By Brandon Sumrall | Special to the Advertiser

The Isabella Mustangs varsity girls basketball team has started off the season with only one blemish thus far, and was able to pick up its ninth win in a row, 45-36, at home on Dec. 20 against rival Maplesville.

After a tight 6-5 first period, the Mustangs (10-1) pulled out to a four-point lead going into the second period behind three 3-pointers by Kinslee Mims to take a 21-17 lead over the Red Devils (2-3) at the half.

The Mustangs kept the momentum and the hot shooting going in the third period, but the Devils were able to keep the score close and close out the third period only down three.

In the end, Mims’s 16 points, 12 of which came from behind the 3-point arc, was enough to give the Mustangs the 45-36 win.

Mims finished with 16 points for Isabella to lead all scorers, while Khadijah Craig had eight for the Mustangs.

Amber Uptain and Markeshia Bailey each had eight points for Maplesville.

Isabella’s varsity boys (2-9) jumped out to an early lead over Maplesville (2-3) in the first period, building a six-point lead behind the play Deonte Campbell, but the Devils were able to keep pace with Isabella through the second period and pulled to within four at the break, 25-21.

The Mustangs would see their lead vanish in the third period as the Devils made it 31-all to start the first and final period.

Stingy defense and forced turnovers by Maplesville in the fourth period was enough to allow them to pull away down the stretch and give them the 46-39 win.

Damian Mitchell led the way for Maplesville with 10 points, while Devonte Morrow added nine and Anthony Moore had eight.

Deonte Campbell for Isabella led all scorers with 12 points.