By DREW GRANTHUM/Sports Writer

ALABASTER — Strong perimeter shooting and tough defense gave the Thompson Warriors girls basketball squad the boost it needed in a 49-37 home win over Calera Dec. 12.

The Eagles got on the board first when Tyesha Haynes scored both a basket and the free throw after being filed on the way up for the shot.

Nine straight points from Janese Richardson, Myesa Pelton and Lauren Black gave the Warriors a 9-3 lead midway through the first. Two 3-pointers, one from Kiarra Pettway and another from Miyel Miller, gave Thompson a 17-7 lead late in the quarter, but a 3-ball from Kalen Starks pulled Calera within seven at the end of the first.

Thompson picked up the scoring in the second. Two free throws from Kelsea Bivins and another from Miller increased the lead back to 10, but Calera rattled off six points to bring the score to 20-14. The Warriors added two more baskets at the end of the quarter to make the score 24-16 at half.

The second half opened on a basket by Haynes, but saw Richardson respond with six Thompson points. Haynes registered three more points, but the Eagles still trailed by nine, 34-25, at the end of the fourth quarter.

A Haynes basket opened up the fourth, and brought Calera to within seven, but it was as close to the lead as the Eagles would get for the rest of the game.

With just under six minutes to play in the game, a huge three along with two free throws from Pelton along with a Richardson three gave the Warriors a 37-29 advantage.

It proved to be the scoring run that Thompson needed, as the Warriors held off the Eagles to nab the 49-37 win.

Richardson led the Warriors with 20 points, while Haynes paced the Eagles with eight.