ELLERBE — Continuing Southeastern Middle School Athletic Conference play for the first time since returning from holiday break, the Rockingham Middle boys’ and girls’ basketball teams swept Ellerbe Middle on the road Tuesday.
Jackson leads Lady Rockets to big win
For the third time in as many games this season, the Lady Rockets picked up a blowout win, defeating the Lady Wildcats 44-6. Rockingham (3-0) is averaging 46.7 points per game this season, and has an average margin of victory of 32 points during that span.
Leading the Lady Rockets in scoring for the first time this season was eighth grader MaKailah Jackson, who made easy work in the post for a game-high 12 points. Jackson would spread six of those points across the first half, but dialed in and netted six more in the fourth quarter.
Other leading scorers for head coach Teresa Mason’s team were Keyoni Nichols (9 points) and Jamyia Lindsey (8 points). Nezyiah Crump and Aniya Tanksley both finished with four points.
Three Ellerbe (0-3) players scored two points apiece in the loss: Mikayla English, Taniya Chandler and Adena Gibson.
Rockingham went up 16-2 at the end of the first quarter, with Nichols leading the way with eight points. Jackson chipped in four points. Five more points in the second, and a field goal for Ellerbe, gave the Lady Rockets a 21-4 halftime lead.
Leading 28-4 at the start of the fourth, Jackson stood tall in the post for her final six points. Crump and Tanksley contributed their four points in the final stanza.
Rockets, Zimmerman cruise past Wildcats
Following the girls’ win, head coach Julius Bowden and the Rockets defeated Ellerbe 63-24. Jada Zimmerman was the man with the ball, netting a season-high 19 points in the conference contest.
Jaziah Liles was next on the team with 14 points, while Noah Jenks and Talan Stoner each netted 7 points.
The Rockets (2-1) were coming off a two point loss to West Hoke Middle School prior to Christmas break, and Bowden noted it was good for his team to rebound back into the win column.
“It was a good win tonight,” Bowden said. “I thought we played great defense and we rebounded the ball well.
“Keyonta Davis played big minutes for us filling in at point guard,” he added. “And Zimmerman, Liles and Jenks used their height and athleticism to put the game out of reach.”
The leading scorer for Ellerbe was Conner Utley, who scored 10 points, all coming in the second half. He had two three-pointers and two field goals. Freddy Hill notched 8 points for the Wildcats, and Dalan Utley added a triple.
Ellerbe (1-2) kept it close after the first period, trailing 15-9. But the Rockets defense limited the Wildcats to just one point, a Hill free throw, in the second, while pouring 16 more points on the board.
Zimmerman’s best frame was the third, where he scored nine points, finishing his scoring.
Both Rockingham teams will travel to Anson Middle School on Thursday. The girls will begin at 4 p.m., followed by the boys at 5:15 p.m.
Ellerbe’s squads will travel to Sandy Grove Middle School, with game times of 4:15 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
