His team is talented and among the better girls’ squads in the region, but if there is anything Northern Nash coach Grover Battle wants people to know, it’s that his players put forth maximum effort.

So it was no surprise that during Friday’s 52-34 victory against rival Nash Central, the Knights were diving on the ball for loose balls and often checking their knees and elbows for bruises.

One such incident turned the rout into a scare for Northern Nash.

In the final minute of the third quarter, junior Shakyia Mercer dove toward the floor and collided head-to-head with teammate Charrise Bullock.

Mercer began bleeding from the middle of her forehead, and the game was halted for 30 minutes as the paramedics arrived and tended to the junior’s injury.

“We received texts that she was doing fine,” said Battle, who had the dried stains of Mercer’s blood visible on his khaki pants. “She is strong.”

Mercer’s teammates initially took the injury to heart. Both teams went to their respective locker rooms, and the Knights took the time to say a prayer for their teammate before coming back onto the court for the final nine minutes of action.

“They were ready to go after they understood that we needed to refocus,” Battle said. “The kids stepped up and played hard for Kyia.”

That they did. Northern Nash (16-1, 7-1 Big East), led by 15 when Mercer was injured, and they came out and continued a pressing defensive effort that on this night and many others, was their best offense.

The Knights turned Bulldogs mistakes into two hands full of lay-ups, and they led by as many as 26 points in a game that spanned two hours.

Quanisha Lynch paced the Knights with 16 points, while Jasmine Griffin added 10.

Timyra Staton was the only player to score in double figures for Nash Central (10-8, 2-6 Big East).

The boys’ game lacked drama, and that might have been a good thing for the subdued crowd – many of whom left early – in attendance on Senior Night who watched the Bulldogs rout their up-the-road rivals, 69-41.

The contest was close for the majority of the first quarter before Nash Central pulled away.

Jaquan Wilkins led three Bulldogs in double figures with 17 points – Jalen Hendricks scored 15 and Christian Jones added 12 – as Nash Central kept a stranglehold on second place in the Big East Conference standings.

None of Northern Nash’s players reached double figures in scoring. Wesley Battle, Julian Cowell and Darryl Prunty each scored eight points for the Knights.

GIRLS

Northern Nash 53
Nash Central 33
NN           10    15    10    17    –    52
NC           11    4    7    11    –    34
NN: Quinesha Lynch 16; Jasmine Griffin 10; Jessica Lyons 8; Alexus Hill 8; Khadijrah Richardson 6; Deja Lewis 2; Jordan Oldham 2.
NC: Timyra Staton 16; Charnise Speight 7l Jordan Westry 7; Niya Styles 4.

BOYS

Nash Central 69
Northern Nash 41
NN           11    4    11    16    –    41
NC           14    18    24    13    –    69
NN: Wesley Battle 8; Darryl Prunty 8; Julian Cowell 8; Jeremy Freeman 6; Lorenzo Wilkins 4; Kyree Clark 3; Antonio Jordan 2; Rashad Bobbitt 2.
NC: Jaquan Wilkins 17; Jalen Hendricks 13; Christian Jones 12; PJ Jones; Nathaniel Pittman 6; Daniel Pittman 6; Harvery Griffin 3; Eric Mitchell 2; Wendell Hunter 1.

Jessie H. Nunery can be reached at 407-9959 or jhnunery@rmtelegram.com