Prep Basketball: Lady Yellow Jackets are 3-0 after win over OLA

St. Martin’s Janilla Curtis (32) and Kiyara Lee team up for a rebound despite OLA’s Mariah Galbreth resistance Tuesday night. (Photo by Brian Edward Smith)

By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

BAY ST. LOUIS — The St. Martin girls basketball team got off to an impressive 16-0 start last year en route to 24 wins overall on the season.

Now, after just a week into the current campaign, the Lady Yellow Jackets seem set right back on the same type of successful path.

St. Martin knocked off home-standing Our Lady Academy 56-33 Tuesday night here at Brother Peter Gymnasium on the campus of St. Stanislaus High School. The win moves head coach Jason Kennedy’s Lady Yellow Jackets crew to 3-0 on the new season.

St. Martin’s Janilla Curtis takes aim on the basket vs. OLA Tuesday night. (Photo by Brian Edward Smith)

St. Martin’s Kylenn Ward surveys the situation vs. OLA Tuesday night. (Photo by Brian Edward Smith)

St. Martin’s Kiyara Lee splits OLA defenders Valentina Mossy (30) and Nichole Bradford on her way down the lane Tuesday night. (Photo by Brian Edward Smith)

OLA’s Nichole Bradford puts up a jump shot vs. St. Martin Tuesday night. (Photo by Brian Edward Smith)

The visitors overwhelmed the home team throughout the first two quarters to take a commanding 30-13 halftime lead, as Emma Chester drained a trio of triple’s in the opening period and Kiyara Lee dropped in eight points in the first half as well.

Kaleah Lowery also had seven points in that decisive stretch, including a pair of 3-pointers of her own.

Any hopes OLA had of a big second half comeback were quickly laid to rest by St. Martin’s Janilla Curtis, as she tallied 10 points over the final two quarters including six of those in the third frame when the Lady Jackets put the game away outscoring the Crescents 17-7 to take a 47-20 advantage into the final stanza.

Curtis registered a game-high 14 points to pace SMHS, whille Chester was close behind with 13 points. The senior floor leader Lowery, who is bouncing back well after missing all of her junior season with an injury, chipped in 11 points to the winning effort to give Kennedy’s kids three players in double digits.

St. Martin’s Kiyara Lee stretches out for a shot at the basket as OLA’s Taylor Henley defends Tuesday night. (Photo by Brian Edward Smith)

OLA’s Taylor Henley gets up-ended by St. Martin’s Molly Noblitt (12) and Ashanti Williams Tuesday night. (Photo by Brian Edward Smith)

OLA’s Taylor Henley takes a jumper Tuesday night as St. Martin’s Kaleah Lowery defends. (Photo by Brian Edward Smith)

OLA’s Mariah Galbreth takes aim on the basket as St. Martin’s Janilla Curtis reacts reacts Tuesday night. (Photo by Brian Edward Smith)

Taylor Henley, a major part of OLA’s recent Class 3A volleyball state championship squad, scored nine points to lead the Crescents while Nichole Bradford added eight points.

St. Martin was coming off of a big win in the annual Oak Grove Warrior Classic on Saturday as the Lady Jackets thumped Hattiesburg 65-32.

Curtis, the solid inside presence for Kennedy, recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds while Chester chipped in 13 points and Lowery 12 points.

St. Martin travels to Picayune Thursday night.