BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
After opening the regular season with an eight-point win over Class 6A Ocala Forest, the 3A Bradford High School girls basketball team overwhelmed Class 1A Union County, defeating the Tigers 57-1 on Nov. 17 in Starke.
The Tornadoes began the season with a 47-41 win over visiting Forest on Nov. 15, getting 17 points from Nichelle Brown and 12 points from Ar’Nayshia Griffin.
Brown scored six points in the second quarter to help Bradford take a 23-18 halftime lead. She and Griffin each scored nine points in the second half.
Jada Hankerson and Destiny Crum added seven and five points, respectively, while Ajiyah Jackson, Bernaria Nichols, Ayanna Pringle and Kimber Woods each chipped in two points.
On Nov. 17, the Tornadoes forced Union into turning the ball over 20-plus times in the first half. Nichols scored off a Griffin steal to open the game, while Brown scored off three turnovers to help Bradford go up 11-0.
Brown and Griffin, who scored off two offensive rebounds, had 10 and six points, respectively, in the first quarter.
Sky McMillian came off the bench and had two steals in the latter stages of the opening quarter, which ended with her making a three-pointer to put Bradford ahead 29-0.
The second quarter featured another two steals by McMillian, while Griffin poured in 10 points as the Tornadoes went into halftime leading 47-1.
Heaven Scott scored the Tigers’ lone point with a free throw at the 2:33 mark of the second quarter.
Crum made two three-pointers in the third quarter as Bradford added another 10 points to complete the scoring.
Griffin finished with 18 points, while Brown had 11. Nichols added seven points, while Crum and McMillian each had six.
The Tornadoes also got four points from Hankerson, three points from Jackson and two points from Pringle.
Bradford hosts 5A Middleburg on Monday, Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. The Tornadoes then travel to Jacksonville to play 5A Ed White on Monday, Nov. 28, at 7:30 p.m. before returning home to play District 2 opponent P.K. Yonge on Thursday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m.
The Tigers (0-1) travel to play Lafayette on Tuesday, Nov. 29, at 7:30 p.m. Union plays its first home game on Thursday, Dec. 1, against District 6 opponent Newberry at 6 p.m.
