayo 12, Tamela Person 30, Madisyn Ansley, Megan Fosness, Braelyn Welker 17, Jasmine Durham 2, Mackenzie Lassiter 4.
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