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By DAVE DOMESCIK | Staff Writer

VALLEY – The Briarwood Christian Lions used a dominant second quarter to lead them to a 62-48 victory over the Valley Rams on Saturday, Feb. 8, securing a spot in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2000.

Drew Mears led the way for Briarwood with 22 points, with 14 of them coming in the second half. Garrett Witherington added 15 points and Eli Stubbs had 11 to pace the Lions offense.

Azerion Jennings shined for Valley, scoring 19 points. Erin Frazier added 15 for the Rams as the dynamic duo were the only two players to score in double figures for Valley.

The game began in the Rams’ favor with Valley outscoring Briarwood 18-13 in the first quarter. Jennings and Frazier scored all 18 of the Rams’ points in the first, with Jennings scoring 10 and Frazier adding eight points.

Mears, Charlie Caldwell and Tory Smith each had a three in the first to direct the Lions’ offense. The second saw the script of the game completely flip, with Briarwood outscoring Valley 20-6.

Witherington put the Lions on his back in the period, scoring 13 of Briarwood’s 20 points. He was a force in the paint, scoring all of his points in the area except for one free throw.

After getting plenty of offense in the first, the Jennings-Frazier duo was held to two points in the second.

With the game at a 33-24 score headed to the third, the Rams were still within striking distance and actually outscored Briarwood 16-11 in the penultimate quarter.

Jennings and Frazier got back to their scoring ways, combining for 10 of Valley’s 16. Outside of a Brayden Robertson two-pointer, Mears was the only source of offense for the Lions, helping them maintain a 44-40 lead headed to the fourth.

Briarwood’s defense clamped up in the final quarter, holding the Rams to eight points while the offense for the Lions accumulated 18 points of their own. Stubbs saved his best play for last, scoring seven of his 11 points while Mears added five in the quarter.

Up next for Briarwood is a trip to Alabama State to face the Montevallo Bulldogs on Thursday, Feb. 13 at 10:30 a.m., with both teams fighting to keep their playoff dreams alive.