GIRLS' BASKETBALL: McCain leads Princeton past South Johnston

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on December 20, 2016 9:59 AM

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PRINCETON -- The mismatch was there.

Princeton, at times, took advantage.

Other times, not so much.

But when the Bulldogs got the ball inside to Jazmaine McCain, she was unstoppable.

An out-of-bounds play. Money.

A layup in transition. Easy payday.

An offensive putback. Extra change.

McCain cashed in a double-double -- 23 points, 15 rebounds -- as Princeton upended county rival South Johnston, 42-30, on day one of the inaugural QuickShirt.com Christmas Tournament. The Bulldogs oppose Midway in today's championship game at 6 p.m.

South faces C.B. Aycock at 3 p.m.

"Jazmaine is obviously a big part of our offense," first-year Princeton head coach Paula Wooten said. "They didn't have anybody who can guard her. We told them to get it inside."

The lone returning starter from last season, McCain was three rebounds shy of her double-double by halftime. She pulled down four caroms in each of the third and fourth quarters, but she managed just seven points.

That was one positive from an otherwise "so-so" affair.

Princeton (4-3 overall) started out in a sagging man-to-man defense and failed to box out on the boards. The pesky Trojans (0-10) knocked balls away that either rolled to a green jersey or out of bounds off a Bulldog.

South trailed 16-5, but closed to within 19-18 on Carmon Kenne's 3-pointer early in the second quarter.

The Bulldogs responded with a Jordan Benson basket and McCain's old-fashioned three-point play off Megan Bryant's assist. Princeton entered the locker room with a 26-18 advantage and extended it to double digits in the final period.

Benson finished with eight points, followed by Emily Ricks with seven. Megan Bryant supplied four points.

"I saw some good things," Wooten said. "They played hard. A win is a win."