Aberdeen center Bri Jones reached a milestone and helped the Eagles start their season with a victory Tuesday night.

Jones passed 1,000 points for her career, dominating play inside and scoring 31 to lead No. 2 Aberdeen to a 70-53 victory over No. 14 Meade in the season opener for both teams.

The 6-foot-2 junior center completed her double double with 13 rebounds and added three steals to quiet the often-noisy crowd at Meade. Jones needed 24 to reach the 1,000-point milestone and didn't realize she had done it until after the game.

But Jones isn't big on personal statistics. She likes victories much better.

"I'll take the win," Jones said with a smile. "If I don't get 1,000 tonight, at least we have the win … but to get 1,000 is really awesome."

Jones stuck with her formula, getting numerous offensive rebounds and put-backs that the opposition couldn't stop. She scored a couple of baskets on nice passes and one when she backed in on a Meade player and simply bulled her way to the hoop.

The Mustangs tried a lot of tricks to stop Jones. They double- and triple-teamed her, put players in front and behind, brought them from the sides.

All that slowed her, but Jones eventually broke free. She was quiet for much of the first quarter but still finished with nine points and three rebounds.

Jones scored eight straight Aberdeen points in the second quarter as the Eagles broke the game open and took a 36-21 lead late in the half. She scored six points in a 10-0 third-quarter run that gave the Eagles a 20-point lead late in the period.

"She creates a big area," Meade coach Reggie Leach said. "I think it's her presence that's [tough to defend]. The second-chance points were really hurting us."

Jones fouled out with 6:22 left, something that upset the Aberdeen bench. Jones appeared to have had four fouls, but the home score book apparently had her with five and the officials agreed, so she was finished.

The Eagles needed to step it up after that as Jones' absence energized Meade. Imani Bailey led the Mustangs with 21 points and helped Meade rally, but it wasn't enough.

Takiara Fowlkes was the only other Aberdeen player in double figures. She scored 13 points, including seven in the fourth quarter after Jones had fouled out to help stop the Meade rally. Aberdeen lost starting guard Lakeia Hayden with a third-quarter knee or leg injury, and she didn't return.

Aberdeen's offense struggled at times, but coach Stacy Liles said her team played better as the game went on. The Eagles had just one preseason scrimmage and were sluggish early Tuesday.

"We rushed a lot; we were sloppy," Liles said. "We blew a lot of opportunities."

But the Eagles got the win, and Jones reached her milestone. It was a good way for Aberdeen and Jones to begin the season.

"She's a really big part of the team," Fowlkes said. "She's our heart."

A—Alleyne 4, McCluskey 8, Cole, Palmer 3, Hayden 6, Fowlkes 13, Oliver 4. Jones 31. Totals: 30 8-24 70.

M—Bailey 21, McKeither 9, Williams 6, Witty 7, Knight 1, Jackson 2, Shackleford 7. Totals: 14 23-32 53. Half: A, 36-27