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The Thompson Warriors got back on track with a commanding win over Jackson-Olin thanks to double-digit nights from Destinee Ealy, Sydney Coney and Braelyn Castille. (For the Reporter/Dawn Harrison)

By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

ALABASTER – The Thompson Warriors got a crucial home win over the Jackson-Olin Mustangs after testing themselves over Thanksgiving week and taking three losses in four games during that week.

Thompson defeated Jackson-Olin 66-31 on Monday, Dec. 2 at Warrior Arena to bounce back from back-to-back losses.

The week before, the Warriors went 1-2 in the Discover Shelby Thompson Thanksgiving Invitational.

Thompson fell 62-34 to a reigning Class 7A Elite Eight team in Chelsea on Saturday, Nov. 23 before beating the John Carroll Catholic Cavaliers 60-23 on Monday, Nov. 25. The Warriors then finished out the tournament with a tough test against Central-Phenix City, losing 62-53 to the Red Devils on Tuesday, Nov. 26.

Thompson came close to securing a win the next day against the Guntersville Wildcats on the road, but the Warriors fell 63-57 on Wednesday, Nov. 27 to end their busy week.

Despite the losses, multiple Thompson players had solid individual days. Nadya French scored 16 points against Chelsea, Destinee Ealy had 16 points against John Carroll in addition to 13 from Sydney Coney, and Coney dropped 20 points against Central and 23 at Guntersville.

However, the Warriors were looking to put those individual pieces together for another victory as they took on the Mustangs.

Coney and Ealy got right to work in the first quarter, hitting multiple shots to power Thompson to a 20-point quarter on the offensive end.

That helped the Warriors establish a 20-9 lead at the end of the first quarter and build off of it from there.

Thompson topped its first-quarter offensive output by dropping 22 points in the second quarter behind strong efforts from Ealy, Jordyn Smith and Braelyn Castillo.

The Warriors also kept Jackson-Olin from closing the gap on the other end of the court and extended the lead to 42-18 going into the halftime break.

Thompson then held the Mustangs to nine points for the third straight quarter and continued to pull away. Castille scored six points and Coney added four points as both Warriors hit double figures and put their team up 60-27 after three quarters of play.

From there, Thompson took its foot off the gas and saw out the big 35-point victory.

Ealy, Castille and Coney each finished the night in double figures as Ealy scored 18 points, Castille had 14 points and Coney posted 12 points. Smith finished with nine points and KK Fenderson and Breanna Castille each scored four points.

The Warriors will play Southside-Gadsden next at home on Friday, Dec. 6 at 5:30 p.m.

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