NATCHEZ — The Porter’s Chapel girls’ basketball team did not score its first point of the game until the 3:28 mark of the second quarter in its game Monday night against Trinity Episcopal. By that time the Saints had already built a commanding lead, and Trinity cruised to a 48-14 victory.

Trinity’s defensive pressure gave Porter’s Chapel trouble all evening by forcing turnovers and not allowing the Lady Eagles to get into their offense.

“We were able to get pressure on the ball out front with our guards,” Trinity head coach Richy Spears said. “We just pressured the ball real well.”

Trinity led 10-0 after the first quarter, 31-4 at halftime and was never threatened in the contest.

“We played better than we did the other night (against Silliman),” Spears said. “We had more intensity, and we settled down tonight and did a little better.”

The Lady Saints extended their lead to 42-7 at the end of the third quarter.

Porter’s Chapel was able to get a few shots to fall in the fourth quarter and equaled their scoring output in the previous three quarters to double their total to 14. The Lady Eagles outscored the Lady Saints by a point in the fourth quarter.

Abbey Ashmore led Trinity in scoring with 11 points. Patsy Coffey scored nine, and Caitlyn Upton added eight of her own.

Rachel House and Murphy Aldridge also helped out the Lady Saints on offense with six and five points respectively.

Morgan Ross led Porter’s Chapel with four points in the contest.

Although Spears said he was pleased overall with the way his team played defense, they still have work to do offensively.

“We have to work on getting stronger under the goal,” he said. “We have to get smarter with the basketball.”

The Lady Saints improved to 3-1 on the season. They will travel to Centreville Academy Thursday to face the Lady Tigers.

Trinity Boys 64, Porter’s Chapel 48

Tanner Cage scored 37 points for the Trinity boys’ basketball team Monday night to lead the Saints to a 64-48 victory over Porter’s Chapel.

Trinity jumped out to a 9-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Saints took control of the contest in the second quarter by outscoring the Eagles 19-11 and taking a 28-17 lead into the half.

Trinity maintained its 11-point cushion through the third quarter and stretched the lead to 16 in the fourth.

Trae McKenzie added eight points and 18 rebounds to go along with Cage’s 37-point outburst. Sky Logan scored seven for the Saints and Taylor Strahan added six. Logan also grabbed 10 rebounds for Trinity.

The win improves Trinity to 2-0 on the season. The Saints will face Centreville Thursday.