Memphis Braggin' Rights: Briarcrest girls go long to stop Germantown

article and images from Commercial Appeal


Rachel Peete normally does most of her damage inside for the Briarcrest girls basketball team. But that doesn't mean she can't appreciate good long-range shooting.

Briarcrest's Rachel Peete tries to get the ball around a determined Breanna Cowans of Germantown.

The Saints — ranked sixth in The Commercial Appeal's Dandy Dozen — got 3-point baskets from six players to build a big early lead and cruised to a 73-46 victory over visiting Germantown on Friday in the opening game of the Memphis Braggin' Rights Classic.

"That was big," Peete said of her team's long-distance shooting.

Briarcrest's Elise Holden drives around Kelsey Dolman of Germantown

 Peete was chosen the game's Most Valuable Player after scoring 10 points and grabbing nine rebounds, but several Briarcrest players could have been considered. Jasmine Cincore, a junior transfer from Central, got the Saints off to a good start, scoring 11 of her 14 points in the first half.
Brynn Holden came off the bench to also score 14, an indicator of the tremendous depth coach Lee Smith has this season.

"We play 10 and I don't think I've ever had a team where we could play 10 before," he said. "We're versatile; we can go big or we can go small with our shooters. It's a great luxury."

Another reason for the Saints to be excited is the addition of Sidney Smith, a transfer from Collierville who has recently become eligible. Coach Smith calls her "our best shooter," and she demonstrated why Friday, connecting on a pair of long 3-pointers en route to scoring eight points.

While seemingly everyone in a white Saints jersey was knocking down open shots, there was a lid on the basket all day for the Red Devils. Star senior guard Brianna Mitchell led all scorers with 27 points and added nine steals, but no other Germantown player cracked double figures.

Brianna Mitchell of Germantown, working past Briarcrest's Brynn Holden, led all scorers with 27 points and added nine steals

 "We went 8 for 41 on 2-point shots," said Red Devils coach Kristin Reich. "And it's really hard to gain any confidence when you're shooting like that."