BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Jada Hankerson scored 12 points in the first quarter as the Bradford High School girls basketball team built a double-digit lead it would never relinquish in a 61-32 win over visiting Fort White on Feb. 1.
Hankerson, who led all scorers with 21 points, scored the first nine points of the game, with two of those baskets coming off Ar’Nayshia Griffin assists.
A three-pointer by Kayla Evans put the Tornadoes up 12-2. Griffin later added a score off a rebound putback, followed by a Hankerson three-pointer. Griffin then recorded the assist on a basket down low by Ajiyah Jackson as Bradford built a 19-5 lead.
Griffin, Hankerson and Jackson each had a basket in the final stages of the opening quarter as the Tornadoes took a 14-point lead into the second quarter.
Bradford struggled from the field in the second, going more than five minutes without any points. Finally, with 2:31 to play in the half, Nichelle Brown scored off a Griffin assist. That was the start of a 10-5 run, which featured Hankerson and Destiny Crum each making a three-point shot. Griffin also scored off an offensive rebound as the Tornadoes went into halftime leading 35-19.
Griffin had seven rebounds in the first half.
It was a 17-point game in the third quarter when Bradford went on a 14-4 run. It began with Jackson scoring on a drive to the basket, while Kha’Myra Hankerson scored off a Griffin assist. Evans made 2 of 3 free-throw attempts after being fouled on a three-point shot. After Griffin grabbed a defensive rebound and went the length of the court for a score, Jada Hankerson was fouled on a three-point shot, making 1 of 3 free throws for a 46-22 lead. Hankerson then came right back and made a three-point basket.
An Evans steal led to a basket by Brown, sending the Tornadoes into the fourth quarter leading 51-24.
Brown scored four points in the fourth quarter, which ended with Evans scoring off a steal.
Griffin finished with 10 points, while Evans and Brown had nine and eight, respectively. Bradford also got six from Jackson, five from Crum and two from Kha’Myra Hankerson.
Bradford (15-7) is the third seed in the three-team District 2-3A tournament and were scheduled to play a semifinal game against second seed P.K. Yonge (11-7) at P.K. Yonge on Wednesday, Feb. 7, at 7 p.m. If the Tornadoes won, they’ll travel to Ocala to play top seed Trinity Catholic (14-9) for the championship on Friday, Feb. 9, at 7 p.m.
