Nubians don’t skip a beat

MARIETTA, Ohio — There is a change in venue in the Division III regional for the Africentric girls from Lexington High School, but it took little more than one quarter for the players to feel like they owned Ban Johnson Arena.

The concern for the Nubians after a resounding 72-45 victory over Minford on Wednesday night on the campus of Marietta College was the health of junior guard Jordan Horston, the district player of the year.

Horston took a tumble with 2:26 left in the first quarter and was helped off the court by two trainers. She returned from the locker room for the start of the second quarter with a heavy limp.

Africentric (24-3), which will attempt to continue its drive for a sixth state championship at 1:30 p.m. Saturday against Berlin Hiland, trailed Minford (24-2) four times before the Nubians' strong defense began to take its toll.

Sakima Walker started an 18-2 run with a steal and layup and Alexia Smith ended it with a free throw with 20.1 seconds left in the first half for a 38-18 lead.

“We weren’t trying to feel anything out the first eight minutes," Nubians coach Will McKinney said. “They just played better than us. But youth is youth. I start two sophomores, a freshman and two juniors, and four didn’t play three quarters of varsity basketball last season. The kids fought and figured things out."

Horston scored just eight points, but was picked up by Nyam Thornton with 17 points and Smith with 12.

There was an ice bag on Horston’s ankle afterward.

“I was going up for the ball and came down and tweaked it pretty bad," she said. “But I’m definitely coming back — most definitely. I will be ready."

Thornton, a sophomore, said Africentric is focused on a state championship.

“We played hard and came together — we got our stuff together," she said. “I was ready — very ready — for this because we want to win it all. It’s always a team thing, but when one of our biggest players went out I had to step up. We all had to bring it together."