ELIZABETHTOWN — Prior to playing back to back nights, senior Abbie Cross said all of Wednesday’s practice was shooting.

The payoff was two sterling performances against winless teams, with Friday’s 66-21 thumping of West Columbus improving East Bladen’s unbeaten run to eight games opening the girls high school basketball season. The Lady Eagles are 4-0 in the Three Rivers Conference.

“We’ve got girls that are getting a lot of shots up,” Cross said of the team preparing.

Head coach Patty Evers mentioned sophomore Alexus Mitchell’s routine before school. Cross noted a few others finding time during the day. Throughout a deep bench, the Lady Eagles have worked to improve their touch and Northside and West Columbus will attest to the effectiveness.

On Thursday in Jacksonville, East Bladen made 16 of 17 foul shots and won by 35. Against the Lady Vikings one night later, a 45-12 first half included shots made outside the lane by seniors Cross, Patience Ward and Lorna Mendell, sophomores Mitchell and Maya McDonald, and freshman Anna Grey Heustess.

In the first half, West Columbus had two people put the ball in the basket, made six field goals and committed 18 turnovers. The Lady Vikings had 22 turnovers in the 20 minutes prior to the clock running by the mercy rule.

“We’ve got a lot of good underclassmen,” Mendell said of a nucleus that includes McDonald, Mitchell, Heustess, juniors Katie Evans and Sara Gargala, and freshman Maegan Burney.

Evans, usually a starter, sat out so an injury would have more time to heal.

“Everybody thinks we’re supposed to be good every year, but you lose people,” Evers said. “We’re getting a lot from everybody. We’ve got four girls who can be the sixth person off the bench.”

Ward led the Lady Eagles with 24 points, seven steals and five rebounds. Mitchell scored 12 points and Heustess had a career-high 10. Haley Brown led West Columbus (0-5, 0-3 Three Rivers) with 10 points.

East Bladen has won 43 straight games against Three Rivers Conference competition. The Lady Eagles’ 8-0 start gives the program nine since the 2007-08 season, when this year’s seniors were in kindergarten.

“We’re starting to box out more and get more rebounds,” Cross said. “We got a lot of hands in the passing lane.

“We need to get stronger, catching passes and rebounding.”

Alan Wooten | Bladen Journal
Anna Grey Heustess (11) applies pressure to Jamesee Lawson of West Columbus on Friday night during East Bladen’s 43rd straight victory against Three Rivers Conference competition.
https://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_prep-wb-wcol-girls-3-121719.jpgAlan Wooten | Bladen Journal
Anna Grey Heustess (11) applies pressure to Jamesee Lawson of West Columbus on Friday night during East Bladen’s 43rd straight victory against Three Rivers Conference competition.

Alan Wooten | Bladen Journal
East Bladen’s Karli Priest (13) heads into the paint on Friday night during a 66-21 victory over West Columbus.
https://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_prep-wb-wcol-girls-2-121719.jpgAlan Wooten | Bladen Journal
East Bladen’s Karli Priest (13) heads into the paint on Friday night during a 66-21 victory over West Columbus.

Alan Wooten | Bladen Journal
Junior Aaniyah Jackson drains a 3-pointer in the second half of East Bladen’s 66-21 victory over West Columbus on Friday night.
https://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_prep-wb-wcol-girls-1-121719.jpgAlan Wooten | Bladen Journal
Junior Aaniyah Jackson drains a 3-pointer in the second half of East Bladen’s 66-21 victory over West Columbus on Friday night.

Alan Wooten

Bladen Journal

WEST COLUMBUS (21) — Haley Brown 10, LeOndra Smith 4, Jamesee Lawson 4, LaQuawna Gerald 3, Saudia Hemingway, Crystaisa Paige, McKinney, Smokes.

EAST BLADEN (66) — Patience Ward 24, Alexus Mitchell 12, Anna Grey Heustess 10, Maya McDonald 5, Abbie Cross 4, Lorna Mendell 4, Aaniyah Jackson 3, Karlie Priest 2, Maegan Burney 2, Sara Gargala, Lily Lin.

West Columbus 6 6 3 6 — 21

East Bladen 15 30 10 11 — 66

Alan Wooten can be reached at 910-247-9132 or awooten@bladenjournal.com. Twitter: @alanwooten19.