CLARKTON – Center Javant McDowell posted a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds to lead Elizabethtown to a 43-21 victory over Tar Heel Tuesday night in the semi-finals of the Bladen Five Middle School Boys Tournament.
McDowell started the game with a turn-around 4-footer then sank 2 free throws, before Kai Belle answered with a rebound bucket for Tar Heel. McDowell put back a rebound, but Kendall Johnson flipped in a runner to keep Tar Heel within 6-4.
Lefrederick Wooten drove for a lay-up and an 8-4 Cougar lead at the quarter break.
Malcolm Bolden turned a steal into a lay-up that grew the lead to 10-4, but Belle muscled in a lay-up, and teammate Khalil Lloyd hit a free throw to trim the margin to 10-7.
The Cougars closed the half with a 17-3 run. Ra’Sean McKoy converted a pair of Wooten assists into lay-ups, and Bolden drove for a lay-up and a 16-7 lead before Lloyd cashed in 2 free throws for Tar Heel.
JaQuez McKoy made a free throw then passed to McDowell inside for a lay-up. McDowell popped in a turn-around then turned a Wooten pass into another lay-up. JaQuez McKoy drove for a lay-up and a 25-9 lead.
Johnson hit a free throw for Tar Heel, but Ra’Sean McKoy scored on a follow shot for a 27-10 Elizabethtown halftime lead.
Belle sank a free throw for the Panthers to begin the second half, but Wooten drilled in a 3-point shot then converted a Ra’Sean McKoy pass into a 4-foot jumper. Wooten returned the favor with an assist to Ra’Sean McKoy for another lay-up.
Lloyd hit a free throw and nailed a 3-point shot that trimmed the margin to 34-15. Makhi Cromartie stole the ball twice and drove for a pair of lay-ups, and Jaquez McKoy added another lay-up for a 40-16 lead.
Jordan Underwood hit a free throw for Tar Heel, but Brady Hollingsworth tossed in a 4-footer for a 42-17 Elizabethtown lead at the quarter break.
Cory Clanton sank 2 free throws, Larry Council put back a rebound, and Johnny Sims made a free throw for the Panther points in the fourth quarter. Darius Autry converted a free throw for the Cougar point in the final period.
Ra’Sean McKoy finished with 8 points and 5 rebounds. Wooten tallied 7 points and dished out 4 assists. JaQuez McKoy followed with 5 points, and Cromartie and Bolden added 4 points each. Cromartie also had 4 steals.
Lloyd topped the Panther scoring with 6 points, and Belle followed with 5 points. Johnson pulled down 6 rebounds, and Council grabbed 5 rebounds. Antonio Candelaria was credited with 7 steals.
The Cougars, now 8-1, advanced to Thursday’s 6 p.m. championship game against Clarkton School of Discovery.
TAR HEEL (21) – Kendall Johnson 3, Kai Belle 5, Jordan Underwood 1, Khalil Lloyd 6, Ke’Shawn Ballard, Alex Brisson, Cory Clanton 2, Larry Council 2, Antonio Candeleria, Johnny Sims 1, Tucker Carroll 1.
ELIZABETHTOWN (43) – JaQuez McKoy 5, Javant McDowell 12, Lefrederick Wooten 7, Brady Hollingsworth 2, Drew Sholar, Ra’Sean McKoy 8, Raymond Autry, Malcolm Bolden 4, Layne Ross, Ahmad Powell, Marvin McKiver, Darius Autry 1, Ryan Yandle, Makhi Cromartie 4.
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