Champions -- it has a nice ring to it, that's what the Dawson County Middle School eighth grade girls' basketball team accomplished Jan. 27 at the Mountain League basketball tournament in Blue Ridge.

Coach Tina Brown's team defeated Clear Creek and handled the Lady Bobcats by a 28-12 score to capture the prized trophy.

Pretty much the same team from DCMS won the seventh grade championship last season.

"Thank the good Lord we won," Brown said. "We played awesome defense tonight. Clear Creek is a very good team, but we were able to shut down their offense. I am very proud of my girls, they made adjustments that we ask them to make."

Dawson County built a slim 10-6 lead at halftime with both teams playing good defense in the first half.

The Lady Tigers opened the game up, behind the offensive play of Dawson County's Emma Brown.

In the third quarter, the Lady Tigers outscored the Lady Bobcats 10-4 to take a commanding 20-10 advantage.

Brown finished the game with 15 points and was named tournament MVP after the game.

The Lady Tigers' defense turned up the pressure in the fourth quarter and allowed just two points to be scored by Clear Creek.

As the final buzzer sounded the Lady Tigers celebrated.

The Lady Tigers finished the season with a perfect 12-0 record. Over the last two years the team is 23-1.

"This is a super group of young ladies on the court and off the court. I am going to miss them, but I am looking forward to watching them play high school ball," Brown said.

Rounding out the scoring were: Cadey Ayers with five points, Abi Chatham added four points, Carly Burt scored two points, Calli Watson and Marley Hamby, scored one point each.

Hamby received the Tournament Academic Award and Ayers was selected to the All-Tournament Team.