THOMASVILLE — The Yellow Jackets were too fast. So fast they couldn’t keep up with themselves, turning the ball over throughout the first quarter against Cairo Saturday night at the Thomas County Central gym.

It didn’t doom them, though, and the Jackets pulled together a 53-42 victory over the Syrupmaids

Ashley O’Neal sparked the takeover in the first quarter when she dropped in back-to-back buckets on rebounds to break the 9-6 game to a 13-6 one at the end of the first quarter.

She continued her hot streak into the second quarter, when she scored seven more consecutive points.

“At the beginning, she rushed a little bit, but once we talked to her about the mismatch situation, settle down, take your time, she did just that,” coach Deatrice Hose said. “She did just what we asked her to do.”

O’Neal dominated the fourth quarter, scoring nine of her team’s 11 total points. She finished the game with a team-high 26.

She wasn’t the only No. 11 getting it done for her team Saturday night. Cairo’s DeMytra Robinson scored all of her nine points on 3-pointers in the first half, keeping the Syrupmaids close with a six-point deficit, 26-20, at the break.

Cairo had its shot to get back in with two early baskets and 14 trips to the foul line in the third quarter alone, but the Syrupmaids only made six of them.

They got in their opportunities to come back in the fourth, but the Jackets held on for the win behind O’Neal’s rebounding and easy lay-ups.

“Basically, we were trying to make sure we were staying mentally focused the whole time this time compared to yesterday (against Cook County), where we woke up in the second half, not the first,” Hose said.

Bryana Scott scored 16 for Central, followed by SaOrieon Parker and Erica Edwards with 10 points each.

Cairo was led by NyJah Coreene’s 15 points. She shot a majority of the team’s free throws, going 9-for-15. Kadaja Bell added in six and Jerrica Clark added five.

Central goes on the road for a game against Bainbridge Tuesday and will play in the Florida/Georgia Tournament in Tallahassee next Friday and the following Monday.

Cairo plays Bainbridge Friday on the road and hosts Pelham Saturday.