Oliver paces Lady Barons to victory

MOUNT VERNON -- While the Brewton-Parker College Lady Barons basketball team has been struggling in shooting lately, the Lady Barons have continued to win because one player seemingly steps up and breaks through the shooting drought.

In Brewton-Parker's 62-54 win Thursday night at the Student Activities Center over Shorter College, that player was senior forward Tameka Oliver, who hit 6 of 9 shots from the floor and scored 17 points in offsetting the team's 35 percent shooting struggles.

"We are still waiting on a night that everyone plays well together," said Lady Barons coach Tommy Dalley, whose team (17-6 overall) improved to 6-3 in the Georgia-Alabama-Carolina Conference with the win, the Lady Barons' seventh victory in their last 10 games.

"It's great to have different people step up, but the night when everyone plays well will be our best performance."

Oliver was far from the only Lady Baron to make an impact against Shorter (8-13 overall, 4-5 GACC). Freshman guard Ashley Little hit four 3-point shots and was 4-for-5 from the free-throw line in the final 42 seconds to finish with 16 points.

"Tameka Oliver played a steady game in both halves," Dalley said. "Then to have a freshman step up and hit some big free throws at the end was big."

After Shorter erased an early 15-9 Brewton-Parker lead and led by three on three occasions late in the first half, Little ignited a 10-0 Lady Baron run by hitting two 3-pointers in the last 31 seconds of the first half to put the Lady Barons ahead 29-26 at halftime. Oliver finished the 10-point run with two baskets in the first 21 seconds of the second half.

Brewton-Parker built a 12-point lead (56-44) with 4:38 remaining before Shorter closed to within four at 58-54 with 55 seconds left. Little's four free throws in the final 42 seconds closed the door on the Lady Hawks.

Junior guard Toya Rogers had three 3-pointers and followed Oliver and Little with 11 points. Senior guard Takara Solomon had a game-high eight rebounds and freshman guard Trivia Richardson had a game-best six assists.

Shorter freshman forward Ashley Green led all scorers with 20 points.

-30-