Jones carries Reddies past East Central

ADA, Okla. — Playing its first game in nearly three weeks, Henderson State’s women’s basketball team earned its first road win of the season Thursday night.

Behind a game-high 25 points from sophomore guard Pink Jones, the Reddies outlasted East Central’s second-half surge for an 82-78 victory at Kerr Activities Center.

Trailing 21-20 at the end of the first quarter, Henderson State rode an 18-0 run in the second quarter to take a 49-35 lead into halftime.

The host Lady Tigers wouldn’t go down without a fight as Devon Branch scored seven points in the third quarter, while Madison Nickens and Lakin Preisner each connected on a 3-pointer to pull East Central within 66-57 entering the final period.

A 3-pointer from Tia Williams gave the Lady Tigers a 71-69 lead with 4:46 remaining in the fourth quarter, setting the stage for a back-and-forth finish.

Henderson State’s Haleigh Henson later tied the score at 72 with a shot from behind the arc, and the final two minutes featured three ties and six lead changes before Jones took over.

The sophomore scored five of Henderson State’s final seven points, giving the Reddies an 80-78 lead with two free throws before Hailey Estes set the final margin with two shots from the foul line in the final seconds.

Estes recorded a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds, while also dishing out a team-high five assists. Henson finished with 12 points and two assists, while Bree Bossier added 10 points, three rebounds and two steals.

Lani Snowden and Tori Thompson each scored seven points for the Reddies, Thompson also adding four rebounds.

Preisner paced East Central with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Maci Henson recorded 11 points, three rebounds and three blocks. Aalyiah Blakley finished with 10 points and eight rebounds for the Lady Tigers.

Improving to 7-4 overall and 3-2 in the Great American Conference with their third straight win, the Reddies travel to Durant, Okla., Saturday to face Southeastern Oklahoma State.