Three big runs for the Northeast Lauderdale girls basketball team aided in its domination over Kemper County, 63-34, in the Sam Dale Tournament championship game Saturday at Southeast Lauderdale.

“We set the tone defensively,” Northeast head coach Lewis Lightsey said. “We got into our full court press, turned them over, and our bigs played pretty well. They got some baskets, and they held on under the boards against (Kemper County’s) size.” 

A day after beating Southeast by one point in the semifinals, the Lady Trojans started out with 16 straight points, including a 3-pointer from Kennedi Jimison, to take a 16-4 lead over the Lady Wildcats after the opening quarter.

They then used a 13-0 run in the second, with the help of six points by Mercedez Blanks, to lead by 24. Blanks’ 10th points of the first half off an offensive rebound put Northeast up 33-13 at the break.

The Lady Trojans started slow on offense in the at the start of the second half, but regrouped to score 12 unanswered and increase their lead by 31 at the beginning of the fourth quarter. 

Northeast made three 3-pointers in the final period for a 29-point victory.

Blanks scored a game-high 18 points and hauled in six rebounds. Jimison added 11 points and Trinity Anderson chipped in nine points along with six assists for the Lady Trojans.

“It was a lot of hard work and keeping my confidence up,” Blanks said of her performance. “It feels good to win (the championship) because it’s my last year here.”

Jasmine Harris, Sha’daria Darden and Chantel Stringfellow all had six points for Kemper County, with Harris picking up 11 rebounds.

Northeast hosts West Lauderdale Friday in its Region 4-4A opener while Kemper County plays Philadelphia Friday at home in its Region 5-3A opener.