Jenkins helps lead Blue Devils past Trojans
By Scott Cole
The Jones Senior girls basketball team traveled to Deep Run looking for their first win of the season. The hosting South Lenoir Blue Devils were hoping to right the ship after dropping four straight.
South Lenoir denied Jones Senior a victory as they rolled to a 58-36 victory at home.
“This was a great game for us because it allowed us to play some of our girls who don’t get a lot of playing time,” Blue Devils coach Donald Mooring said. ”At one point, we were up by over 30 points. It gave us the opportunity to put some other girls in and see what they can do.”
“We need to work on basic skills, especially with moving the ball better,” Jones Senior coach Tina Nelson said. “It’s all fundamentals. We need to fix the basic things that we are not doing well.”
South Lenoir jumped out to a big lead. The Blue Devils employed a full court press that frustrated the Trojans. Offensively, Gralicia Jenkins lead the way, scoring nine of her 22 points in the first quarter as the Blue Devils went up 18-9.
“The emphasis was on our defense, especially in pass defense,” Mooring said. “The defense led the way, with turning transitions into points. That helped give us that lead early on.”
The Blue Devils went on a 9-0 run to begin the second quarter. Their defensive prowess kept the Trojans off the board for the first four minutes of the second. Overall, Jones Senior would score only three points as South Lenoir extended their lead to 39-12 at halftime.
Tanayja Green would hit a three point shot with two minutes to go in the third quarter for Jones Senior. That was the first basket that the Trojans had made in the second half. Green would score nine of her 18 points in the third. However, Jones Senior could not find a way to stop the Blue Devils. South Lenoir would open up the fourth defensively shutting the Trojans down. All Jones Senior could really manage was a few scattered foul shouts.
“(Green) is our point guard and the focal point of our offense,” Nelson said. “Our girls look to her to lead and guide them.”
JONES SENIOR: Green 18, Case 6, Battle 4, Becton 3, Foye 2, Brimage 1
SOUTH LENOIR: Jenkins 22, Croom 8, Mitchell 8, Foster 6, Howard 5, Hall 4, Graham 4, Laporte 1
