Winder-Barrow may not have provided the toughest test for Salem Tuesday night at home, but the win provided an important victory for the Lady Seminoles varsity basketball team, as they clinched their 10th region win of the year with a 74-21 drubbing ofthe Lady Bulldoggs.

Ayanna Mitchell and Taylor King led a balanced scoring effort for the Lady Seminoles, scoring 16 points each.

Salem’s defense limited Winder-Barrow to just eight first-half points, holding the Lady Bulldoggs’ to six points for fewer in three different quarters.

The win came on the heels of a 50-38 win over Gainesville on Monday night, and Salem coach Rochone Dilligard said she was pleased with how the Lady Seminoles came out and pounced on Winder-Barrow early in their second game in as many nights.

“We take great pride in being in shape,” Dilligard said. “We knew we were going to have to get up and down the floor. Whether you play the regular season, region tournament or state tournament, you’re going to play a lot of back-to-back games, so I was happy with the energy we brought tonight from the first whistle.”

Salem poured on the points early, jumping out to a 19-3 lead. The Lady Seminoles’ defensive pressure forced 11 Winder-Barrow turnovers in the opening period and Salem converted those turnovers into points, using eight points from Mitchell in the quarter to take an early lead.

King added to Salem’s lead to double digits with consecutive baskets, pushing Salem ahead 13-3 after a steal and layup with 4:52 left in the period.

A Rosie Kyles' layup extended the Lady Seminoles’ lead to 16 before Winder-Barrowing ended its 3-minute scoring drought with a Tierra Mayweather free throw. Salem closed the quarter on a 6-2 run with baskets from Mitchell, Shay Tarver and Davis Scott to close the half.

The first quarter wasn’t all fun and games for the Lady Seminoles, however, as Dilligard was forced to call a timeout in the opening minute of play to reinforce her team’s “defensive mentality.”

“We worry about our execution and what we’re doing and I get upset when we’re not doing those things," Dilligard said. "It doesn’t matter who we’re playing, we still have to do the things we need to do to execute. We have to focus and do the things we need to do to succeed, regardless of our opponent.”

Salem jump started the second quarter with a 15-0 run in part to back-to-back baskets from Saaliyah Greene to open the period. Salem scored 14 of its 17 points in the quarter in the paint, as Mitchell and Jennifer Tindi combined for 11 points in the post.

The Lady Bulldoggs were held without a basket until the 45 second mark in the first half, scoring on a Hope Gordy rebound and putback, but Salem’s damage was already done, as the Lady Seminoles carried a 42-8 lead into halftime.

Winder-Barrow’s offense seemed to come together in the third quarter, scoring nine points in the period, but King and Tarver scored five points each, as Salem outscored the Lady Bulldoggs 16-9 in the period.

Salem rolled off an 11-2 start in the third, but Winder-Barrow answered with a 7-2 spurt, cutting Salem’s lead to 55-17. Tarver halted the Lady Bulldoggs’ run with a fastbreak layup, converting a three-point play to close the period with the Lady Seminoles leading 58-17.

Salem played its bench for much of the fourth quarter, but still outscored Winder-Barrow 9-0 to start the fourth. A pair of King free throws and a layup extended Salem’s lead to 64-17 and a Tindi putback ended the Lady Seminoles’ opening run.

Winder-Barrow’s first point of the quarter came on a free throw in the middle of the period, and the Lady Bulldoggs connected with just a single field goal in the quarter, finishing with four points in the period.

Makayla Whitfield and Scott finished the game with back-to-back layups, clinching the home victory for the Lady Seminoles.

Tindi finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Tarver added 13 points and three assists for the Lady Seminoles.

Mayweather finished as the Lady Bulldoggs’ leading scorer with six points.

Salem returns to action Friday at home in region action against Loganville at 7 p.m.