WILLIAMSTON – It’s unusual to see a high school female attempt a dunk in a basketball game.

Bertie senior Jessica Breland gave the crowd here Wednesday night something to cheer about when she made the attempt.

With 26 seconds left in what was a dominating performance by the Bertie girl’s basketball team, guard Ashley Berryman missed a lay-up attempt and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill signee Breland followed the miss with a dunk attempt that was so close to going through the nets that the entire gymnasium erupted in awe.

Breland, who last month signed a letter of intent to play her basketball in Chapel Hill next season, delivered her second standout performance in as many games as the Bertie girls led early and never looked back.

Breland led the Lady Falcons with 28 points, 16 rebounds, 12 assists, 4 steals, and two blocks as Bertie cruised to a 64-24 victory over the Williamston Tigers.

Guards Ashley Berryman, Satora Swain, and Tierra Perry played suffocating defense against the Lady Tigers, as Williamston found it difficult to get the ball up the floor and only managed to endure a first quarter score of 13-4. By halftime the score was Bertie 23 Williamston 10 and essentially it was a wrap.

Coach Alice Lyons-Bennett said that she wanted to see if certain players would step-up their play against Williamston. Particularly, she said, guards Satora Swain and Ashley Berryman.

Swain finished with 13 points and 6 assists, Berryman tallied 11 points and six assists to go along with four rebounds. Lyons-Bennett appeared to be pleased at the effort.

The Bertie coach also said that she wanted to give Breland some minutes playing the point guard position. Although Breland starts at center for the Lady Falcons, she will more than likely be playing the guard position in college.

&uot;We want to try our best to give her the kind of minutes she’ll need to help her get ready for the nest level,&uot; Lyons-Bennett stated.

That coaching accommodation for Breland led to her exploding for 10 points in the third quarter after having just 10 in the entire first half.

By the time Breland had found her groove running the point, Berryman, Swain and Perry showed that not only could they play aggressive defense, but they could hit the open jumper as well.

Senior Jane Brandon of Williamston led the Lady Tigers with 13 points.

Bertie (64): Jessica Breland – 28, Satora Swain – 13, Ashley Berryman – 11, T. Perry – 6, L. Outlaw – 2, T. Brown – 2, E. Vines – 2.