GIRLS: Jones' career game lifts North Pitt past Clayton

CARY -- History was nearly made at The John Wall Holiday Invitational. Zamareya Jones finished one assist shy of the first triple-double in girls' tournament history as North Pitt rolled past Clayton 71-47. The superstar junior guard finished with 24 points, 11 steals and nine assists as the Panther took control in the second half. Clayton took an early 6-2 lead, but North Pitt countered with a 14-0 run. The Comets' Kaylin McKoy hit a half-court 3-pointer as time expired to cut the deficit to 21-12, and she hit another late in the second to make it 27-20. On the next possession, Olivia Johnson hit a perimeter shot for North Pitt and Jones later scored on a layup as time expired to put the Panthers up 32-22 into the break. Darrionna Howard converted a 3-point play with 3:25 left in the third to cut the deficit to 42-35 for Clayton, but it was all North Pitt from there. For the Panthers, Zykheia Staton finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds, Olivia Johnson had 14 points and three rebounds and Kenae Edwards finished with 12 points and six rebounds. For Clayton, Howard had 21 points, 16 rebounds, three assists and three steals, and McKoy added 11 points.