BY CLIFF SMELLEY
After losing its second straight game by double digits (67-45 to Newberry on Dec. 10), the Bradford High School girls basketball team reeled off two straight wins, with the latest coming by a score of 44-29 against visiting Palatka on Dec. 15.
Bradford (4-3) got nine points from Ar’Nayshia Griffin in the first quarter. Her three-pointer put the Tornadoes up 11-8.
Kah’myra Hankerson scored off a Griffin inbounds pass to give Bradford a 14-8 lead early in the second quarter. A rebound putback by Griffin made the score 16-8.
The Tornadoes struggled from the field in the second quarter, making 2 of 17 field-goal attempts. That allowed the Panthers (2-5) to whittle away at Bradford’s lead. Palatka’s Jhane Fountain scored off a turnover to make it a 17-14 game. Charnelle Cue had the chance to send the Panthers into the half trailing by just one point, but she missed two free-throw attempts with four seconds on the clock.
Bradford’s shooting woes carried over into the third quarter as the Tornadoes missed their first five field-goal attempts before Wynter Barrington scored off an offensive rebound.
It was a big quarter for Barrington. She gave Bradford its next point, making one free throw, and then converted a layup attempt off a Griffin pass, putting the Tornadoes ahead 22-18. Barrington later scored off a rebound putback as she had seven of Bradford’s nine points in the quarter.
The Tornadoes opened the fourth quarter with a 9-1 run that began with a Cayson Hampton basket. Griffin and Hankerson each drove into the lane for scores, while Riley Shuford sank a three-pointer to put Bradford up 35-25.
Bradford outscored the Panthers 18-5 in the final quarter.
Griffin finished with 19 points, while Barrington and Hankerson had seven and six, respectively. The Tornadoes also got three points each from Shuford and Nyasia Lopey and two points each from Hampton, Ky’lee Johnson and Mia Olesen.
Rebound leaders were Griffin with 18, Barrington with 13, Johnsson with seven and Lopey with five.
The Tornadoes entered the game off a 42-35 win over host Baker County on Dec. 12.
Bradford trailed 26-16 at the half, but outscored the Wildcats 17-5 in the third quarter. Three-pointers by Griffin and Hampton helped the Tornadoes pull to within four points. Lopey made one free throw and then hit a pull-up three-pointer after her own steal to tie the score at 28-28.
Barrington scored off a Hampton assist to give Bradford a 30-28 lead — a lead the Tornadoes wouldn’t relinquish.
Griffin had nine second-half points and finished with 12. Barrington and Lopey each had eight, while Bradford also got four points each from Hampton, Johnson and Shuford and two points from Kailyn Teal.
Barrington grabbed a team-high 16 rebounds, while Griffin and Lopey had seven and five, respectively.
Griffin led the team in assists with four.
Bradford will host P.K. Yonge on Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 7 p.m. On Thursday, Dec. 18, the Tornadoes will host Fort White at 6 p.m., following a junior varsity boys game at 4:30 p.m. and preceding a varsity boys game at 7:30 p.m.
The Tornadoes will host Bishop Snyder on Saturday, Dec. 20, at 4 p.m.
