The Middlesboro Lady Jackets couldn’t sustain a strong start Tuesday night. South Laurel took advantage of turnovers and missed layups to turn an 8-point deficit into a 59-39 win in the season opener for both teams.

In the early going it was all Middlesboro as Shanice Gilbert, Ashley Mason and Mallory Shoffner hit 3-pointers in the first period. Samantha Coleman added a pair of baskets, but the Lady Cardinals rallied behind nine points from Morgan Johnson. They cut the lead to 15-13 before Shoffner’s layup made put MHS up four at the end of the first.

“I thought the first eight minutes we played really well,” Lady Jacket coach Elgie Green said. “We took care of the basketball, hit some shots, the defense was lively.”

Coleman, who would led the Lady Jackets with 20 points, streaked down the court and pulled up for jumper that tied the game at 21. Then she picked up her second foul at the 6:21 mark and South outscored the Middlesboro 15-2 the rest of the quarter.

Senior Jessica Dean started the run with a 3-pointer and then came away with a steal and passed to Erika Burchett for a layup.

The Lady Jackets misfired on several chances to keep the game close. They were able to get into the lane and had good looks at the basket but nothing would fall and the turnovers started to mount.

“Before the game we talked about wanting to finish shots. We’ve got good shooters, we’ve got guys that can score around the basket, we’ve just to take that from practice into a game situation and finish,” Green said. “We had twenty-some turnovers and a lot of those were just bad passes. It wasn’t anything that South Laurel made us do.”

Middlesboro went into the half down 36-23 and was never able to put together a run to get back in the game.

Johnson led South with 21 points, Dean added 10 and Andi House came off the bench to score nine.

Coleman was the only Lady Jacket to reach double figures. Mason finished with seven and Shoffner five.

“If we can get Samantha to play hard for 27-28 minutes a game, to me she’s the best player in the region,” Green said. “Athletically, talent-wise she’s the best player. She’s just got to go out an do it every night.”

He said conditioning was a big factor in the Lady Jackets fall off from the first quarter and added that the team would be in better shape in coming weeks.

“We’ve got to get in better shape so we can play four quarters going up and down the floor and putting pressure on people,” said Green. “Overall I’m not really disappointed in the loss because I know we can get better. It’s a long season, we’ve got a lot of things we can improve on. But I know the talent’s there, the potential’s there. It’s going to be up to these kids to come into practice and work to get it done.”

Middlesboro (0-1) will be back in action Saturday at Madison Central while South Laurel (1-0) hosts Harlan County Friday.

— — —

South Laurel 13 23 15 8 — 59

Middlesboro 17 6 7 9 — 39

SOUTH LAUREL (59): Morgan Johnson 21, Jessica Dean 10, Erika Burchett 8, Andi House 9, Mary Clontz 5, Tisha Walker 4, Chelsea Anders 2.

MIDDLESBORO (39): Samantha Coleman 20, Ashley Mason 7, Mallory Shoffner 5, Shanice Gilbert 3, Carissa Overbay 2, RayAnn Moyers 2, Carissa Padgett 0, Lauren Cox 0, Taylor Moyers 0.