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Sarah Ashlee Barker, above, posted 29 points in an area win the same night as being honored for scoring 1,000 career points. (For the Reporter/Dawn Harrison)

By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Sports Editor

HOOVER – Before the game tipped off, Spain Park junior basketball star and University of Georgia commit Sarah Ashlee Barker was awarded a commemorative basketball with the number 1,000 etched on it to honor her for scoring 1,000 career points with the Jaguars, and by the time the game ended she had added 29 more points to her total to lead the Jags to a five-point, 59-54 victory against No. 8 Hewitt-Trussville on Friday, Jan. 11.

The No. 5 ranked Jaguars also got 12 points from Ahrielle Parks in the victory, but with at least six points in all four quarters, Barker was a major difference in the victory.

In the first quarter, it was both Barker and Parks offensively, as well as a solid defensive effort that helped Spain Park get off to a solid start.

Parks hit three field goals and one free throw in the period, while Barker hit two field goals, including a 3-pointer and an and-1. Their combined 13 points helped lead to 17 for the team.

The Jags limited Hewitt to 13 points, and while that is slightly high for their typical talent on that end, a good chunk of those points were earned at the free throw line by the Huskies. They knocked down all six of their free throws in the quarter to take advantage of the free opportunities, but only hit three field goals in the period.

That remained the same in the second period, as the Jags remained committed to making the Huskies earn points at the line, as well as the officials calling any sort of contact.

Hewitt went on to score 12 more in the period going 7-11 from the free throw line and making just two jump shots.

That total outscored Spain Park by a point in the quarter, but all 11 points came from Barker, who hit four jump shots and one 3-pointer to keep the Jags in front 28-25 at the half.

Out of the halftime break, the Jaguars were able to make several adjustments.

In the third quarter, they only allowed the Huskies to get to the line two different times. The Huskies went on to score their most points of the game to that point with 14 points thanks to five field goals, including two 3-pointers, but the Jags other adjustment helped maintain that scoring spurt.

After Barker put up all 11 in the second period, Spain Park was much more determined to give her help in the third. While she totaled six more points, Ahrielle Parks added five more, Bailey Bowers made a 3-pointer and Avery Masdon and Stephanie Tooson both made field goals to help the Jags put up 18 more points to extend their lead to 46-39 heading to the final quarter.

In the fourth period, Hewitt made a strong push to pull off the comeback thanks to hitting seven of eight free throws in the quarter as well as two 3-pointers, but again, Barker and her teammates were able to close it out.

Bowers ended up having her best quarter of the game with five points, while Barker posted six more points to close out her 29-point night. The free throw shooting wasn’t its best for the Jags in the period going 2-6 from the line, but they still were able to hold on for the 59-54 victory.

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