Lady Thunderbirds handle Seminole College with ease

Jason Farmer

News-Sun

     The New Mexico Junior College women's basketball team got back in the win column Monday when the Lady Thunderbirds beat Seminole College 92-64. 

     Right from the opening tip, the Lady Thunderbirds were hot as NMJC scored 22 points in the first 10 minutes of play.  At the same time, the Lady Thunderbirds defense held Seminole College to just seven points.

     NMJC got into foul trouble during the second quarter and Seminole was able to battle its way back into the game though not by much.  Seminole outscored NMJC by two points, 19-17, in the second quarter, cutting the Lady Thunderbirds lead to 13 points at the break.

     "We got off to a pretty good start in the first quarter, with a good first quarter run," NMJC coach Drew Sanders said.  "We had some foul trouble in the second quarter and they kind of made a run on us."

     The Lady Thunderbirds picked up the offensive pace in the second half, as did Seminole.  Still, it wasn't enough to overcome NMJC.  The Lady Thunderbirds scored 28 points in the third quarter as opposed to Seminole's 18.  Then, in the fourth, NMJC dropped in 25 points while Seminole scored 20.

     "In the middle of the third period, we were able to throw the game open," Sanders said.  "We were able to establish a safe lead and Ni'Asia McIntosh was very instrumental in that, scoring 14 points in the third period."

     New Mexico Junior College had three players score in double figures and one other player just miss.  McIntosh led the Lady Thunderbirds with 21 points.  Alarie Mayze finished with 14 points while Daiane Machado chipped in 10 points.  Also scoring for NMJC was Dezirae Hampton with nine points, Ekaterina Zhibareva with eight, Laurynn McGowen with seven, and Ashley Perez had five.

     With the win, NMJC improves to 6-1 on the season.  The Lady Thunderbirds will be back on the court Friday when they play in the Western Texas Classic in Snyder, Texas.  NMJC will battle 903 Elite.