Mike Ridaught
In a matchup of Class 1A playoff teams on Monday night, defending state champion Hawthorne wasted little time to show they were the superior team.
Hawthorne built a 10-point lead at the end of the first quarter and never looked back in a mercy-rule 67-24 win at home against Trenton.
“I think we played great,” said Hawthorne coach Cornelius Ingram, whose team won its 11th straight game. “We came out with some really good energy. We got the ball up the floor, got some easy buckets in transition, kind of opened the offense up some. We hit some jumpers early on as well. Everyone contributed. I love the way our team is playing right now.”
Junior De’Mya Adams hit a right-wing 3-ball and then added a steal and a layup as part of a 7-0 run as the Lady Hornets built a 13-4 lead with 2:31 to play in the opening quarter.
Adams, who knocked down four 3-pointers in the game, added a right-wing 3-pointer for a 22-9 lead two minutes into the second quarter to cap a 9-0 run.
She finished 10-of-16 from the floor and led Hawthorne (14-3) with 25 points. Adams single-handedly outscored Trenton at the half, 15-13.
“She’s special, man,” Ingram said. “She’s able to score all over the floor. She’s also a great passer, a very unselfish ballplayer, but we know she can score the ball. At any given time, she can heat up…it was fun to watch. She made some outstanding plays in the open court as well.”
Junior Jhalea Jackson scored 10 of her 12 points in the first half as Hawthorne built a 34-13 lead at the break.
Jackson filled up the stat sheet, finishing with a double-double by adding 11 rebounds, seven blocked shots, and six steals.
“Tootie does so much for our team,” Ingram said. “It’s unbelievable to watch especially because of her size. She’s a great rebounder and she’s one of our best ball handlers as well. When she rebounds, she’s leading the break, she’s making the correct pass…she had some key blocks down the stretch to start a couple of breaks where we got some easy layups. She’s been huge for us all year.”
Senior Lakijah Brown (four assists, three steals, three rebounds) added 12 points for Hawthorne, which finished the game with 23 steals.
Junior T’Myrah Carter had six steals to go along with six points off the bench.
Trenton (18-3), which had an eight-game winning streak snapped, was led by sophomore Kayley Sloan with six points.
The Lady Tigers, who will be the No. 2 seed in next week’s 1A-District 7 tournament behind top seed and No. 1 ranked Wildwood, will close out the regular season at Oak Hall at 6 p.m. on Tuesday and at 6 p.m. vs. The Rock on Friday.
The Hornets, who will be the No. 1 seed in next week’s 1A-District 6 tournament, will travel to P.K. Yonge on Wednesday at 7 p.m. and will close out the regular season on Senior Night this Thursday at 6 p.m. vs. Chiefland.