Ellie Nichols leads a balanced attack to beat Brilliant

By Team Reports Jan 25, 2024, 11:27am

Recap: Hackleburg Panthers vs. Brilliant Tigers

The Hackleburg Panthers came tearing into Tuesday's game with five straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 14.4 points) and they left with even more momentum. They came out on top against Brilliant by a score of 53-46. For Hackleburg, this counts as revenge for the 63-35 loss Brilliant walked away with the last time they faced one another back in January of 2023.

Hackleburg's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Ellie Nichols, who scored 16 points along with three steals. Nichols is on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed two or more in the last six games she's played. Another player making a difference was Saylor Cooper, who scored 12 points along with nine rebounds and seven assists.

Hackleburg's win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 11-4. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 55.7 points per game. As for Brilliant, their loss ended a seven-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 17-7.

Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Hackleburg will challenge Colbert Heights at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. As for Brilliant, they will head out on the road to challenge Hackleburg at 5:00 p.m. on Friday.