By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Little Rock Hall’s physical style caused some late foul trouble, but not before the Lady Warriors had secured a big lead on the way to a mercy-ruled, 65-26 victory over Jacksonville in a 6A-East Conference game at Little Rock’s Cirks Arena on Monday.
The Lady Red Devils struggled against a full-court press that led to turnovers and easy baskets for the Lady Warriors. Hall spread its scoring among guards Tyler Scaife and Princess Cole and forward Taryon Coffey.
The Lady Warriors (16-6, 7-3) jumped out to a 14-2 lead at the end of the first quarter and steadily increased the margin while holding Lady Red Devils leading scorer Jessica Jackson without a field goal.
Jackson instead got all of her 10 points at the free-throw line, where she had 14 attempts.
Scaife, Hall’s sophomore guard, led the Lady Warriors with 15 points. She extended the lead further when she made an inside basket and a three-pointer, following a Jacksonville turnover in the backcourt, to make it 19-2 early in the second quarter.
Sophomore post player Jennifer Ballard was the only Lady Red Devil to find the basket in the first half with an inside shot that made it 19-4 with 6:21 left in the second quarter.
Coffey extended the lead to 21-4 with two free throws before Jacksonville’s Coyja Hood made a free throw.
Jasmine Ford then made a three-pointer for Hall that extended the Lady Warriors’ lead to 24-5 with 5:32 left in the first half.
Jackson’s only field goal of the night was waved off when she was called for traveling with 4:52 left in the half. Jackson spent the remainder of the half making repeated trips to the free-throw line.
She made 5 of 8 free throws over the remainder of the half.
Melissa Miller pulled Jacksonville (7-16, 0-9) within 31-12 with a free throw that set the halftime margin.
Things did not get any better for the Lady Red Devils to start the second half.
Scaife took the inbounds pass to start the third quarter and drove straight to the basket for a layup and the 33-12 lead.
Coffey had a chance at a three-point play but missed the free throw following her inside basket with 6:49 left in the third.
Senior Chyna Davis got the biggest shot of the night for the Lady Red Devils when she hit a three-pointer from the right wing with 6:24 left in the third quarter.
That closed the gap to 35-15, and Melissa Miller cut it to 35-17 with an inside shot assisted by Davis.
But Damonique Miller hit a three-point basket for Hall that made it 39-17.
The Lady Warriors dominated the remaining four minutes of the third quarter with a 16-1 run that gave them a 57-22 lead entering the final period.
Jackson had 11 rebounds to go with her 10 points, while Ballard added six points and Davis and Melissa Miller each had four.
Coffee had 13 points and Cole scored 12 for Hall.
