As a prelude to yesterday's home opener, Dunbar unveiled the state championship banner commemorating the Poets' third straight girls basketball title last March.

The fifth-ranked Poets then finished off the afternoon by winning their 50th straight home game, 81-48, over Lake Clifton.

In the season opener for both teams, the Lakers managed to give the Poets a game until midway through the second quarter. Then, the Poets' depth along with some Lakers foul trouble and defensive mistakes turned the Baltimore City Division II contest into a runaway.

"Our defense got shifted around," said Lakers guard Rayna Dukes. "We kept coming out to help with somebody else's man and couldn't get back fast enough."

That - and having 6-foot Lakers forward Krystal Vaughn on the bench in foul trouble - opened up the inside for the defending city champs. Forward Jolunda Leake took advantage, scoring six of her 14 points in a 10-3 run that boosted a four-point Dunbar lead to 31-21 by the half.

The Poets continued to build their lead in the second half as coach Wardell Selby kept his troops fresh with waves of subs.

"We always figure, especially with this group because I can so deep on the bench, we'll just wear our opponents down," Selby said. "I explained to the girls, 'You won't blow teams out in the first quarter, but just be patient.' That's what we're working on this year until we get the leaders who will step up."

One leader did emerge yesterday - 5-6 senior forward Shalane Price, who led the Poets with 24 points. Her performance overshadowed that the Poets were without primary ballhandler Bianca Sullivan, who was sick.

The Lakers defense did a good job putting pressure on Dunbar's ballhandlers, but the Poets used their own brand of pressure defense to force 41 Lake Clifton turnovers.

Shania Sturgis led the Lakers with 12 points, all on three-pointers. Shannon Scott and Quanshae Fulton added nine points each.