The Dawson County Tigers boys basketball team headed over to Flowery Branch last night, Nov. 19, and came back to Dawsonville with a 55-36 victory.

The Tigers (2-0) dominated for much of the game on defense. Dawson County held the Falcons (1-3) to single-digit scoring in each of the first three quarters on the way to the nearly 20-point win.

Tigers coach Eric Herrick said it was a “good win” due to the team being without senior swingman Jasper Gibson.

Senior Eli Burruss led the way for the Tigers with a double-double. The 6-foot-5 forward scored 14 points and pulled down a team-high 18 rebounds. Burruss also added two steals for the Tigers in the win.

Junior point guard Mason Barnes scored a team-high 16 points, while adding five assists and three rebounds.

Campbell Reed, senior wing player, put up 13 points to go along with four rebounds and two steals.

Dawson County opened the game on a 20-8 run through the first quarter and never looked back en route to the big victory over the Falcons from Class AAAA.

The Tigers took a 27-12 lead into halftime after both teams struggled to put points on the board in the second quarter.

Flowery Branch tried to mount a comeback in the fourth. Trailing 46-16 at the start of the final frame, the Falcons put up 20 points as Herrick began pulling his starters to get backup players experience on the floor.

But a pair of dunks from junior center Max Tierney in the second half of the fourth put the game away for Dawson County.

The Tigers don’t take the court against until Saturday when the open play in the North Forsyth Thanksgiving Tournament.

Dawson County will face Creekview (1-0) from Class 6A beginning at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, at North Forsyth High in Cumming.

The Tigers will open play in Region 7-AAA on Dec. 3 when they welcome Fannin County to Dawsonville at 7:30 p.m.