BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Bradford High School went on a 15-2 run in the first quarter and led by double digits for most of the game after that, defeating visiting Branford 64-41 on Jan. 10.
The Tornadoes (10-1) trailed early, but tied the score at 6-6 when Jy’Quez Cason scored off a Maliki Cobarris drive. K.J. Taylor then scored off a turnover to give Bradford the lead for good at 8-6.
Jordan Cason, on a possession in which he grabbed two offensive rebounds, had a basket to make it a four-point game, while Jy’Quez Cason scored off a turnover to make it a 12-6 game.
Branford (6-8) got a basket from Jaiden Jones, but the Tornadoes then scored seven straight to end the quarter. Cobarris made a three-pointer and then added a two-point basket. Dylan Ruise was fouled trying to score off an offensive rebound. He made both free throws to send the Tornadoes into the second quarter leading 19-8.
Ruise would go on to have a good second quarter. His rebound putback was the start of a 14-3 run to close out the first half. Steven Carter scored off a Jy’Quez Cason assist and then knocked down a three-point shot that put Bradford ahead 28-14. Ruise scored off a dunk in transition and then sank a three-pointer of his own. Breion Johnson scored off a Jordan Cason assist to make it a 35-16 game.
Bradford got a combined 14 points from Carter, Taylor and Jy’Quez Cason in the third quarter as the Tornadoes built a 27-point lead.
Carter finished had 10 points in the second half and finished with 15 to lead the Tornadoes. Ruise’s seven second-quarter points helped him finish with 13.
Jy’Quez Cason added 10 points, while Bradford also got seven from Cobarris, six from Taylor, four from Johnson, three from Larry Ardley and two each from Jordan Cason and Kemontae Nixon.
It was Bradford’s fourth game in 2026, with the first being a 54-29 win at Bell on Jan. 3.
Cobarris and Jy’Quez Cason scored 10 and nine points, respectively, while the Tornadoes also got eight points from Taylor, seven each from Carter and Johnson, six from Nixon, five from Ruise and two from Bryston Williams.
Nixon grabbed a team-high nine rebounds and also blocked two shots.
Ruise and Jordan Cason each had three assists, with Ruise also coming away with four steals.
Jy’Quez Cason led the team in steals with six.
The Tornadoes traveled to play Bolles on Jan. 7, winning 34-31.
Bolles led 31-28 before Cobarris and Jy’Quez Cason knocked down back-to-back three-pointers for the game’s final points.
Cobarris led Bradford with 12 points. Nixon and Taylor each had six points, while Jy’Quez Cason had five. Carter and Jordan Cason added three and two points, respectively.
Bradford returned home to play P.K. Yonge on Jan. 8, winning 59-48. Cobarris scored 12 points, while Nixon and Carter had 11 and 10, respectively. The Tornadoes also got eight from Johnson, seven from Taylor, five from Ruise, three from Ardley, two from Jy’Quez Cason and one from Jordan Cason.
The Tornadoes host Westside on Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 7:30 p.m. and will host Columbia on Thursday, Jan. 15, at 7:30 p.m. Bradford hosts Baker County on Saturday, Jan. 17, at 7:30 p.m. and then travels to play Hawthorne on Monday, Jan. 19, at 3:30 p.m.
On Tuesday, Jan. 20, the Tornadoes travel to play Fort White at 7:30 p.m.
