Perhaps the McComb Lady Tigers’ game against the Moss Point Lady Tigers should’ve been called at the opening tip.
The home Tigers jumped out to a 19-2 lead at the end of the first quarter, en route to 53-14 win over Moss Point on Saturday.
How one-sided was the affair?
McComb increased its lead to 29-2 before a Shanique James three-pointer snapped a 13:31 Moss Point drought. Moss Point’s leading scorer, Carvesha Glaude, tallied 5 points in the contest.
“Defense is really going to get us where we need to be this season,” McComb head coach Angela Johnson said. “You’ve got to be able to defend the ball, regardless of who you play.”
The offense had some time in the spotlight as well. McComb spread the wealth as nine players scored. Angelik Earl led the Lady Tigers with 12 points. She was trailed by Aunjanique Miller (9) and Audrekus Dexter (8).
“We kind of train everybody to be a threat, so it’s not a one- or two-man team,” said Johnson. “That way you’re not easily scouted. We’ve had to make them understand their roles.”
Most important, the game was a confidence booster for the Tigers (5-6) and their efforts to prepare for district play.
“If we come out and play like we’re capable of playing, we’re going to come out on top any night,” Johnson said. “If we continue this effort, it’s going to be a good season.”
Only 101 seconds into the game, the Tigers seized control. A Chasity McGhee layup sparked a 13-0 run fed my Moss Point turnovers to close out the first period with a 19-2 lead.
The run grew to 23-0 before James’ three-pointer made it 29-5. An Alexus Johnson jump shot made it 31-5 at the intermission.
The Lady Tigers had the luxury of choosing what they wanted to work on in the second half, and they decided on offense. The bench — silent in the first half — called out the number of passes on each possession as McComb continued to extend its lead.
The Lady Tigers led 38-7 after three, and closed the contest with a 10-3 run capped by an old-fasioned three-point play from Raneka Felder.
