BURGAW — After taking down the Nos. 2 and 3 seeds in the Four County Conference Tournament, No. 7 East Bladen had its heels cooled by No. 1 Clinton on Friday in the championship game, 84-50.
The loss drops the Eagles to 4-23, likely ending their season. Clinton is now 24-2.
The Dark Horses essentially put East Bladen on ice by opening the game with an 11-2 run. The Eagles answered with four points from Eian Hines, but the Dark Horses finished the first quarter with a 10-5 spurt to carry a 21-12 lead into the second stanza.
East Bladen opened the quarter with a 5-2 burst that featured a three-pointer by Adonis Avery, but Clinton regrouped and finished the half with a 19-6 run that gave the Dark Horses a 42-23 advantage going into the intermission.
The Eagles ’ long-range shooting showed life in the third quarter, with Demetrius Wooten draining three three-pointers, and East Bladen closed to within 50-34. But Clinton went to work over the last 2:30 of the quarter and put together a 10-0 run for a 60-34 lead after three periods.
East Bladen scored the fourth frame’s first six points, but that only served to wake up the Dark Horses. Clinton finished the game with a 24-10 flurry that easily sealed the championship win.
Hines led the Eagles with 12 points, while Wooten scored 11. Sincere Smith had a team-high 10 rebounds.