Leavenworth ? The Lawrence High boys basketball team went on the road Friday night to defeat Leavenworth High, 59-57, a victory that reverberated around the Sunflower League.

“It’s big-time,” Chance Riley said. “It puts us in great position to win the league.”

With games left against Shawnee Mission North and Free State, LHS (13-5) sits tied atop the Sunflower League with Shawnee Mission East. Both have 8-1 records in league play, but East beat Lawrence, 53-33, earlier in the season.

In the early going Friday, such a meaningful win seemed unlikely. Leavenworth led, 30-25, at halftime, and the Pioneers had outrebounded the Lions, 19-11.

LHS coach Chris Davis effectively used the extended halftime as Leavenworth crowned winter kings and queens. He told his team to box out the guards, play physically and negate the transition game. The Lions then outscored Leavenworth, 18-9, in the third quarter.

The Pioneers rallied back in what Davis called “one of the most physical games I’ve ever seen.” But with 3:11 remaining, Daniel Green drove the lane and kicked it out to Riley, whose shot had been off early in the contest. The senior, who led all scorers with 18 points, drilled the three-point shot to give LHS a 51-49 lead it would not surrender.

“That’s my shot – top of the key,” Riley said. “And Daniel did a great job getting me the ball.”

Late in the game, the Lions employed a zone defense, which helped milk the clock and slow Leavenworth’s high-octane offense.

“They were having some luck getting to the basket against our man-to-man,” Davis said. “The zone was to stop that from happening, and it did. It totally stopped the way the game was going.”

Leavenworth (13-4 overall, 7-2 Sunflower League) has a very athletic team that loves to run, but LHS controlled the tempo. Davis continually exhorted his team to “get back, get back.”

“They get the basketball up court as fast as anybody we play,” Davis said. “Our objective was to make them pass it three or four times.”

In the last two weeks, the Lions have defeated league powers Shawnee Mission West, Olathe South and Leavenworth.

“I’m very proud of them,” Davis said. “The guys are really coming together. (The win) keeps us in position to hopefully be standing at the end of the Sunflower League.”

Lawrence High girls 56, Leavenworth 45

After the game, LHS sophomore Tania Jackson could not wait to recap her performance for her loved ones.

“I’m real excited,” Jackson said. “I’m going to tell my Dad.”

In what she called her best performance ever, Jackson collected 16 rebounds along with five points.

LHS, however, struggled early as Leavenworth took a 10-5 first quarter lead. Jackson and Taylor Bird (16 points) led a second-quarter resurgence.

“Our energy in the second quarter was fabulous,” LHS coach Kristin Mallory said. “We really did win it on the boards.”

Leavenworth, which has won just three games all season, trailed by only three points entering the fourth quarter. But Mallory praised her team, noting how the Pioneers’ defense has kept them in most games.

“I’m not surprised,” Mallory said. “They’re great athletes. So defensively they’re able to make you play a little faster than you’re comfortable with.”

Danielle Bird, Katelyn Hobbs and Hannah Somers contributed seven points apiece for LHS (12-6). And Abby Vestal played aggressively, collecting six steals.

But Jackson deserved the game ball.

“It was a game where Tania really stepped and showed her stuff,” Mallory said. “She rebounded like gangbusters.”