The Yellow Jackets took advantage of early game defensive miscues by the Tiggeroos to score 14 points during the first quarter of their game Saturday.

The Yellow Jackets’ 14 first-quarter points were a stepping stone for a 31-10 victory at Langston Hughes Elementary School.

The Yellow Jackets played the entire game shorthanded.

“We were short three girls because they had a Girl Scout meeting, so we really tried to substitute a lot to keep the girls fresh,” Yellow Jackets head coach John Carmody said.

Carmody said the Yellow Jackets liked to play tough defense to win their games, and that was still the game plan with six girls.

The strong defense started with the aggressive, in-your-face style of point guard Regan Keasling. She used her defensive prowess to create on offense. After stealing the ball, Keasling would sprint full court, stop, and pop to score points. The fastest player on the team, Keasling was able to score a game-high 10 points for the Yellow Jackets.

Keasling had some help from forward Lauren Fleming on the scoring side of the court. Fleming used her height to pull down offensive rebounds, allowing her team to reset their offense. She showed defensive range by pressuring and stealing the ball at the top of the key and not just in the paint.

Tiggeroos guard Kelly Song dribbles down the lane against the Yellow Jackets Saturday at Langston Hughes Elementary School.

Even with Keasling and Fleming playing strong, the momentum of the game shifted to the Tiggeroos during the second quarter. The Tiggeroos battled back with an up-tempo defense and improved ball movement.

Tiggeroos guard Alexis Junge shut down Keasling during the second quarter. Junge gave Keasling a dose of her own medicine by using a smothering style of defense to limit Keasling’s ability to drive the lane.

The Tiggeroos also bounced back with six points during the second quarter. Guard Kayli Farley used an up-and-under move to score as well as a long-range jumper.

During the second half, the Yellow Jackets’ substitution pattern began to pay off.

Point guard Nikki Carmody filled in for Keasling. Carmody got out on the fast break and converted open lay-ups.

After the game, the Tiggeroos’ spirits were high despite their loss.

“I thought I did a pretty good job of guarding in the game, but I’d like myself and the rest of the team to get better on defense during the season,” Tiggeroos guard Lily Abromeit said.

Coach Carmody said his team needs work on the offensive side of the ball despite the 21-point victory. He said the Yellow Jackets would work on their pick-and-rolls and motion offense.