COLLEGE PARK — The Spalding High Lady Jaguars basketball team got off to a hot start in the first half but too many turnovers and missed free throws in the second half caused them to lose to the North Clayton Lady Eagles 53-38 in Region 4-AAAA Division B action on the road.

Spalding falls to 9-8 overall and 3-6 in the region while North Clayton improves to 10-8, 7-3.

Spalding jumped on North Clayton early, racing to a 10-0 lead after the first four minutes of the first quarter as the Lady Eagles missed their first eight shots of the game. Spalding cooled off a bit in the quarter and led 10-4 heading into the second quarter. Both teams played better in the second and Spalding held a slim 22-19 lead at halftime.

A 3-pointer from North Clayton’s Christal Williams tied the game at 22 early in the third quarter and a few minutes later, North Clayton took its first lead of the game at 26-24. Spalding played hard, but the Lady Jags committed a few turnovers and also missed 7 shots and four free throws which helped the Lady Eagles increase their lead. Spalding was outscored 15-7 in the third and North Clayton took their biggest lead of the game, 34-29, heading into the fourth quarter.

The Lady Eagles put the pressure on Spalding in the final stanza, forcing turnovers and getting baskets. North Clayton went on a 9-4 run, capped by a steal and layup from Williams, to race to a 43-33 lead with 5:13 left. Spalding got a layup from Grenishia Daniel and a free throw from Jasmine Holland to stop the bleeding, but North Clayton got a rebound layup from KeKe Harden and another layup from Isis Cummings to get its biggest lead of the game, 47-36, with less than 3 minutes remaining.

North Clayton forced bad shots and outscored Spalding 6-2 over the final 3 minutes for the final 53-46 margin.

Williams led all scorers with 20 points (including 2 of 4 from the 3-point line) and Alejandra Anderson added 17 for North Clayton. Twandalette Cotton and Desiree Corbin scored 10 points each for Spalding, with Corbin adding 9 rebounds and 2 blocks.

The Lady Jags host Division B foe Upson-Lee Friday at 7 p.m.

Spalding girls 68, Stockbridge 51 (Saturday): STOCKBRIDGE -- The Spalding Lady Jags had four players in double figures and won handily on the road in a Region 4-AAAA crossover game last Saturday, 68-51.

This game was a makeup game from a contest that was supposed to take place in December, but the Stockbridge football team had a home playoff game that Friday night.

Twandalette Cotton had 15 points, Jasmine Holland and Veronica Anderson added 12 each and Desiree Corbin chipped in 11 for the Lady Jags.