Hometown freshman leads Lady Barons to big victory

By Terry Gaston

MOUNT VERNON - Brewton-Parker College women's basketball coach Tommy Dalley said before the season if the Lady Barons were going to have a successful year, their seven freshmen would have to make immediate contributions.

Freshman hometown product Tamika Drinks became the second freshman to lead the Lady Barons offensively in their first three games, pacing Brewton-Parker to a 95-44 romp over Allen University (S.C.) on Nov. 11 at the Student Activities Center.

The outcome of the contest was never in doubt. The Lady Barons (3-0) led 38-10 midway through the first half and 49-14 at halftime, and the lead grew until the 51-point margin posted at game's end.

The Lady Barons committed just eight turnovers while forcing 27 on Allen, with Brewton-Parker committing just two in the first half while forcing 17 Lady Yellow Jacket turnovers.

Drinks, a 5-foot-10 guard from Mount Vernon, scored a game-high 19 points to lead five Lady Barons in double figures. She was 8-for-9 from the floor and finished in a three-way share of rebounding honors with seven.

"She is just another freshman who has stepped up and played well," Dalley said of Drinks. "We have so many weapons that it's going to be somebody different who steps up every night."

Senior forward Tameka Oliver, coming off her Most Valuable Player performance in the Lady Barons' Tip-Off Classic, and freshman guard Ashley Little (4-for-8 from 3-point range) followed Drinks with 14 points apiece. Oliver also had seven rebounds, as did freshman forward Vontrecia Walker to go with her 12 points.

Senior guard Lucinda Lessington added 10 points, while junior guard Melody Walker had a team-high seven assists.

"Nobody probably played more than 15 to 16 minutes," Dalley said. "This gave us an opportunity to let some players play and try to get a little better."

Laroya McMullen led Allen with 14 points.

The win completed a season-opening run of three games in four nights for Brewton-Parker, which had seven full days of rest before reciprocating Allen's visit with a trip Tuesday to Columbia, S.C.

"It is more of a tournament format having three games in four days," Dalley said of his team's home-opening schedule. "In the conference tournament, we will play three games in three days, so this is preparing us for down the road. "

The seven days of rest between games also has its benefits.

"It's a chance to get some bodies healthy again and a chance to work academically because we are not on the road until this week," said Dalley, whose team is on the road for five games before returning home for a Dec. 3 contest against Voorhees College (S.C.).

The Lady Barons then play in the Clayton College and State University Classic in Morrow on Friday and Saturday. They will open against Spring Hill (Ala.) College at 6 p.m. Friday and will play in Saturday's championship game at 4 p.m. or the consolation game at 2 p.m.

"This tournament will be our first big challenge," Dalley said. "The first time away from home and with a group as young as ours, you never know what to expect.

"We will be prepared for Spring Hill and it will be a matter of execution, both offensively and defensively. Spring Hill is a very good team. They have 11 players returning. We beat them last season at this same tournament, so they will want a little revenge."

Friday's other game, which will determine Brewton-Parker's Saturday opponent, matches Clayton State against Reinhardt College.