BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Visiting Fort White tied it up at 28-28 in the fourth quarter, but the Bradford High School girls basketball team then got five points and two steals from Cayson Hampton to defeat the Indians 33-28.
It was the fourth straight win for the Tornadoes, who improved their record to 6-3 in handing Fort White its first loss.
Bradford trailed 14-8 entering the second quarter, but pulled to within two points on a rebound putback by Ar’Nayshia Griffin and a steal and score by Riley Shuford.
Wynter Barrington scored off a Kah’myra Hankerson assist to leave the Tornadoes trailing 15-14. After Fort White’s Ya’Zuri Hollie knocked down a jumper, Shuford sank a three-point shot to even the score at 17-17.
Nyasia Lopey scored off an offensive rebound to send Bradford into the half leading 19-17.
A Hampton three-pointer and a rebound putback by Griffin helped the Tornadoes go into the fourth quarter leading 25-20.
The final quarter began with a Hankerson three-pointer, giving Bradford an eight-point lead.
Fort White scored eight consecutive points, including two baskets off turnovers. The Indians tied the score at 28-28 when Tanesha Sloan made a foul-line jumper.
Hampton put the Tornadoes back on top when she grabbed a defensive rebound and dribbled the length of the court for a basket. Hankerson pulled down a defensive rebound and then recorded an assist on a Hampton basket to make it 32-28.
Hampton scored the game’s final point off a free throw with 25 seconds remaining.
Griffin led the Tornadoes with nine points, while Hampton and Shuford each had eight. Bradford also got three points each from Hankerson and Lopey and two points from Barrington.
Barrington and Griffin grabbed 12 and 11 rebounds, respectively, while Griffin and Shuford each had three assists.
Hampton, Lopey and Shuford each had two steals.
The Tornadoes entered the game off a 45-31 win over visiting P.K. Yonge on Dec. 16, getting 17 points from Griffin.
Lopey finished with nine points, while Shuford had six. Hampton and Hankerson each added four points, while Bradford also got two points each from Johnylah Hankerson and Kailyn Teal.
The top rebounders were Lopey with seven and Griffin with six. Hampton and Hankerson each had five rebounds.
Griffin had four steals, while Shuford had three steals and three assists.
Bradford, which played Bishop Snyder on Dec. 20, will participate in a tournament at Orange Park High School, playing St. Johns Country Day on Monday, Dec. 22, at 1 p.m. and Ed White on Tuesday, Dec. 23, at 2 p.m.
On Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 29-30, the Tornadoes will take part in a tournament at Eagle’s View Academy in Jacksonville, playing San Jose Prep on Monday, Dec. 29, at 3 p.m. and Baker County on Tuesday, Dec. 30, at 1:30 p.m.
