Middlesboro put together a complete game on Thursday when they hosted Berea. With the exception of a short stint in the first period, the Lady Jackets controlled the momentum en route to a 66-32 victory over the Lady Jackets.

“I’ve been talking to them about a winning mentality, and you got to get after it. From the tip all the way through, you’ve got to play hard. You don’t have time to let off,” said Middlesboro coach Bethany Evans. “They did that. I’m proud of them. We’re really getting better.

“They’re making that extra pass down the floor. We’ve been working on pushing the ball up faster. We pressed a little bit tonight, (and) our younger ones played. Everybody contributed tonight. It was a whole team effort.”

Baylee Woody and Lakin Burke — who was starting in place of Malorie Carter — tied for a game-high 17 points on the night. Hannah Warren added 13 points after hitting three shots from beyond the arc.

The bench saw minutes on the floor as well combining for 12 points. Tenley Jackson led the group with six points off two 3-pointers.

“That’s the great thing about this team. I got seven, eight, nine kids on the bench that I can sub in if needed and it doesn’t really change anything,” said Evans. “They got a bright future ahead if this group stays together. I can’t wait to see them in the future. They are going to be hard to contend with.”

Berea’s Matilyn Stepp started hot out of the gate scoring eight of her 14 points in the first quarter. After switching to a man-to-man defense, Jamayha Poe limited the eighth-grade point guard to just six points throughout the rest of the game.

“We started out in a zone and then we went to man. I told (Jamayha)…to take (Stepp), and she did,” said Evans. “She stopped her. That was a game-changer. She did what we asked her to do, and it really helped us tonight.”

Adrienne Beggs also finished in double figures for the Lady Pirates with 13 points.

Berea jumped out to an early 8-3 lead off the back of consecutive 3-pointers from Stepp and Melissa Gosney. The Lady Pirates kept the lead at five for most of the quarter, but the Lady Jackets went on a 9-0 run at the end of the frame with a 3-pointer by Warren at the buzzer giving Middlesboro a 14-13 lead.

The Lady Jackets used an 11-0 run midway through the second to build a 28-17 lead. A 3-pointer by Burke capped the run.

A 3-pointer by Stepp cut the lead to single digits, but Woody answered with a three of her own to give Middlesboro a 31-20 lead. Beggs narrowed the margin to nine, 31-22, with a putback at the buzzer.

The Lady Jackets seized total control in the third quarter holding the Lady Pirates scoreless in the period. Middlesboro scored 14 unanswered points with five players scoring from the field. The Lady Jackets took a 45-22 lead into the final frame.

Middlesboro grew their lead in the fourth outscoring Berea 21-10 to secure the 34-point victory.

Up Next

Middlesboro (8-10) will host district foe Harlan County (17-2) at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

Berea (8-13) will play Nicholas County (15-5) on Saturday.

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Middlesboro 66, Berea 32

MIDDLESBORO (8-10)

Baylee Woody 7 1-1 17, Jamayha Poe 2 0-0 5, Hannah Warren 5 0-0 13, Grace Moles 1 0-0 2, Lakin Burke 7 2-4 17, Kailey Owens 1 0-0 2, Tenley Jackson 2 0-0 6, Grace Temple 1 0-0 2, Mallory James 1 0-1 2. Totals: 27 3-6 66.

BEREA (8-13)

Matilyn Stepp 5 1-2 14, Melissa Gosney 1 0-0 3, Alexis Newman 1 0-0 2, Adrienne Beggs 5 3-5 13, Chesney Lovins 0 0-0 0, Malyah Penn 0 0-2 0. Totals: 12 4-9 32.

Middlesboro 14 17 14 21 — 66

Berea 13 9 0 10 — 32

3-point goals: Middlesboro 9 (Warren 3, Woody 2, Jackson 2, Poe 1, Burke 1), Berea 4 (Stepp 3, Gosney 1).

Reach Anthony Cloud at 606-302-9090 or on Twitter @AnthonyCloudMDN