BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Ar’Nayshia Griffin scored 19 of her game-high 33 points in the first quarter, helping the Bradford High School girls basketball team earn an easy 59-22 win over host Suwannee on Jan. 8.
Suwannee (1-8) scored the game’s first two points, but Bradford responded by scoring 11 in a row. A Wynter Barrington basket tied it up, while Griffin scored off her own steal to give the Tornadoes (9-6) the lead for good.
The run continued with Griffin making a three-pointer following a Barrington steal. Griffin then came away with a steal and scored, drawing a foul in the process. She made the awarded free-throw attempt. Griffin later added a free throw on another trip to the foul line to put Bradford up 11-2.
Bradford scored nine of the final 10 points of the first quarter. Griffin scored off a steal, while Kah’myra Hankerson scored off an offensive rebound. After a free throw by Suwannee, Griffin knocked down a three-point shot. A basket by Ky’lee Johnson sent the Tornadoes into the second quarter leading 25-8.
The Tornadoes scored the first 12 points of the second quarter. Riley Shuford and Kaiya Thompson each made a three-pointer during the run as Bradford increased its lead to 29 points.
Barrington scored six points in the third quarter and finished with eight. Bradford also got five points each from Shuford and Thompson and two each from Hankerson, Johnson, Nyasia Lopey and Mia Olesen.
Griffin led the Tornadoes in rebounds with seven and steals with seven.
Shuford and Cayson Hampton each had three assists.
The Tornadoes’ last game of 2025 was a 62-11 loss to San Jose Prep in a Dec. 29 game as part of a tournament at Eagle’s View Academy in Jacksonville. Bradford bounced back in its first game of 2026, defeating host Palatka 49-43 on Jan. 5.
Bradford, which led 43-26 entering the final quarter, got 21 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and three steals from Griffin.
Shuford added nine points, with the Tornadoes also getting five from Hampton, four each from Hankerson and Lopey and three each from Barrington and Thompson.
The Tornadoes travel to play Hilliard on Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 6 p.m. and will host Baker County on Saturday, Jan. 17, at 6 p.m. Bradford travels to play Eastside on Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 7 p.m.
