Late run by Jonesboro dooms Lady Devils

Late run by Jonesboro dooms Lady Devils

West Memphis girls fall to Lady Hurricane

By Billy Woods

WM School District JONESBORO – The West Memphis Lady Devils hung close to Jonesboro here on Tuesday night through the first half, but the Lady Hurricane came out smoking hot in the third quarter en route to a 64-37 win.

The Lady Devils (8-6 overall, 1-3 in the 5A-East Conference) played tight defense in the first half, limiting Jonesboro (12-5, 3-1) to a 10 for 28 shooting effort from the floor and trailing just 24-18 at halftime.

But the Lady Hurricane, contrary to their recent play opening the second half according to their head coach, could not seem to miss in the third quarter.

The hosts sank 9 of their 11 shots from the field in the third quarter to take control of the game.

“We usually struggle coming out at the half,” said Jonesboro head coach Jodi Christenberry. “To come out and play like we did at the start of the third quarter tonight was a big boost.”

Jonesboro led 51-25 at the end of the third stanza, and from there it was too much for the Lady Devils to overcome.

The script was flipped at the beginning, however.

Behind a patient offensive attack, controlled by junior point guard Aryah Hazley, the West Memphis girls ran out to a 10-5 lead in the first six-and-a-half minutes. But the Lady Devils couldn’t keep the flow in their favor, hitting on just 7 of 29 shots in the first half and committing 7 first-half turnovers, 5 of which came in the second half when Jonesboro turned every one of them into points on the other end.

With junior center Tierra Bradley and senior forward Kenya Freeman controlling the inside, the Lady Devils outrebounded Jonesboro in the first half 15-11 and for the game, 26-21.

But the difference in the game was the torrid shooting of Jonesboro junior guard Destiny Salary, who led all scorers with 28 points, scored 19 points in the third quarter and missed on only one shot.

“Destiny is just a special player,” Christenberry added. “She can do it all, and it’s hard to guard somebody like that.”

Jonesboro’s Kianna Hardaway opened the third quarter by hitting a jumper just inside the three-point arc, but Salary came back on the next possession and made sure her feet were outside the arc, canning a triple to make it 29-18 and the route was on.

Salary followed up that first three-pointer by scoring Jonesboro’s next 6 points and 11 of the team’s next 13 points.

West Memphis got 10 points from Freeman while Hazley and Bradley each scored 9. Terrica Inmon added 8 points for the Lady Devils.

Jonesboro also got 10 points from senior Sonni Martin and 8 from Talia Clark and 6 off the bench from Brooklyn Dooley.

The Lady Devils will play at home on Friday night against Paragould.

Senior Kenya Freeman (23) battles for a rebound against Jonesboro.

Photo by Billy Woods