Mobile Christian’s Trenity Jenkins-Gaines fires a shot against Northside Methodist Wednesday in the Class 3A South Regional at Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery. Gaines scored 17 points in the Leopards’ 56-27 win. (Helen Joyce/Call News)
Mobile Christian coach Kenny Wright watches his girls lead wire to wire in Wednesday’s South Regional semifinals. (Helen Joyce/Call News)
By JIMMY WIGFIELD
MONTGOMERY — Trenity Jenkins-Gaines scored 17 points and Mobile Christian’s perplexing defense held Northside Methodist to only 21% shooting in a 56-27 victory Wednesday in the Class 3A South Regional girls semifinals at Garrett Coliseum.
The Leopards (16-6) advanced into the regional final against No. 4-ranked T.R. Miller (21-1) Tuesday at 9 a.m.
Mobile Christian wielded what appeared to be an aggressive matchup zone and never trailed in a dominant performance. The Knights (20-10) — who made just 2 of 20 shots in the second half and 10 of 48 for the game — fell behind 9-1 in the first period, 23-11 at halftime and 41-21 after three periods.
Hadley Kelly added 11 points, 9 rebounds and 7 blocks as the 6-1 sophomore served as the enforcer on the back end of the Leopards’ defense, which Northside Methodist never solved.
“Not to give too much away but we try to allow Hadley to roam the paint,” Mobile Christian coach Kenny Wright said, “and my two guards, we try to put them on the other team’s best player and pressure them the entire game and wear them out. We’re flying around. We’re not trying to leave anybody open. We were in man and we just try to pressure the ones that need to be pressured and sag off the ones that don’t.”
The ones who penetrated often had their shots rejected by Kelly.
“Hadley is our rim protector,” Wright said. “We try not to let the girls rely on her so much ’cause we know she’s back there and she’s gonna block some shots. We take pride on the defensive end. That’s something as a program that we put a lot of emphasis on and having pride in not allowing your matchup to dominate, to score on you. And we stepped up for these last few weeks and taken on every challenge on the defensive end. I’m just so proud of Trenity. We put her on the other team’s best player for the most part for the last week or two and she’s been handling her assignment as well as Kai Wright guarding the other team’s point guard.”
Jenkins made 3 of 7 three-pointers and Kayleigh Todd had 10 rebounds for the Leopards, who have won eight of their last nine games.
“We’re getting hot at the right moments at the right time and we’re just ready to continue to dance,” Wright said.
