VINEGAR HILL – The East Columbus Gators gained sole possession of first place in the Waccamaw 1A-2A Conference boys basketball race Tuesday night with a 70-48 victory over the host South Columbus Stallions.
East Columbus had beaten the Stallions by a 76-61 margin in last Thursday’s championship game of the ECHS Holiday Tournament.
Coach Clarence Ganus’ Gators jumped from the gate early, running to a 44-20 halftime lead and holding a 63-32 advantage after three quarters. ECHS ran its conference record to 3-0 and season record to 11-3. South Columbus slipped to 0-2 and 3-6.
B.J. Patrick led the Gators with a game-high 19 points and Jermaine Waddell knocked in 16. Anthony Fields and Jerry Moore followed with 11 each. The Gators had eight 3-point goals, including three by Patrick, two each by Fields and Moore and one by Tyre Brooks.
South Columbus scorers were led by Bryant Edwards with 16 (three 3-pointers) and Romaine Vereen with 12.
North Brunswick’s Tuesday night win over Pender left East Columbus and South Brunswick (2-0) as the only conference teams without league losses.
East Columbus came away with a 30-28 victory in the girls game, but it was far cry from the Lady Gators 61-36 runaway win over the SCHS girls in last Thursday’s final of the ECHS Holiday Tournament.
The teams were deadlocked at 15 at halftime before East Columbus took a 25-17 lead into the final quarter. South Columbus cut the lead down to two in the final period, but the Lady Gators managed to hold on for the win as they put their conference record at 2-1 and evened their season record at 7-7.
Taquanna Bress led East Columbus scorers with 11 points while Amanda Dowe paced South Columbus with seven.
The Lady Stallions are now 1-1 in conference and 3-6 for the season.
South Columbus will play host to Pender Friday. East Columbus has a Friday open date and will resume its schedule on Jan. 9 when it plays host to Pender.
GIRLS GAME
| E. Columbus |
9
|
6
|
10
|
5
|
-
|
30
|
| S. Columbus |
7
|
8
|
2
|
11
|
-
|
28
|
EAST COLUMBUS (30): Bress 11, Bennett 6, Young 4, Moore 4, Bracey 3, Lennon 2.
SOUTH COLUMBUS (28): Strickland 6, McCoy 4, Dowe 7, Long 4, Shaw 2, Tisdale 5.
BOYS GAME
| E. Columbus |
22
|
22
|
19
|
9
|
-
|
70
|
| S. Columbus |
11
|
9
|
12
|
16
|
-
|
48
|
EAST COLUMBUS (70): Clark 2, Fields 11, Waddell 16, Patrick 19, Moore 11, Freeman 7, Davis 1, Brooks 3.
SOUTH COLUMBUS (48): Edwards 16, J. Vereen 2, Wright 2, R. Vereen 12, Clay 6 Bryant 6, Keel 4,