Junior point guard Sophie Robinson led the Lady Jackets with 23 points and eight assists while also grabbing six rebounds and six steals. She was joined in double figures by senior center Brooklynn Jimison with 16 points and junior Shaleesha Coleman with 10.
With Mallory Shoffner sidelined with a knee injury, Robinson has taken on the roll of full-time point guard for the Lady Jackets and excelled at the position.
“She’s done a really nice job of controlling the tempo of the game, pushing the ball up the floor, and finding the open person,” Middlesboro coach Elgie Green said. “She had eight assists tonight — twelve the other night — and when you distribute the ball and score twenty-some points that’s a heck of a night for a point guard.
“She’s not being selfish getting her points. It shows that her teammates are finding her too, for the open jumper. We’ve had other guys have four or five assists a game and most of those are going back to her.”
Williamsburg was led in scoring by Kat Hoffman, Whitney Rains and Sam Burr with six each.
Both teams came out playing intense defense as they combined to force ten turnovers in the opening five minutes. A pair of free throws from Erin Sears tied the game at six with 3:28 to play in the first.
Middlesboro answered back immediately as Robinson passed to Jimison for a layup inside. Jimison was fouled on the play and converted the three-point play to give the Lady Jackets a 9-6 lead.
Three-pointers from Robinson with 1:12 and then six seconds to play in the period stretched the Middlesboro advantage to 15-6.
Robinson would hit two more 3s in the second quarter as Middlesboro out-scored Williamsburg 22-6 to take firm control of the game.
“Once we hit a couple shots we were able to get into our full-court press, they turned it over a couple of time and we were able to get some easy transition baskets,” Green said.
Robinson scored 20 of her points in the first half as the Lady Jackets built a 37-12 lead. They held Williamsburg to 3-of-19 shooting and forced 15 turnovers in the opening two quarters.
“On defense our kids were moving, they were rotating and just really quick to the basketball,” said Green. “That’s what we’ve been trying to do, get out in the passing lanes quicker, and they did that tonight. We held a pretty good team way under their average.”
Middlesboro continued to pull away in the third quarter. They forced nine turnovers, Jimison scored 10 of her 16 points and the Lady Jacket lead swelled to 58-18 after three.
The game was physical throughout and things got testy in the third period. Williamsburg’s Erin Sears drew a technical foul for shoving Shanice Gilbert in frustration after Gilbert had stolen the ball. The officials gathered both teams at midcourt with 3:31 left in the quarter to allow cooler heads to prevail.
Both teams were subbing heavily by the end of the third, and Middlesboro continued to pull away. They led by as many as 48 points on a free throw by Daven Hart with 1:03 left in the game, before settling for the 46-point win.
Williamsburg came into the game 8-4 with their only losses to Whitley County twice, Corbin and Jellico, Tenn. They figured to be one of the Lady Jackets toughest obstacles to reaching the state All “A” tournament.
“Coming in as far as giving up points and scoring points they were about even with us,” Green said. “On paper, this was a tough matchup for us. But you’ve got to get ready to play every single night.”
Middlesboro (15-1) will host Cumberland at 7 p.m. tonight as the All “A” continues.
“Even though we beat them pretty easily here at home last week, we’re not going to take anything for granted,” Green said. “We want to stay on a mission here. We’re on a roll, we’ve got one goal and that’s to get to the class A state tournament. If they come out like they did tonight, good things are going to happen for this bunch.”
Williamsburg (8-5) returns to action next Monday at Corbin.
In other All “A” games Monday, Red Bird defeated Evarts 46-34 and will face the MHS-Cumberland winner in the semifinals Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Barbourville.
Those Lady Tigers held off Pineville 50-47 and will meet the winner of the Lynn Camp-Harlan game Thursday at 6 p.m. Lynn Camp defeated Oneida Baptist 44-23 in the first round Monday.
— — —
Williamsburg 6 6 6 12 — 30
Middlesboro 15 22 19 20 — 76
WILLIAMSBURG (30): Kat Hoffman 6, Whitney Rains 6, Sam Burr 6, Cecily Sears 4, Kristin Sears 3, Christy Durham 3, Erin Sears 2, Brittany Peters 0, Lakin Ayers 0, Megn Stohner 0, Taylor Haynes 0, Alex Roberts 0.
MIDDLESBORO (76): Sophie Robinson 23, Brooklynn Jimison 16, Shaleesha Coleman 10, Samantha Coleman 8, Ashley Mason 6, Carissa Overbay 5, Shanice Gilbert 3, Ashley Williams 2, Taylor Hatchell 2, Daven Hart 1, Katie Maiden 0, Kristen Davis 0, Sidni Schneider 0, Whitney Ellis 0.
(Photo Above: Lady Jacket senior Brooklynn Jimison shows a soft touch under the basket for two of her 16 points in Monday’s win over Williamsburg. JAY COMPTON/Daily News)
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