Nixa girls basketball kicked of its 2022-2023 season on Nov. 22 with a road trip matchup against Columbia Battle, and defeated the Spartans 52-42.

The Eagles won the opening tipoff and jumped out to a 6-0 in the opening frame and never looked back. In the first half, Nixa's largest lead was 13 points, as the Eagles led by Battle 22-9 late in the opening quarter.  

Battle competed in the second frame and trimmed Nixa's lead to as little as three points just minutes before the half. But, it was in Nixa's favor at the intermission, and the Eagles led 27-22.

In the third quarter, Nixa regained it's double-digit lead after Kinley Hammitt and Jacy Bray trapped Battle and forced a Spartan turnover, leading to a Laila Grant layup from point guard Lily Mahy out of transition. Grant's layup made it 36-25 midway through the quarter and Nixa carried an eleven-point lead, 45-34, heading into the final quarter. 

Nixa held onto a double-digit for the majority of the fourth, and led by as much as 13, 47-34. Battle came within eight points, 47-39, of Nixa with a little run of its own but came up short in the Eagles' opener. 

The Eagles connected on 13 of 29 shots, six of which came from Mahy and forward Norah Clark. From behind the arc, Nixa drained four of eleven shots, all coming from Mahy and Clark. The duo finished the game combining for 31 points and seven assists, as Clark scored 16 with four assists and Mahy scored 15 with three assists. 

Nixa (1-0) will host Arkansas' Springdale Har-Ber in the home opener on Dec. 2.

Box Score:
Nixa 15 | 12 | 18 | 7 | 52
Battle 7 | 15 | 12 | 8 | 42