FORT WALTON BEACH — It didn’t take long for Choctawhatchee High School to take control of Thursday’s District 2-6A girls basketball game with Crestview.
The Indians used their length and quickness to break open the game midway through the first quarter on the way to a 67-32 win.
Choctaw (17-4, 4-0) struck first when Malaysia Moore scored a little more than a minute into the game. Kashira Casey’s only basket of the night tied the game at 2-2 with 6:37 left in the first period.
The teams again traded baskets with Justyce Riggs doing the honors for Choctaw and Tiara Payne scoring for the Bulldogs (6-8, 0-4). The game was tied 4-4 with 5:57 left in the first quarter. By end of the quarter the Indians led 19-8 and had control of the game.
Choctaw’s senior post player, Nadia Fingall scored, six of her 11 points in the first quarter. And while Fingall had a quiet game by her standards the Indians had plenty of scoring to around.
Moore scored six points in the second quarter and Gabby Brown scored five of her game-high 19 points as the Indians pushed the lead to 36-16 at the half.
Nyquaja Collins scored four points for Crestview in the second quarter, but she was no match for the onslaught by the Indians.
Choctaw led 50-25 at the end of the third quarter and reached the running clock that is activated when a team has a 35-point lead with 1:54 left in the fourth quarter.
Payne led the Bulldogs with nine points Neteya Winston had seven points.
Crestview closes out the regular season next week with games against Mosley and Niceville.
And while the season hasn’t gone as Bulldog Coach Kathy Combest had liked, she’s hopeful a tough non-district schedule will prepare the upcoming district tournament.
“We played the teams from Pensacola and other places to get us ready for the post season,” she said. “We have to improve, but we will play hard.”
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview girls fall to Choctaw (PHOTOS)