photo by Wesley Hallman

Briarwood Christian School senior guard Julia Hoke blocks a shot by Chelsea forward Sydney Arnold in the Lions' 38-31 win over the Hornets in the Class 5A, Area 8 tournament championship game Feb. 6.

Briarwood tops Chelsea for second consecutive area title

By Wesley Hallman (Contact) | Shelby County Reporter

Published Saturday, February 6, 2010

NORTH SHELBY — The Briarwood Christian School girls’ basketball team had to do one thing well in the final minute to escape with a second-consecutive Class 5A, Area 8 tournament championship Feb. 6.

Holding on to a two-point lead with just under one minute remaining, Briarwood coach Jim Brown anticipated free throws would determine the outcome of the game.

Brown was right. The host Lions hit 7-of-8 attempts from the charity stripe in the final minute to seal a 38-31 win over Chelsea.

Briarwood sophomore guard Cara Medders led the way by hitting 6-of-6 down the stretch to push open a tight three-point game.

“We’ve kind of lived and died at the free-throw line all year long,” Brown said. “That was big in a three-point game. That’s it for us. We have to get to the foul line and put them in the basket.

Kathryn Byers led the Lions (18-11), who own a 16-0 record against Class 5A, Area 8 opponents over the past two seasons, with 10 points. Anna Handlin and Medders added nine points each. Julia Hoke was named the Class 5A, Area 8 tournament’s most valuable player.

Lauren Swee led Chelsea (14-16) with 11 points. Perri Lambert added nine points.

The Lions were in control for most of the first half, as they built an 18-9 lead midway through the second quarter. Chelsea gained the momentum late in the second quarter as the Hornets rallied to cut the lead to 18-16 heading into the locker room at halftime.

Chelsea started the second half with a 6-0 run to take a 22-18 lead early in the third quarter.

Handlin nailed a 3-pointer midway through the third quarter to put the Lions back on top, 24-22. The Lions extended the lead to 29-23 by the end of the quarter and held a six-point lead throughout the early part of the fourth quarter before Chelsea made its final run.

The Hornets cut the Briarwood lead to 31-29 with just under one minute remaining, but an intentional foul on Chelsea’s Amanda Mock underneath the basket sent Handlin to the free throw line.

Handlin hit 1-of-2 at the line before Medders closed the contest with six straight at the charity stripe to seal the win.

The Lions swept the Hornets in three meetings this season with the victory. Chelsea coach Wayne Trucks said he was hoping for a different result in the third meeting between the two teams.

“We’re disappointed with the way things turned out tonight,” Trucks said. “We’ve made some progress, but we just haven’t been able to finish.”

Chelsea will travel to Carver High School in Montgomery for a Class 5A sub-regional game in the Alabama High School Athletic Association playoffs. Briarwood Christian will host Selma in a Class 5A sub-regional contest. Tip-off time for both games is 7 p.m.

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