Briarwood girls fend off Pelham in area matchup

Published 2:47 pm Tuesday, January 10, 2023

By Lauren Sexton

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By LAUREN SEXTON | Sports Reporter

PELHAM – The Briarwood Lady Lions and Pelham Lady Panthers returned to the basketball court for their first area game of the year on Friday, Jan. 6. Briarwood fended off a late Pelham run to grab the 53-42 victory.

Briarwood started the area matchup by picking up a 15-10 lead after the first quarter. Briarwood’s Mary Beth Dicen knocked down two baskets outside the arc. Emma Kerley posted a three-point field goal before making two points from the free-throw line in the second. 

Laci Gogan kept the game close for the Panthers with three free throws and a basket in the paint. Tiauna King made the front end of a one-and-one and a 2-pointer. Averi Smith tacked on two points before the start of an intense second quarter.

Briarwood was limited to seven points knocked down from the free-throw line.

Mia Wilson, Dicen and Kerley all went two for two from the free-throw line. Baker made the front end of a one-and-one.

After an aggressive run, Pelham managed to tie the score 22-22 in the fleeting seconds of the second quarter. Gogan picked up one final basket in the paint before the first half was called.

Gogan made the front end of a one-and-one twice for Pelham during the second quarter, along with a three-point field goal and the basket that tied the game within the paint.

King pulled away with four points after going two for two from the free throw line and a single field goal. Caley Peterson made a single point from a free throw attempt.

The momentum did not waiver for either team after returning from the break. The Panthers fell behind the Lions 35-29 after a strong defensive performance by Briarwood. 

Dicen put up another three-point field goal during Briarwood’s third-quarter run and followed it with a two-pointer shortly after. Baker followed Dicen after posting four points from two field goals.

Brooklyn Barnett and Smith totaled a combined for points.

Pelham was limited to seven points in the third quarter. King knocked down one in the paint and two from the free-throw line. Smith posted a single point and Akayna Noble posted a two.

Briarwood had another successful offensive run in the final quarter of the area matchup. The Lions posted another 15 points to pull away with a 53-42 victory in Pelham Friday night.

Six players from Briarwood posted points in the fourth quarter. Kerley went four for four from the free-throw line. Wilson, Smith and Baker totaled two points each within the paint. Dicen totaled two points from two free throws.

Pelham finished the night with 11 points totaled during the final quarter. Gogan posted four points from one field goal and two free throws. King picked up a basket in the paint and a single free throw.

Taylor Howard and Smith went two for two from the free-throw line.

Gogan led the Panthers with 16 points posted. King followed Gogan with 14 points. Panthers finished with 19 made free throws in 31 attempts.

The Lions had seven players score in the area matchup with Dicen leading Briarwood with 15 points. Baker tacked on 10 points, while Kerley totaled nine. The Lions finished with 15 made free throws in 20 attempts.

Briarwood returns home on Tuesday, Jan 10 to take on the Helena Huskies in another area matchup. Pelham has home-court advantage in their next game against Leeds on Tuesday, Jan. 10.

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