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The Lions are set to face the Benjamin Russell Wildcats for their first game of the season on Thursday, Nov. 10. (File)

By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Sports Editor 

NORTH SHELBY – Thanks to four different players with 10 points and 10 total scorers in the game, the Briarwood girls basketball team was able to pull off one of its most dominant wins of the season by taking down Dora 62-34 on Monday, Jan. 28.

It was a good win for a Briarwood team that is getting hot at the right time.

After losing four consecutive games and six of seven, the Lions have responded with four consecutive wins and are gaining a ton of momentum heading into the area tournament looking to earn a spot in the postseason.

In the first quarter against the Bulldogs, Maddie Vaughn, Jalen Hunter and Holly Hancock each got their impressive nights off to a fast start as each hit a 3-pointer in the quarter. Hunter added two more field goals for seven opening period points, while Hancock went 2-2 from the line in the frame to post five points.

More impressive than their offensive effort, which led to 17 points, was the effort on the other end of the floor, as they limited Dora to just six points on three made field goals in the period.

That impressive defensive showing is nothing new for a team that has been playing that way defensively all season, and it continued throughout this game.

In the second quarter, the Lions held Dora to just two made field goals and seven total points to only give up 13 combined points in the first half.

Offensively, Briarwood had its most balanced period of the game in the second posting 16 points from six different players, including four more from Vaughn, which helped the Lions extend their lead to a commanding 20 points at the halftime break.

At the half, Dora made some adjustments and ended up giving the Lions their toughest quarter of the game in the third.

It marked the only period of the game the Bulldogs were able to score more than 10 points posting 12 in the frame, while also marking the only quarter Briarwood was held to less than 16 points posting just 11.

Despite getting outscored by a point, the Lions had control of the game and did what they needed to in order to maintain their lead heading to the final quarter in large part thanks to Marylane Graham and Caroline Mays combining for eight points.

In the final quarter, Briarwood got back to its first-half dominance. The Lions scored a game-high 18 points in the period behind six points from Anna Martin and five points from Hancock, while the defense limited the Bulldogs to single digits for the third time in four quarters at nine points.

Already ahead by 19 point, that led to the easy 28-point victory.

Graham, Hancock, Hunter and Vaughn all had 10 points to lead Briarwood in the game.

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