By David Shaw
dshaw@salisburypost.com
LEXINGTON — Salisbury’s girls basketball team didn’t have to alter the blueprint much in its CCC opener.
The visiting Hornets stuck with their tried-and-true formula and hammered Lexington 69-32 Tuesday night.
“It was business as usual,” first-year coach Chris McNeil said after Salisbury (10-1 overall) extended its victory streak to 10 games. “We had a long break due to the inclement weather and I think the young ladies came back hungry. They wanted to play.”
The Hornets devoured Lexington (6-7, 0-1) by forcing 31 turnovers and limiting the hosts to 13 field goals, though five came against reserve players in the final three minutes.
“They play great pressure defense,” said LHS coach Lamont Johnson, an A.L. Brown graduate and former assistant football and basketball coach at Salisbury. “They’re so quick. It just gets to you.”
Salisbury got busy in the opening quarter, when seniors Ashia Holmes and Jessica Heilig combined for 13 points and the Hornets raced to a 20-7 lead. By halftime it was 40-15 and out of reach.
“The key was to ‘do us.’” junior guard Doreen Richardson said. “We just had to do what we do every day in practice.”
Richardson, who averages about eight points-per-game, broke that rule. She scored a season-high 17 points and made six steals in a breakout performance.
“She has great speed,” said Holmes. “When she uses it she’s better than most people on the court. And on defense she always seems to be in the right spot.”
Richardson gave Salisbury a 59-20 lead midway through the fourth quarter with one of her signature fastbreak layups.
“I don’t want to say she’s underrated,” McNeil said. “But a lot of times she doesn’t get the credit she deserves. She’s a wonderful player and today she looked at me and said, ‘Coach, I’m ready.’ And she was.”
Heilig finished with nine points, seven rebounds and four steals.
SALISBURY (69) — Richardson 17, As.Holmes 11, Rankin 9, Hicks 8, Allison 7, Rankin 6, Ay.Holmes 5, Miller 4, Feamster 2, Thompson, Blaire.
LEXINGTON (32) — Fowler 6, Jones 6, Lazenby 5, White 4, Ausborne 4, Carter 4, Kelly 3.
Salisbury 20 20 12 17 — 69
Lexington 7 8 4 13 — 32