CORDOVA — A fast start and two strong scoring performances helped the Rockingham Middle School girls’ basketball team remain undefeated on Thursday.
Head coach Teresa Mason and the Lady Rockets traveled to in-county opponent Cordova Middle School and earned their fifth win of the season, defeating the Lady Cavaliers and head coach Terrell Hollingsworth 63-30.
Eighth grader Keyoni Nichols and seventh grader Jamyia Lindsey fueled the Lady Rockets’ win, scoring 18 and 14 points, respectively.
Helping the Lady Cavs stay competitive was Erin Fields, who notched a team-high 15 points in the loss. Chipping in nine points, including two three-pointers, was teammate JaNyla Harrington.
Rockingham’s starting five rolled out to a big lead in the first quarter, going on a 24-2 run to set the tempo. Lindsey scored all 14 of her points in the opening 10-minute period, finding the basket on several breakaway layups and putbacks.
Nichols would add to Rockingham’s lead with four points on two drives through the paint, and adding two points each were C’Niya Hinson, MaKailah Jackson and J’Nasia Neal.
Fields hit a jumper in the first minute of play for Cordova’s lone points in the quarter.
In the second period, the Lady Cavs outscored Rockingham 13-6. Fields led the charge, draining a pair of three-pointers and adding two field goals. Harrington got on the board for the first time when she hit a triple with 10 seconds to go in the half.
Neal scored four points for the Lady Rockets on a pair of free throws and a jumper. Alex Poplin laid in a basket under the rim in transition for her two points of the game. At the break, Rockingham led 30-15.
Erin Fields (22) hits a deep two during Thursday’s game against Rockingham.
The visitors responded by netting 18 more points in the third quarter to help put the game away. Nichols went off for eight of her 14 second-half points, starting the quarter on a 6-0 run by herself.
Hinson recorded the final four of her six total points, while Tenaziah McNeil and Aniya Tanksley both added two points.
For Cordova, Harrington rattled in another three-ball and a free throw, as Fields capped the seven-point quarter with a field goal and a shot from the line.
Taking a 26-point lead into the start of the fourth quarter, Rockingham closed the door with six more points from Nichols. Jackson put in two shots on offensive rebounds and Tanksley chipped in with a field goal and a free throw.
Fields finished her scoring with two points in the fourth, as Yasmine McLaughlin contributed her three points in the closing frame.
Rockingham (5-0) will return to the floor on Tuesday at home against rival Hamlet Middle School (4-1).
