By ANN THARP
Special to The Leader
The Jacksonville Lady Red Devils improved to 4-2 in conference play and 9-8 overall at the home of the Mills Lady Comets Friday night, winning easily by a final margin of 58-21. Jacksonville outscored the Lady Comets 22-4 in the opening quarter to set the tone and outscored the home team in every quarter after that for the commanding victory. Mills fell to 0-6 in conference play and 9-11 overall.
“A good win on the road,” said Jacksonville coach William Rountree. “Any time you get in the conference and win ballgames, you’ve got to feel good about that. A lot of clock for everybody, some kids off the bench probably got a little more offensive expertise and things like that. A good all around performance. I thought the kids played hard and did what we needed to do. Any time you go out on the road and get one, you’ve got to feel happy about that.”
Jacksonville’s Antrice McCoy scored 12 of her 21 points in the first quarter with six 2-point baskets, two of those steal and score layups.
Taylor Toombs added two 2-pointers, Alexis James a 3-point basket, and Desiree Williams 1 of 2 free throws to round out the scoring for the Lady Devils. Shilett Girley sank a 3-point basket to give Mills its closest deficit of 4-3, and Tionna Cobbs added a free throw for a total of four points in the frame for the Lady Comets, while Jacksonville accumulated 22 points.
Katelyn Withers scored first for Mills in the second quarter with a 2-pointer under the basket. Lady Red Devil Tatiana Lacy was fouled on an offensive rebound and putback and sank the free throw for the old fashioned 3-point play to make the score 25-6.
McCoy added four points on a 2-pointer and a layup. Williams hit two 2-pointers in the lane. Jerika Hardaway added a pair of free throws and Emily Lovercheck closed out the scoring for the quarter with a three from the corner.
Mills had only managed to add 3 of 8 free throws to the scoring effort to make the Lady Red Devil lead 38-9 at intermission.
McCoy opened the third quarter with a three from the top of the key, followed by a 2-pointer and two free throws by Raisa Reed for the Lady Comets. McCoy followed with a steal and layup to complete her scoring for the night. Lovercheck connected on another three and Hardaway 1 of 2 free throws to up the lead to 48-15 at the end of three quarters of play.
Jacksonville added 10 more points in the fourth, with Hardaway hitting a 3-pointer, Angel Robinson two 2-point baskets, and Lovercheck an offensive rebound and putback. Mills could only manage six points to set the final score at 58-21. Jessica Stout had four points to lead the Lady Comets in the quarter.
McCoy led Jacksonville in scoring with 21 points, Lovercheck and Hardaway each had eight points, Toombs and Williams added five each, Robinson and Lacy four points each, and James contributed three points. Stout led the Lady Comets with six points.
