03/27/2024
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Photos by Kenneth Armstrong

DUBLIN – Tournament Most Outstanding Player Sayaun Dent scored 23 points Friday night to lead West Bladen to a 59-57 victory over Dillon, SC and the Knights third consecutive Woodmen Life Christmas Tournament Championship.

Dent nailed a 3-point shot from the right corner to vault the Knights ahead 50-49 with 4:56 left to play, but Rakeem Fletcher’s follow shot jumped the Wildcats back in front 51-50.

Dent grabbed a rebound and hurled a pass to senior John Bowen as he was falling to the floor. Bowen dropped in the lay-up for a 52-51 Knight lead. Junior Jonathan Robinson powered in a rebound to stretch the West lead to 54-51 with 2:28 on the clock.

Dent hit one of two free throws with 43 seconds left to up the count to 55-51, but Dillon’s Tyquan Porter drained a 3-pointer from the right corner to slice the margin to 55-54 with 37 seconds left.

Senior Kalvin Page drove the baseline for a lay-up and a 57-54 Knight lead at the 25-second mark. Page was fouled on the play, missed the free throw but snatched the rebound and was fouled again. Page sank both free throws for a 59-54 lead.

Fletcher’s 3-point basket kept the Wildcats alive with 7 seconds and narrowed the gap to 59-57. After a West miss, the Wildcats had one more chance but Fletcher’s double-pump floater hit the back iron, and John Bowen soared high to grab the rebound as the horn sounded.

“We beat a really good athletic team that is very well-coached,” said Knight Coach Travis Pait. “They are probably the most athletic team that we will see. If you had polled the crowd before the game, nineteen out of every twenty would have picked Dillon to win.”

Dent finished with 6 rebounds and 3 assists to go with his 23 points. “Sayaun is a warrior,” said Coach Pait. “He never stops.”

Page who was named to the All-Tournament Team totaled 12 points, 9 rebounds and 4 steals. “Kalvin played with poise and has become an unbelievable floor leader,” said Pait.

John Bowen just missed  a double-double with 11 points and 9 rebounds. “John had a great game tonight,” said Coach Pait. Robinson finished with 8 points and 5 rebounds. “Jonathan was a man inside for us tonight,” said Coach Pait. “He did a great job.”

John Bowen drained a 3-pointer to start the game, and teammate Jimmy Williams popped in a 17-footer, but Dillon’s Keenan Norman tied the game 5-5 with a 3-pointer.

A Page free throw and 2 more by Dent edged West ahead 8-5, but Porter hit from 16 feet then added a 3-ball to leap the Wildcats up 10-8. Dent knocked down a 15-footer, but Raheem McClain’s lay-up gave the Wildcats a 12-10 lead at the quarter break.

A McClain follow and another Porter 3-ball stretched the Dillon lead to 17-10. Robinson muscled in a follow, and John Bowen tapped in his own miss to trim the margin to 17-14. A Dent lay-up and a Page free throw kept West within 19-17.

Javier Brookins bombed in a 3-ball for Dillon, but Williams threw in a 12-footer and tacked on a free throw to pull West within 22-20. Robinson flipped in a jump-hook, but Brookins delivered another 3-pointer for a 27-22 Wildcat lead.

Dent answered with 2 free throws, and Page split 2 defenders on a drive for a lay-up that whittled the lead to 27-26. Darius Boatwright dunked in a follow for a 29-26 Dillon halftime lead.

Dent canned a jumper from the key, and Page stole the ball and raced for a lay-up that sliced the Dillon lead to 31-30, but Norman buried a 3-ball for a 34-30 lead.

Dent made 2 free throws, tossed in a short jumper, flew down the lane for a lay-in, then sent a pass to John Bowen for the lay-up that tied the game 38-38. Dillon’s Ty Rogers and West’s Robinson made 2 free throws each to keep the score tied.

Brookins and Page traded follow shots that kept the score even at 42-42. Dent banked in a runner and tacked on a free throw for a 45-42 Knight lead, but Porter knotted the score again 45-45 with a 3-ball that beat the buzzer.

Boatwright turned a steal into a lay-up to begin the final period, but John Bowen dunked in a follow to tie it again 47-47.

Porter connected on four 3-point shots, led the Wildcats with 14 points and was named to the All-Tournament Team. Brookins and Norman chipped in with 10 points each for Dillon, and Boatwright added 8.

It was the eighth win in a row for the Knights, now 8-2. West Bladen will return to Four County Conference play Tuesday night at Heide Trask.

WEST BLADEN (59) – Kalvin Page 12, Scott Bowen, Jimmy Williams 5, Keshawn Lewis, Drew Harris, Sayaun Dent 23, Gerardo Reyes, Jonathan Robinson 8, John Bowen 11.

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