LHS girls overcome early deficit to beat O-North

Box score

LAWRENCE (59)

Olivia Lemus 0-2 1-2 1, Skylar Drum 1-3 5-6 7, Brook Sumonja 1-3 0-2 3, Makayla Bell 4-9 4-7 12, Hailey Belcher 0-8 2-4 2, Matia Finley 2-4 0-1 4, Kionna Coleman 6-18 7-15 19, Jolona Shield 4-8 1-1 11, Nesreen Iskandrani 0-1 0-2 0. Totals 18-56 20-40 59.

OLATHE NORTH (49)

Taylor Brown 1-2 1-3 3, Amelia Ludlow 0-2 0-0 0, Kayla Bartel 0-1 0-0 0, Sabrina Prendes 5-10 3-8 13, Danielle Wolfe 1-9 0-0 3, Syrra Lindsey 3-3 0-2 6, Kelsey Gooden 3-7 2-2 10, Sofia Prendes 0-1 0-1 0, Brooklyn Anderson 7-13 0-3 14, Tenesha Sharp 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 20-49 6-19 49.

Olathe North 17 6 6 20 — 49

Lawrence 12 13 18 16 — 59

Three-point field goals: Olathe North 3-13 (Gooden 2, Wolfe); Lawrence 3-17 (Shield 2, Sumonja). Fouled out: Wolfe, Lindsey. Turnovers: Olathe North 17, Lawrence 11.

When Lawrence High’s girls basketball players have their shots falling, their defense becomes more active.

It worked like a charm against Olathe North on Friday night as the Lions came back from an early deficit and won, 59-49, at LHS.

Lawrence scored on seven straight possessions midway through the third quarter to stretch its lead to 14 points.

“The girls have worked hard season all long,” LHS coach Nick Wood said. “To their credit, they’ve battled some adversity, fought through some injuries and they’re hanging in there and fighting the good fight. I’m very proud of them.”

The Eagles (1-15) led by five after the first quarter. However, the Lions (6-12) responded with a 11-2 run over the last five minutes of the second quarter for a two-point lead at halftime. Senior Kionna Coleman tied the game late in the second quarter, converting a layup while drawing a foul and making the free throw.

“She’s doing a great job,” Wood said of Coleman, who completed a double-double with 19 points and 13 rebounds. “She’s a really good player and she’s been consistent every night for us. We have to have that, and she’s been a rock for us.”

Junior Jolona Shield scored five of her 11 points in the team’s decisive 15-2 run over five minutes in the third quarter. Sophomore Brook Sumonja, freshman Skylar Drum and senior Makayla Bell also contributed during the run that gave the Lions a 43-29 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

“That’s who we are,” Wood said. “We can’t rely on one person to go get it done for us. It really takes a team effort and all of us moving in one direction for us to be successful and we’ve been doing that the past few games. Hopefully that’s a sign of things to come.”

The Lions will play host to Shawnee Mission East at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday.