BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Jada Hankerson had eight of her game-high 18 points in the second quarter, which saw the Bradford High School girls basketball team outscore Keystone Heights 16-1 en route to a 51-14 win on the final day of BHS’ winter tournament on Dec. 29.
The Tornadoes (8-5) scored the game’s first five points, with Hankerson hitting a jumper following a Khamyra Hankerson rebound and Destiny Crum sinking a three-point shot.
Riley Shuford hit a three-pointer of her own for the Indians, who were able to later tie the score on a rebound putback by Kadence Massey.
Keystone (1-12) made just two more field goals the rest of the :30game, with more than 20 turnovers also hurting the Indians’ cause.
Bradford’s big second quarter began with Jada Hankerson grabbing a defensive rebound and taking it the length of the floor for a basket. Another transition opportunity for Hankerson following Kayla Evans’ defensive rebound led to a trip to the foul line, where she made one free throw to put the Tornadoes ahead 13-5.
The Indians’ Daisy Hubbard made one free throw when she was fouled on a drive to the basket, but the rest of the quarter belonged to Bradford. A Jada Hankerson steal led to a three-pointer by Khamyra Hankerson. After a free throw by Jada Hankerson, Khamyra Hankerson sank another shot from beyond the arc for a 20-6 Tornadoes lead.
Jada Hankerson added a basket off a turnover, while Ar’Nayshia Griffin hit a jump shot to send Bradford into halftime leading by 20 points.
Ajiyah Jackson and Jada Hankerson scored six and five points, respectively, in the third quarter as the Tornadoes increased their lead to 31 points.
Griffin, who scored six points in the fourth quarter, finished with 13 points. Khamyra Hankerson and Jackson scored eight and seven points, respectively, while Bradford also got three from Crum and two from Alyssa Rentz.
Shuford made two three-pointers in the second half to lead Keystone with nine points. Hubbard and Massey each scored two, while Yasmin Bryant added one point.
It brought a close to a rough tournament for the Indians, who were outscored 180-46 in three games. Keystone entered the Bradford game off a 65-22 loss to Williston on Dec. 28. Bryant led the team with seven points, while Shuford had six. Alana Anderson and Jaynell Hill each added four points, while Madisun Brady had one.
Bradford is idle until Tuesday, Jan. 9, when it hosts Fort White at 7 p.m. The Tornadoes then travel to play P.K. Yonge on Wednesday, Jan. 10, at 7 p.m.
Keystone hosts Nease on Friday, Jan. 5, at 6 p.m. The Indians then travel to play Middleburg on Monday, Jan. 8, at 6 p.m. before returning home to play Ridgeview on Tuesday, Jan. 9, at 7:30 p.m.
