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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

NORTH SHELBY – In a Veterans Day clash of Cahaba Valley Road opponents, Drew Mears stepped up for the Briarwood Christian Lions and powered them to a big win and a career milestone.

Briarwood defeated Indian Springs 84-48 on Monday, Nov. 11 at Briarwood Christian School to improve to 2-0 on the season.

Mears scored 26 points in the win to surpass 1,000 points for his career just two games into his junior year. He was honored for his achievement in a special ceremony with his family.

He kicked off the game with a pair of 3-pointers in an 8-point first quarter performance. Charlie Caldwell and Garrett Witherington each chipped in four points apiece in the opening quarter as the Lions scored 22 points to start the game.

However, Springs came out of the gate flying as well, with Ben Simms and Dylan Heald catching fire early to lead their team to 21 points in the first.

That left Briarwood’s lead at just 22-21 at the end of the first quarter, but everything would soon change once the Lions defense kicked into overdrive.

Indian Springs could only muster one 3-pointer each from Simms and Heald in the second quarter as the visitors added just six more points before halftime.

As for Briarwood though, it matched its first-quarter offensive output with 22 more points in the second. Mears took charge with 10 more points, including two long balls, while Tory Smith scored his first five points of the game and Brayden Robertson scored four points in the second.

The Lions used those performances on both ends of the floor to take a 44-27 lead going into the locker room, and they cruised from there in the second half.

Springs’ offense bounced back for 14 points in the third, including a pair of 3-pointers from Jackson Gaison, but Briarwood started to pull away even more with a balanced effort on the other end of the floor.

Six different Lions combined for 26 points in the third, including six points each from Caldwell and Eli Stubbs, five apiece from Mears and Eli Thompson and four more from Witherington.

Briarwood’s lead grew to 70-41 by the end of the third quarter before it outscored Indian Springs 14-7 in a slower fourth quarter.

The Lions would go on to win 84-48 to grab their second straight victory to start the 2024-25 campaign.

Mears’ 26-point night was just one of three double-figure performances for Briarwood as Caldwell scored 13 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, and Stubbs had 12 points. Robertson scored nine points, Witherington earned eight points and Thompson had seven points.

As for Springs, Heald scored 19 points, Simms joined him in double figures with 15 points and Gaison earned nine points.

The Lions will take on another close rival as they face Class 7A Oak Mountain on the road on Thursday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.