SIDNEY — Sidney picked up a critical early-season Miami Valley League win on Wednesday against Stebbins.

The Yellow Jackets beat the Indians 55-46 to become the last team still undefeated in MVL play. Stebbins was the only other league squad still undefeated entering Wednesday’s game.

After a close first quarter, Sidney (5-1, 4-0 MVL Valley Division) dominated the rest of the way.

The Yellow Jackets led 55-37 before Stebbins (3-3, 3-1) scored the last nine points, seven of which came in the final minute against Sidney’s junior varsity players.

Sidney senior guard Kiara Hudgins and junior guard Jordan Scully missed much of the first quarter after picking up early fouls. Sidney struggled to get going offensively; a pair of baskets by Kelis McNeal were the team’s only field goals.

The squads were tied 10-10 at the end of the first quarter, but the Yellow Jackets used a 20-7 scoring advantage in the second to take a 13-point halftime lead.

“We wanted to get the tempo up, see how they responded to some pressure,” Sidney coach Jamal Foster said. “Ki (Hudgins) set the tone with that. (Our players) did a good job getting it up the floor and finishing.”

Junior guard Larkyn Vordemark scored eight of her 17 points in the second, while senior center Camryn Edwards added two baskets in the post and freshman forward Olivia Foy added one.

McNeal, a 5-foot-10 junior who was averaging a team-best 6.5 rebounds per game entering Wednesday, finished with nine points. Edwards added six and Foy added four.

The three players, along with junior forward Kendall Dickman, are anchoring the squad in the post, and all are adjusting in one way or another.

McNeal is gaining endurance after giving birth shortly before the start of the season, and Dickman is adjusting to her first season of significant varsity play.

Edwards is playing basketball for the first time since middle school, and Foy is adjusting to playing varsity as a freshman.

“Cam is getting better weekly. She’s understanding the game; it’s coming to her,” Foster said. “She does a great job on the glass already, and now she’s feeling comfortable finishing. It’s really big for us to get some sort of inside presence. I’m glad she got to see the ball go in.

“Liv is a very athletic, talented freshman. She can guard, she can get to the bucket, she can do some things naturally we really need. As she continues to get comfortable at the 7:30 time slot, she’ll do more and more.”

Hudgins, who was averaging an MVL-best five steals per game entering Wednesday, added 12 points. Scully, who was averaging 4.2 steals, added seven points.

It was the first time this season Scully, who received much attention from Stebbins, didn’t reach double digits. Foster said he was proud of how the team responded offensively, especially Vordemark, who scored on drives to the post, a couple of jumpers and one 3-pointer.

It was Vordemark’s first game after playing in a soccer showcase in Florida last week.

“She brings aggressiveness. Her being able to score at the bucket, the midrange, hitting a 3, was huge,” Foster said. “She makes it so hard to key on one person. That’s what junk defenses are used for, to slow people down. Jordan will see more of them, we’ll adjust to them. But we have more than one player who can score, and today proved that.”

Sidney led 44-31 at the end of the third quarter and pushed its lead as high as 18 points in the fourth.

The Yellow Jackets are scheduled to host West Carrollton (2-2, 2-1) on Saturday.

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