WINDSOR – The perfect season continues.

The Bertie High girls’ basketball team took a 50-30 win over Pasquotank Friday night at Windsor in their 2A Northeastern Coastal Conference opener and also picked up their seventh victory on the hardwood this season.

It was the first meeting between these two rivals this season

De’najah Porter had a double-double of 17 points to lead all scorers along with a game-high 20 rebounds. Ten more points came from Shaunquisha Leary who also finished with a double-double after hauling down ten rebounds.

Bryana Williams had a dozen for Pasquotank and the Bertie defense held touted Pasquotank guard Mikera Jordan to just ten points before Jordan went out with a minor injury after a collision on the floor late in the fourth quarter.

“I was just glad they listened to me tonight,” said veteran Bertie coach Alice Lyons.

“They executed the plays and our defense was off the ying-yang,” she added. “Usually when it’s a fast-paced game up and down the floor, they don’t listen.”

That same quick pace the coach referred to took care of the Lady Falcon offense. The Bertie defense, meanwhile, kept the Lady Panthers in check and off-balance most of the night.

Neither team seemed to get going offensively in the first quarter and scoring points was at a premium.  Both coaches took time-outs to try and settle their girls, but it didn’t seem to kick-start either one. Thanks to a steal and lay-up from Zelvonia Swain and a Jomiya Earley jump shot for Bertie’s only back-to-back scores, the Falcons led it 8-3 after the first.

At the start of the second quarter when both teams decided to attack inside, Bertie’s superior height and rebounding worked in their favor as they opened with an 11-2 run. However, they had trouble cashing in at the foul line, missing 10 of 15 free throws.  Still, when they connected from the foul line it was effective and pushed their lead out to 22-9 at the break.

Early in the third quarter Jordan connected with a three pointer, but it was her first and last one of the night, as she missed her next six field goals in a row. In the meantime, Keyonta Green, Tyessence Martin, and Porter were connecting for Bertie and the Lady Falcons built an eleven-point lead after three.

Despite Bertie’s poor shooting, which continued while their defense held the Panthers in check, Pasquotank could only get the lead under ten points once – the opening of the fourth quarter. But that deficit was short-lived as Bertie had an 8-2 run, mostly cashing in put-backs in the paint, and had a 15-point lead at the three-minute mark.  Jordan never got on track, going down hard after a mid-court collision with two-and-a-half minutes left and never returning to the court. Pasquotank only scored one more point after Jordan left before finally signing off with a 20-point loss.

“It’s just a case of confidence with my younger players,” said Panthers coach Janie Cofield. “I tell Mikera she can’t do it all, and I know she’s frustrated; but as we get more experience I think it’ll take some of the pressure off her.”

Two more conference games are ahead for Bertie; hosting Edenton Holmes tonight (Tuesday), and at Currituck on Friday.