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The Oak Mountain Eagles hosted Murphy in their season opener on Saturday, Nov. 5. (File)

By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

NORTH SHELBY – Celebrating a big senior class of nine players on Friday, Feb. 4, the Oak Mountain Eagles looked like a veteran squad that had been to back-to-back Final Fours and won last year’s state championship in a matchup against Helena.

The Eagles got a combined 36 points from seniors Brady Dunn and Wilder Evers in a 68-51 victory, as nine total players scored in the win.

Helena was able to hang around for a big portion of the game, thanks in large part to a 29-point night from Josh Williams, but the Eagles extended their lead at the end of every quarter, including a 20-8 third quarter that ultimately made the difference.

Early in the game, however, the two teams were going back and forth with several big shots.

In the opening quarter, Oak Mountain got points from six different players, including three or more from Dunn, Gavin Nelson and Cam Atkinson.

The first quarter, however, was one of Williams’s best of the night, as the sophomore for the Huskies kept his team in the game with two threes, a 2-2 mark at the free throw line and a jumper to total 10 points.

The Huskies also got a three from Jacob Satterfield and a shot from Ian Johnigan.

Oak Mountain’s balance and 18 points were enough to give the Eagles a three-point advantage at the end of the period.

The pace of the game slowed down drastically in the second quarter, but Oak Mountain scored 13 more points thanks to five from Evers and four from Dunn.

That helped extend their lead after the Huskies totaled 10 with Williams held to one 3-pointer.

That allowed the Eagles to take a 31-25 lead into the halftime break.

The break, however, benefited Oak Mountain.

The Eagles came out in the third quarter on a mission, and it showed.

Evers and Dunn complimented each other perfectly with Evers totaling eight points and Dunn seven points. They combined for 15 of the team’s 20 in the quarter to help Oak Mountain start to create some separation.

They were able to grab a double-digit lead of 51-33 going to the final quarter, as the defense held Helena to three made shots and eight points in the period.

In the final quarter, Williams tried to will the Huskies back into the game, finding his confidence again after two quiet quarters.

He scored 16 in the final quarter, making two 3-pointers and all 10 of his free throws.

But the Huskies only got two other points from Jordan Washington in the quarter, meaning they needed to hold Oak Mountain scoreless.

The Eagles, however, finished off the game with 17 more points themselves to finish off the 17-point victory.

Dunn led the way on senior night with 21, while Evers finished with 15. Gavin Nelson also finished in double figures with 10, while Ryan Giegel added seven points and Matthew Heiberger had five.

Behind Williams, the Huskies got eight points from Washington.

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