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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

HOOVER – The Spain Park Jaguars and Westminster School at Oak Mountain Knights basketball teams practically share parking lots when Westminster plays at Berry Middle School, but on Monday, Dec. 9, it was time for the two girls basketball teams to do battle.

In the end, Spain Park took a 63-18 win at Jag Arena to bounce back from a pair of tough losses.

The Jags entered the contest fresh off an 0-2 week where they lost 37-23 to Clay-Chalkville and 76-29 to crosstown rival and back-to-back defending state champion Hoover.

Westminster came ready to play despite the four-classification difference between the two county sides.

The Knights scored eight points in the first quarter, with four of those coming from Olivia Montgomery. She ended up leading the team with six points, all of which came in the first half.

However, Spain Park came out of the gate firing on offense as well, with Ava Leonard and Tori Flournoy each scoring six points in the first quarter, with both of Flouroy’s coming off 3-pointers. MC Hunter also hit a shot from deep to help the Jags lead 15-8 after one quarter of play.

Spain Park’s deep-ball onslaught continued in the second quarter as Leonard, Flournoy and Lindy Easterling each hit a 3-pointer before the halftime break hit. Nylah Calhoun also had a big and-1 opportunity that she converted.

The Jags continued to outpace Westminster and took a 29-12 lead into the halftime break.

Easterling led the Spain Park offense out of the gate in the third quarter as she hit a pair of 3-pointers to lead the Jags to their strongest offensive output of the game. Six different Spain Park players found the bottom of the net in the third.

The Jags also held the Knights scoreless from the field and to just a pair of free throws in the third quarter, extending their lead to 47-14 by the end of the third quarter.

From there, Spain Park let its role players finish off the game. Brooke Bentley made the most of her minutes as she scored nine of her team’s 16 points in the fourth after she didn’t score in the opening three quarters. That put the finishing touches on a get-right win for the Jags.

Flournoy led Spain Park with 13 points, including four made 3-pointers. Bentley, Leonard and Easterling each scored nine points, Calhoun had eight points, Hunter posted six points and Kamia Dawsey scored four points in the win.

The 6-4 Jags will hope to keep their winning ways going on Thursday, Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. when they host the Oak Mountain Eagles, a team that they beat 49-43 on Nov. 21.

As for 5-3 Westminster, it will hope to take the lessons from a tough Class 6A test into another county clash, this time with Class 5A Shelby County on Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 5:30 p.m. at Shelby County High School.