Senior point guard Ashley Jones was credited with six of those and finished with seven to go along with 18 points and seven rebounds. Freshman center Carly Shiflett led the winners in the scoring department with 23 points.
Wednesday, the Vikings (2-2) were outscored 19-3 in the third quarter of a 53-30 loss at Western Harnett (5-0).
After Tuesday’s contest, Viking coach Matt Hrbek said that his young team has been working hard on the half-court offense that shined for most of the game against the Jets.
“We’re starting to figure out that we’re not a one pass and shoot offense,” the coach said. “We are by no means that good of a shooting team. We’ve got to make the extra pass in order to get the shot we’re really comfortable with.”
Starting with a lineup of two freshmen and two sophomores, along with Jones, the Vikings took command with a six-point run toward the end of the first quarter. First, Jones fed Shiflett inside for a basket making it 14-6. Then, senior Lisa Jackson, seeing action in a reserve role while recovering from a knee injury, found Shiflett again inside, and on the next possession fed her for a 16-foot jumper to make it 18-8.
Jones continued to be a catalyst of team play for the remainder of the half, feeding Shamecca Mosely inside for the first basket of the second quarter and Shiflett for a three-point play for the last basket of the half that ended with the Vikings ahead 32-18.
“She was looking for that pass tonight,” Hrbek said of Jones. “She has a tendency to put everything on her shoulders. She’s realizing she can’t do that.”
Any thoughts the Jets (0-3) might have had of getting back into the game in the third period disappeared quickly. It began with Shiflett feeding Jackson from the high post for a layup. Then off of a Jones steal, Carolyn Moore finished a miss by Tameka Peterson making it 36-18. Sophomore forward Tiffany Oxendine got into the act late in the period, feeding Shiflet for a 15-foot jumper from the side and that putting back a Jones miss to make it 48-27.
Shiflett finished her night with a pair of free throws giving her seven of eight from the line. She connected on eight of 11 shots from the field and also collected four rebounds and handed out two assists.
“She’s starting to get comfortable out there, isn’t she?” Hrbek said. “I like the way she squares up to the bucket. When she does that, she’s got a nice jump shot.”
Brittany Hurt led the Jets with 13 points. They were held to 13 for 38 shooting from the field (34 percent) and turned the ball over 23 times. The Vikings hit 24 of 50 shots (48 percent) and committed 11 turnovers.
Against Western Harnett, the Vikings trailed 25-19 at the half before going into a slide. Shiflett led the visitors with eight points with Jones and Melody Moore contributing seven apiece. Brittany Jenkins led the home team with 18. Tonight, Union Pines continues non-conference play with a game at Pinecrest starting at 6 p.m.
J-M 8 10 12 10 — 40
Union Pines 18 14 16 13 — 61
Jordan-Matthews — Thompson 1 0-0 2, Hurt 4 5-6 13, Snipes 0 1-2 1, Dameron 4 0-0 10, Parks 0 2-2 2, Bailey 2 0-0 4, White 2 4-7 8. Totals – 13 12-17 40. Union Pines — Martin 0 1-2 1, Sauer 0 1-2 1, C. Moore 2 0-0 4, Cameron 1 0-0 2, Mosley 1 0-0 2, Jackson 1 0-0 2, M. Moore 1 0-0 2, Jones 7 4-10 18, Barrett 0 0-0 0, Oxendine 2 0-0 4, Walker 0 0-0 0, Shiflett 8 7-8 23. Totals – 24 13-22 61.Three-point goals: J-M 2 (Parks 2); UP 0.
Union Pines 9 10 3 8 — 30
Western Harnett 13 12 19 9 — 53
Union Pines — Martin 0 0-0 0, Sauer 1 0-0 2, C. Moore 1 0-0 2, M. Moore 3 0-0 7, Jackson 0 2-4 2, Jones 3 0-0 7, Oxendine 1 0-1 2, Shiflett 3 2-2 8. Totals – 12 4-7 30. Western Harnett — Monroe 3 1-2 7, Corley 8 0-0 16, C. McNeill 3 0-1 6, Feester 4 1-6 9, Jenkins 6 3-6 18. Totals – 24 5-15 53. Three-point goals: Union Pines 2 (Jones, M.Moore); WH 0.
