Guard play keyed the Mohawk High girls basketball team to a 53-41 section decision over Laurel.

Shelby Brown and Devon Giancola combined for 44 points to keep the Lady Warriors (3-0, 5-1) undefeated in Section 2-AA play. Brown was a perfect 6 of 6 from the free-throw line and finished with 23 points. Giancola had eight field goals to go with 21 points.

“Shelby had another good night offensively,” Mohawk coach Mike O’Lare said. “She’s playing very well. She’s capable of doing that on most nights.”

Brown has averaged 20.5 points a game this season through six games. Giancola is second for the Lady Warriors with 12.5.

Mohawk took a 25-20 lead into halftime, but was unable to pull away from a Lady Spartans (0-2, 1-6) team that is starting to get healthy.

Forward Ellen Shaffer saw action in her first game this season scoring four points. Guard Brooke Dicks returned and finished with seven points after missing the last three games.

“It gives us our continuity back. It’s smoother,” Laurel coach Jessica Shevitz said. “I feel like our season is starting now. When you start down low, the only place to go is up.”

Jessica Conrad notched 17 points with nine rebounds to lead the Lady Spartans.
“Jessica played well,” Shevitz said. “She can shoot like a guard. We can move her around to different positions.”

Laurel had trouble with the Lady Warriors guards all game.

“They find a way to score,” Shevitz said. “You help or double on one, the other will get the ball and shoot. We really emphasized not putting Brown near the foul line. To hold her to six points from the foul line, that’s something we talked about a lot.”