By DREW GRANTHUM/Sports Writer

ALABASTER — The Kingwood Christian Lions girls basketball team showed no mercy when it played host to the Russell Christian Academy (Miss.) Warriors, taking a convincing 43-28 win.

Kingwood scored early and often, racing out to a 30-13 lead at the end of the first half. While it appeared the Lions had the game in the bag at the beginning of the third quarter, the Warriors had other plans.

While the first half was an one-sided offensive affair on behalf of the Lions, the third quarter became a defensive struggle. Kayla Brown opened up scoring for the Lions, boosting Kingwood to a 32-13 lead. Addyson Moncreif and Zarria Morgan got in on the act as well, helping the Lions extend the lead to 35-16 at the end of the third.

Russell attempted a comeback in the fourth, shooting three 3-point shots. Despite closing to within 14, it was all for not as a Morgan basket put the seal on a 43-28 victory for the Lions.