Published: 12:15 AM, Fri Mar 05, 2010
Melvin, defense lift East Bladen girls to win
By Al Myatt
Correspondent
GREENVILLE - Courtney "C.J." Melvin scored 31 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in East Bladen's 61-30 trouncing of Bunn in the Eastern 2-A girls' high school basketball regional semifinals at Rose High School on Thursday night.
But it wasn't the stellar play of the 6-foot-2 junior center, who is being recruited by Division I programs such as East Carolina, UNC-Wilmington and Campbell, that drew the most praise from coach Patty Evers as her Eagles moved into Saturday's 11 a.m. championship game against Burlington Cummings.
"That's the best defense we've played all year," Evers said of her 28-0 team. "Defense wins championships. If you shut down the other team, the shots will come."
Evers described the sound of defensive effort.
"When you're moving your feet you hear a squeaky sound on the court," she said. "We talk about that. That's when you know you're doing what you're supposed to do."
The Eagles' lead ballooned to 55-19 before Evers pulled her starters.
East Bladen limited Bunn (20-7) to just 18 percent shooting from the field. The Wildcats managed to make just three of 25 shots from the floor in the first half (12 percent) and trailed 32-15 at the break.
It didn't get any better for coach Charles Mann Jr., and the Wildcats after intermission. East Bladen went on a 15-0 run to open the third quarter and led 47-15 when Bunn got its only points of the period on a short shot by Amanda Wright with 51 seconds left.
"We ran up against a more talented team," Mann said. " ... A lot of it was their defense, a lot of it was nerves and once it started, it snowballed."
Jazmine Kemp added 13 points and 10 rebounds for East Bladen, which doesn't have a senior in its starting lineup.
The Eagles reached the state 1-A final last season, losing 64-33 to Bishop McGuinness for the title.
"Last year we learned about handling the press," said Melvin, who also blocked four Bunn shots. "You have to look for the guards and don't rush anything."
East Bladen guard Zhane Johnson was looking for teammates and found them for six assists. The Eagles outrebounded the Wildcats, 34-18. Cherpirah Neal led Bunn with 12 points.
Evers wants her unbeaten charges to continue to focus on their defense against a Cummings club that prefers an quick tempo.
"They're fast," Evers said. "They look to push it. You can't run downcourt with your back to them. You've got to see the ball."
East Bladen 61, Bunn 30
Bunn 10 5 2 13 - 30
East Bladen 18 14 17 12 - 61
BUNN - Chepirah Neal 12, Bunn 7, Denton 3, Venable 2, Wright 2, Ricks 2, Bellamy 2.
EAST BLADEN - Courtney Melvin 31, Jazmine Kemp 13, Murchison 8, Hatcher 3, Shipman 2, Johnson 2, Dockery 2.
Fouled out: None
Technical fouls: None
3-point goals: Bunn - Neal 3; EB - Hatcher, Kemp.
Records: Bunn 20-7, East Bladen 28-0.