XENIA — Even without two players, Sidney’s defense was too much for Xenia in a Miami Valley League game on Thursday.

After a close battle in the first 12 minutes, Sidney scored the last 11 points of the second quarter and continued to dominate in the second half to earn a 54-24 win at Phil Anderson Gymnasium.

The Yellow Jackets forced the Buccaneers into committing over 15 turnovers, dominated rebounding and were nearly unstoppable on offense after a slow stretch in the first half.

“We felt like if we played our game at the pace we needed to, we’d get the shots we wanted,” Sidney coach Jamal Foster said. “A few shots weren’t going in early, but we knew they would go in eventually.”

Jordan Scully led Sidney (4-1, 3-0 MVL) with 24 points, all of which came in the first three quarters. She scored 37 points in an overtime loss to Lima Bath on Monday, in which she also had three rebounds and three steals.

“She is transitioning from not just being a shooter, but being a scorer, a three-level scorer” Foster said. “Her getting to the bucket and getting easier shots, in addition to her hitting the 3’s, is a lot different than what she’s done in the past. She’s showing the midrange, she’s getting to the basket, getting to the foul line.”

Scully, a junior guard, is averaging an MVL-best 21 points per game. She averaged 11 and 10 points per game, respectively, in her freshman and sophomore seasons but is taking on the lead scoring role this season after the graduation of Allie Stockton, who was the team’s leading scorer four consecutive seasons.

Scully entered Thursday shooting over 40 percent from 3-point range. She missed a few early but started hitting more in the second and third quarters.

“You’ve got to keep shooting. Try for different shots, try to get other teammates going and get more open shots,” Scully said. “I’m definitely trying to get more drives, anything inside, instead of just outside shots.”

Senior guard Kiara Hudgins scored 12 points; she is averaging over 11 per game and was averaging over five rebounds, four assists and four steals per game entering Thursday.

Sidney junior forward Kelis McNeal entered Thursday averaging a team-best 6.7 rebounds per game. She led the team in rebounding again and scored a season-high eight points.

Scully said the team has been playing cohesively.

“I think our chemistry is pulling us all together this year,” Scully said. “It’s really pushing us ahead. …People thought we’d be down, but we have our chemistry. …We’re still able to pressure the ball and speed the other team up a lot.”

McNeal started in many of the squad’s games last year and started her first game on Thursday. She gave birth about six weeks ago and has been reacclimating to playing.

“She does great work; momma does all the great work,” Foster said. “She gets the 50/50 balls, she attacks the offensive glass, defensive glass as well. As she gets more and more into herself, she knocks the 15-footer down. She’s one of the best defenders in the area too, because she can go guard 90 feet out and bang a little bit (in the post).

“Having her back is pivotal to our team. It was literally six weeks ago she was giving birth, and now she’s out here starting again. I’m super proud of her. She put a lot of work in to get here. She locked in, she was a great teammate. She was a leader. I’m glad to see her on the post.”

McNeal, junior forward Kendall Dickman and senior center Camryn Edwards combined to help control Xenia sophomore center Nataiya Madison. Madison, who is 6-foot-1, averaged 12.5 points and 14.5 rebounds in the squad’s first two games. She managed seven points on Thursday and had around the same number of rebounds.

“We’ve played some really good posts so far this season, and we’ve gotten in trouble playing behind,” Foster said. “Now they’re working earlier to get better position, and they’re getting better at it. It’s still early in the season, and a lot of them are still getting the reps of trying to guard the post.”

Sidney scored the first seven points, but Xenia (2-1, 2-1) scored the next seven to tie it, with Madison scoring twice during the run.

Sidney took a 13-9 lead by the end of the first quarter and led 15-12 before finishing the second on an 11-0 run. Scully made two 3’s, Hudgins made two baskets and freshman forward Oliva Foy made a free throw during the run.

The Yellow Jackets outscored Xenia 23-6 in the third quarter to take a 49-18 lead. They pushed the gap to a running-clock margin of 35 points in the fourth before the Buccaneers closed the gap late.

Xenia senior forward Tayler Elliott led the team with an average of 13 points per game entering Thursday’s action but was held scoreless by the Yellow Jackets.

Sidney was without junior guard Larkyn Vordemark, a starter, and sophomore guard Jada Shroyer, a key player off the bench. Vordemark, who was the MVL girls soccer player of the year, is at a soccer tournament in Florida this weekend.

Thursday’s game was part of a girls/boys doubleheader. Sidney’s boys squad beat Xenia 69-47 in the second varsity game.

“I like it. I’d like to do more of it,” Foster said of girls/boys doubleheaders. “We support each other. We’re all in the same family.

“It’s good to get bigger crowds and play with a few more people from the boys (game) watching. I know my girls get excited playing with a bigger crowd like this.”

The Yellow Jackets are scheduled to host Stebbins (2-2, 2-0) on Wednesday.

Reach Bryant Billing at 937-538-4818, or follow @SidneyOHSports on Twitter and @BryantBillingSDN on Facebook.