WHITEVILLE — The Lady Knights were put in a hole before Friday’s tip-off against Whiteville, and went on to take a 44-22 Three Rivers Conference game.

The loss drops West Bladen to 5-12 overall, 3-9 in tie conference.

The Lady Knights opened the game without at least four players because of injury or flu, and Whiteville took advantage by starting the game with a 14-4 run. The Lady Wolfpack extended the lead with a 10-7 burst trough the second quarter and took a 24-11 lead into halftime.

Neither team lit up the scoreboard in the third quarter, but Whiteville held a 9-5 advantage to open a 33-16 lead going into the fourth frame — where the Lady Wolfpack earned an 11-6 win and sealed the 22-point win.

“We played a little undermanned (and) just couldn’t get into any rhythm on either end of the floor,” said West Bladen coach Brian McCleney. “They played hard, but were just not able to get anything going.”

Chasitty Lacey returned from the flu to lead West Bladen with nine points.

The Lady Knights will travel to Cerro Gordo on Tuesday to face West Columbus in a conference game at 6 p.m.