By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Sports Editor

CALERA – The Calera girls basketball team didn’t shy away from its opening area game as they dominated the Jemison Panthers by a final score of 53-6 on Tuesday, Dec. 5, on the Eagles’ home floor.

The Eagles sprinted out of the gates to start the game and left no doubt that they wanted to pick up that first area win of the season.

Calera’s successful start was sparked by strong defense as the Eagles (5-2, 1-0) limited Jemison to just two points in the first quarter, as well as an impressive quarter offensively from junior A.B. Davis.

Davis had 13 of her game-high 15 points in the opening period thanks to six made baskets from the field and going 1-2 from the free throw line. She also had 13 of her team’s 17 points in the first quarter as Calera was able to grab a 17-2 advantage at the end of one.

Jemison’s only points in the first quarter came on a basket from Grace Autery.

That same success continued on both ends of the floor for the Eagles in the second quarter as they limited the Panthers to just two more points, while having their best quarter on the offensive end.

Behind seven different scorers, four 3-pointers and a 3-4 mark at the free throw line, Calera posted 21 second-quarter points to take a commanding 39-4 lead into the half.

That successful trend carried over into the second half and while the offense was limited to just seven points in both the third and fourth quarter; the defense held Jemison to just two points in the fourth quarter and none in the third to pick up the easy 53-6 win.

Calera had nine different players score in the game with eight of those nine having at least four points or more.