The Mineola Lady Jackets received a rude awakening from the Rains Lady Cats, who ran roughshod over the hosts Friday in Mineola, resulting in a runaway 63-29 Rains win to open the Lady Jackets’ basketball season.

After Carmen Carrasco poured in the first point from the free throw line, the Lady Cats netted the next nine. A timeout slowed the deluge, but Mineola still trailed 17-5 after a quarter.

Rains added another 17 in the second, and the Lady Jackets’ lone score came on a three-pointer by Kyra Jackson in the last moment of the half.

The first few minutes of the second half gave Mineola fans a glimmer of hope, as the Lady Jackets came out of the locker room firing on all cylinders, giving a glimpse of what they could be capable of as the season progresses. If they are able to put together longer stretches of play with similar intensity and shotmaking, there is plenty of talent on the floor for head coach Anthony McQuarry, who just took the helm and had just two full practices with his new squad before the home-opener.

McQuarry noted that Rains is polished, moves the ball well, is already in-shape and, “up and down the floor they beat us in the energy and effort part, along with making shots.”

He thought the second half was about, “a little bit of heart,” and takes positives from how his team responded to two things he told them in the locker room which they could control on the court – energy and effort – on which the Lady Jackets delivered.

“We looked a lot better,” said McQuarry, and the score soon reflected it. A couple threes from Jayla Jackson propelled Mineola to an 8-0 run in the first two minutes of the third quarter, prompting a Lady Cat timeout.

Rains found their footing and continued to push ahead 50-20 after the third.

A couple of solid passes, including a great assist from Macy Fischer to a cutting Mahayla McMahon helped the Lady Jackets tally nine more in the final frame.