Intense defense turning into easy points was Puxico’s dismay in the second game of the Charleston Shootout against NMCC. Coming into the season with high expectations, the Lady Eagles showed the Lady Indian’s all they had in a 69-3 drubbing. Junior Shakyra Wright scored all of her game-high 16 points in the first quarter for NMCC (1-0), on 7 of 12 shooting, while also adding six rebounds. Junior Ayannah Ruff finished with 12 points on 5 of 14 shooting, while freshman Natavia Betts was the final Lady Eagle to reach double-figures in scoring, with 10. Betts shot 5 of 8 from the floor and also worked on the glass, as she neared a double-double, with nine rebounds. Get your Semoball fix in one daily email Your email address “I thought they played the top of the press well,” said NMCC head coach Toby Heeb of Wright and Huff. “They got after them defensively, forced some turnovers that led to easy buckets for them — and other people too — and kind of set the tone. That’s what it’s going to have to be for us.” NMCC forced Puxico (0-1) into 33 turnovers, with quite a few miscues coming off Puxico struggling to find a way to beat the press. “I thought we were moving well,” Heeb said. “We did a better job of back-tipping and getting back to the ball, which we talked a lot about; played a jamboree last night, and I didn’t think we chased the ball well. Today, our main goal was to chase the ball a lot better, especially when we get beat.” Puxico 1 2 0 0 — 3 NMCC 41 14 6 8 — 69 PUXICO (3) — Kalysta Haynes 3. FG 0, FT 3-18, F 18. (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: none) NMCC (69) — Shakyra Wright 16, Ayannah Ruff 12, Natavia Betts 10, Mastajah Walker 9, Latavia Brooks 7, Jimmya Caldwell-Newson 6, Niyla Tipler 5, Shia Fountain 2, Az’Ranique Jackson 2. FG 29, FT 9-17, F 15. (3-pointers: Caldwell-Newson, Tipler. Fouled out: none)