Maplewood girls edge East Nashville 56-51

The defending Class AA state champion East Nashville girls basketball team suffered its first District 10-AA defeat of the season Friday, falling to Maplewood 56-51 in a battle between the two of the league’s top teams.

Lapriara Ward and Mi Mi Hodges both finished with 11 points to lead the Lady Panthers (10-5, 6-1), who now reeled off six consecutive wins, while teammates Essence Johnson and Amber Appich-Kabi each added 10.

Senior Erica Haynes-Overton posted a game-high 32 points in the losing effort for East Nashville (16-4, 6-1), which has suffered all four of its losses since star junior point guard went down with a season-ending ACL injury in late November.

ReachMichael Murphy at 615-259-8262 and on Twitter@Murph_TNsports.