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- Eastside Lady Eagles dominated Meadowcreek 82-23, marking coach Roderick Baker's first career win as a head coach.
- Ari Carter exploded late, scoring 12 points in the fourth quarter to seal one of the program's highest point totals.
- Balanced scoring from starters and bench (Smith, Davis, Banks, Buchanan, Nesbitt, Bascom) produced a decisive, team-wide performance.
COVINGTON, Ga. — For new head coach Roderick Baker it does not get much better than it did on Friday night.
Baker’s Lady Eagles scored win No. 1 on the young season in a 82-23 domination over the visiting Meadowcreek Lady Mustangs.
The victory was not only the team’s first this season, but the first in Baker’s career as a head coach.
“I’m excited and I’m happy for the team,” Baker said. “I’m glad my parents were here to see it. Let’s move on and win some more.”
Without Jarilix Rivera available, the Lady Eagles knew they would have to rely on solid team basketball to make up some of the difference.
That proved to be no issue, as the combination of Ari Carter, Nyla Smith, Kam Davis, Donee Morain and Hannah Williams led the team on. 16-2 run to open the contest.
Meadowcreek’s first converted field goal came with 1:56 left in the first quarter thanks to a three-pointer by Madison Dumas. Dumas would go on to score all seven points for the Lady Mustangs in the first quarter.
Eastside would keep things rolling, ending the first quarter with a 22-7 lead.
Smith, Davis and De’Aysia Banks led Eastside on another scoring run, increasing the Lady Eagles’ lead by over 20 points before the midway point of the second quarter.
The bench got in on the action, too, with Mackayla Buchanan, Carmyn Nesbitt and Ahyanna Bascom adding on to help the Lady Eagles go into the intermission with a 39-14 lead.
Even though the Lady Eagles already had a 25-point lead, their best shooting performance would come in the third quarter. A total of 10 field goals, including two three-pointers, would set the Lady Mustangs up in an unwinnable position.
With the Lady Eagles up 60-18 to begin the fourth quarter, all indications would be that the Lady Eagles would take their foot off the gas pedal.
Carter said otherwise.
The junior forward went on a scoring tear, accounting for 12 of the team’s 22 points in the shortened six-minute quarter.
“It felt good to get the win,” Carter said. “I started off rough with a lot of fouls and then I had to calm down and came back strong in the fourth quarter.”
Carter’s efforts propelled the Eagles to a 82-23 victory, which is one of the highest point totals in Lady Eagles history, based on statistics available on MaxPreps.
The Lady Eagles play next at the Jackson EMC Tipoff Classic on Tuesday. Then, they will face Salem on Saturday.
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