Edward Bell’s girls basketball team defeated Verbena on Friday, 40-28, behind 20 points from Kierra Billingsley and 14 from Natalie Copeland.

The visitors took a 7-2 lead on a 3-pointer by Billingsley with 5:08 remaining in the first period.

Marqueska Deramus, a junior, scored Verbena’s first five points—and finished with a team-high 13 points—but it was a field goal by sophomore Lacey Short near the end of the first that would tie the game at 7 after one quarter of play.

Edward Bell (2-1) took back the lead, though, on its first possession of the second period and held onto the advantage for the rest of the game.

The Red Devils (2-5) had their share of opportunities. They missed five free throws near the end of the first half and trailed 18-13 at intermission.

Billingsley scored five consecutive points to open the second half, and the hosts could never recover from the run, trailing 29-20 at the end of the third period.

Short finished with six points for VHS, and fellow sophomore Jameshia Green had five points.

Bell’s 10 players not named Billingsley or Copeland combined for seven points.