1 of 5

Briarwood started the season with a 30-point win on Tuesday, Nov. 19, behind four scorers in double figures. (For the Reporter/Dawn Harrison)

By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Sports Editor 

NORTH SHELBY – Briarwood got double-digit points from four different players and overcame a slow start to eventually pull away for a dominant 83-53 victory over Trinity to open the 2029-20 basketball season on Tuesday, Nov. 19, in front of the home crowd.

Hayden Lamey and Ryan Donohoo both scored at least 20 points in the win, while Chance Beard controlled the boards in the game and finished in double figures along with Landon Nuyt.

Early in the game, however, the Lions struggled to get going in their opener with Trinity controlling the boards early in the game and catching fire from beyond the arc behind the shooting of Parker Hughes.

Hughes drained four 3-pointers in the period and was 2-2 from the free throw line to account for 14 of Trinity’s 18 points in the opening quarter.

Briarwood, however, still showed it was a talented team and even with a slow start, the Lions were able to pour in 17 points thanks in large part to six points each from Lamey and Nuyt.

Trailing 18-17, the Lions finally started feeling it in the second quarter on the offensive end of the floor thanks to also controlling the defensive end, which helped open up a big advantage.

Briarwood held Trinity to just 11 points in the quarter, and more importantly limited Hughes to one made 3-pointer and two free throws.

With stops on the defensive end in a physical battle, the Lions were able to string together several good looks offensively. Lamey continued his strong first half with 12 points in the second quarter despite only going 1-4 from the free throw line.

In addition to him, Donohoo posted 10 points in the period, as those two combined for 22 points and the Lions totaled 28 in the period to take a 43-29 lead into the halftime break.

Coming out of the halftime break, Briarwood was able to continue its strong play offensively, as the Lions didn’t score less than 19 points in either of the final two quarters.

Beard was able to put together his strongest quarter of the game in the third with seven points, while Donohoo also added five more to help the Lions post 19 points in the frame.

Defensively, Briarwood struggled guarding the 3-point line again in the period, as Trinity knocked down four 3-pointers to post 18 points.

But the Wildcats still trailed 62-47 going to the final quarter of play, and the Lions had saved their best quarter of play for last.

Having ended the third on a 9-5 run, Briarwood carried that momentum into the fourth and got off to a torrid start. The Lions got points from seven different players in the quarter, including seven from Nuyt, as they went on to close the game with 21 fourth-quarter points.

But most impressive, Briarwood finally found something on the defensive end of the floor. Having given up nine 3-pointers to that point in the game, the Lions only allowed two field goals altogether, neither of which was a three, in the final frame to hold Trinity to just six points to eventually pull away for the dominant 30-point victory.

The Lions were led by Lamey with 23 points in the win, while Donohoo posted 20. Behind that, Nuyt had 15 and Beard had 13, while eight total players scored in the game.

More 280 Reporter

Vincent plans annual Christmas parade, celebrations for Dec. 6

Casen Fields’ 3 rushing TDs not enough to get Vincent past Winston County

Spain Park advances to quarterfinals of Class 6A playoffs

Oak Mountain bests Briarwood in rivalry clash