LAKE WACCAMAW — Courtney Thompson patrolled the backboards for West Bladen High on Tuesday and led the Lady Knights to a 43-32 win over South Columbus High in the opening round of the East Columbus Holiday Tournament.

The win improves West Bladen to 6-4 and sends them into the championship game today against the host team.

The two teams traded points through the first quarter as the Lady Knights managed to take a slim 7-6 edge after the first 8 minutes of play.

But Abbey Walters sparked a West Bladen run in the second stanza with her only six points of the game and Lexi Storms canned a pair of baskets to help lift the Lady Knights to a 13-5 spurt and a 20-11 lead at intermission.

Thompson turned the heat up on West Bladen’s conference foe by grabbing nearly every rebound available and collecting eight points along the way. That led the Lady Knights to a 34-19 edge heading into the final quarter.

South Columbus managed to rally over the last 8 minutes and won the quarter by a 13-9 margin, but the Lady Stallions had too little, too late.

Thompson corralled 17 rebounds for West Bladen and added 11 points, while Alisha Bryan and Haley Cox each added eight points. In addition to her six points, Walters managed to grab eight rebounds for the Lady Knights.