The pick and roll is one of basketball’s most elementary plays and yet, especially when run simply and by two very skilled players, it’s one of the game’s most effective plays.

Nansemond-Suffolk’s girls basketball team was taught that lesson by visiting Hampton Roads Academy in a 61-41 loss to HRA Thursday night.

Senior point guard Caitlyn Unsworth and freshman forward Braysia Hicks ran the same play nearly every time down the court through the last three periods. Unsworth finished with 21 points and six assists while Hicks totaled 22 points and seven rebounds.

Early in the contest Hampton Roads moved out to a lead thanks mostly to Unsworth’s long-range shooting rather than anything that can be drawn up on a chalkboard.

Jessica Pieroni scored the first two Lady Saint hoops, one 15-foot jumper and a lay-up as NSA initially dealt with and passed through Hampton Roads zone press. Meredith DeLuca finished more sharp ball movement with a lay-in for an 8-6 NSA lead.

As the game moved on HRA’s pressure wore on the Lady Saints and NSA turnovers became more common than finding open shots.

Two Unsworth three-pointers were HRA’s last six points of the first period. She scored 10 points in the quarter and HRA led 14-10.

HRA turned to the pick and roll early in the second period. Hicks scored three hoops rolling to the basket as the Lady Saints double-teamed Unsworth.

A three-pointer by Macy Mears drew NSA within 25-19 late in the half only for HRA to score the last five points. After running the last 0:40 down, Unsworth drove into traffic inside, dribbled out to the left wing in the last couple seconds and swished an off-balance, one-footed three-pointer as the horn sounded.

Hampton Roads kept a comfortable lead the rest of the way. Sarah Baldwin’s jumper and Morgan Lokie’s rebound and putback on a fast break gave NSA a potential spark in the last 0:30 of the third period, drawing NSA within 40-28.

A 6-0 NSA spurt cut HRA’s lead down to 48-34 with five minutes left but Hampton Roads answered with a 10-0 run. Hicks scored eight points in the last quarter.

Pieroni led the Lady Saints with 10 points to go with two blocks, two assists and two steals. Mears had seven points. Baldwin and Lokie scored six each.

The Lady Saints (4-4) host the Beach District’s Kellam Monday at 6 p.m.