The Nansemond-Suffolk Academy girls’ basketball team came back on the right foot after an 18-day layoff, produced largely by the weather. The Lady Saints routed its visitors from Walsingham Academy on Saturday by the score of 59-15 to open regular season conference play.

“We came out and weren’t flat,” NSA head coach Kim Aston said. “We were a little tired, I could tell that some of the kids were really winded, but other than that, I thought we played really well.”

She said it was not a very tough game because the Lady Trojans were without their two best players, senior guard Hannah Parchment and sophomore forward April Ebanks, both transfers from the Cayman Islands.

The Lady Saints improve to 10-2 this year, 1-0 in the conference, and Aston said, “I really feel like one of the reasons we are so successful this year is because we have been so balanced.”

The team has not had an over-reliance on any one player, and this continued on Saturday as four players scored in double figures.

Aston did note the importance of sophomore point guard Harper Birdsong when she said, “If Harper is playing to the best of her ability, then we’re pretty tough for anybody to beat.”

Against Walsingham, Birdsong played well, according to her coach, recording 16 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Senior guard/forward Jessica Pieroni added 15 points, four boards, three assists and two steals and senior guard Macy Mears had 11 points, seven boards and three assists.

Senior guard/forward Kaylor Nash broke out for 13 points and three steals.

“She played outstanding defense,” Aston said. “I think six of her points were on fast break steals that she got.”

The Lady Saints visited Norfolk Academy on Tuesday evening. It continued the series of eight games they must play over a period of 12 days, a compressed schedule brought on by the weather delays.