BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Cherish Bing and Ar’Nayshia Griffin scored every point during an 11-0 fourth-quarter run as the Bradford High School girls basketball team defeated visiting Columbia 53-45 on Dec. 3.
The Class 3A Tornadoes (2-2) were coming off a 56-20 loss to Rural Class Williston on Nov. 30 and got off to a rough start against Class 5A Columbia. Bradford committed eight turnovers in the first quarter and trailed 9-4 at one point.
Bradford eventually tied it up at the free-throw line, making 5 of 6 attempts. Two foul shots by Griffin to start the second quarter made the score 9-9.
A Griffin defensive rebound led to a transition basket by Nichelle Brown, while a drive by Griffin resulted in another score, putting the Tornadoes up 13-9.
The Tornadoes scored 11 of the final 17 points of the half. Griffin sank a three-pointer off a Brown assist. Brown later knocked down back-to-back three-pointers off Griffin assists. Griffin later added a two-point bucket to help Bradford take a 26-22 lead into halftime.
Griffin, who finished with 24 points, scored all but four of her team’s 12 third-quarter points.
It was a 28-28 game when Griffin sank two free throws after getting fouled on a drive to the basket. An offensive rebound and putback by Griffin put Bradford up 32-29. She later grabbed a defensive rebound and dribbled the length of the court for another score, making it 34-29.
Griffin would add one more basket that was part of a 10-2 run to close out the quarter. Kailyn Teal had a rebound putback in the final seconds that sent the Tornadoes into the fourth quarter leading 38-30.
Bradford’s 11-0 fourth-quarter run began with Bing scoring on a drive to the basket. Griffin sank a trey on a Brown assist and later scored under the basket, drawing a foul and making the ensuing free throw. Brown then assisted on another three-pointer — this time by Bing. The run put the Tornadoes up 52-35.
Brown and Bing finished with 10 and seven points, respectively.
Wynter Barrington added four points, while Teal, Kahmyra Hankerson, Ky’lee Johnson and Nyasia Lopey each had two.
The Tornadoes travel to play P.K. Yonge on Friday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m. Bradford then hosts Episcopal on Tuesday, Dec. 10, at 7 p.m.
