Lawrence High sophomore Justin Roberts (5) avoids Olathe South defenders Noah Knight (42) and Matt Allen (20) as he drives along the baseline during their basketball game, Friday evening in Olathe.

Olathe ? Tuesday was the day the Lawrence High boys basketball players had waited for. That’s when they were to return to the court for their first game, post-winter break.

They were supposed to, at least. Instead, winter weather postponed their anticipated January debut.

“It was kind of a bummer,” sophomore point guard Justin Roberts said following Lawrence’s first game in three weeks, Friday night at Olathe South, “because we just wanted to get back and play, but that little delay gave us some extra practice time, so that kind of helped us in a way for this game.”

Apparently so. LHS held a double-digit lead throughout the majority of the second half in a 57-44 road victory, avoiding the turnovers and bad decisions usually associated with such a prolonged break from action.

“Coach just told us to stay calm and not get too ahead of ourselves,” Roberts said after going 3-for-5 from three-point range and scoring a game-high 17 points. “We expected to be a little rusty, but I think we played pretty well as a team overall, throughout the whole game.”

Lawrence coach Mike Lewis said “you never know” how a team will respond to a layoff from live competition, but LHS handled it almost perfectly and established some separation from the very beginning at O-South.

Roberts hit a three, then junior guard Anthony Bonner drove in and converted an and-one chance. Later, senior guard Connor Henrichs hit Roberts for a fast-break layup, Price Morgan scored off an offensive rebound, Henrichs knocked down a three off a Roberts steal, Bonner sliced through the Falcons’ zone for a lay-in, and Lawrence (5-1) led, 15-7, after a quarter.

“We just tried to get open shots,” Roberts said, “get everybody involved and play as a team, and not try to do anything one-on-one.”

O-South opened defensively in a 3-2 zone, and showed a little 2-3, as well, in the first quarter. Lewis said that actually worked to his team’s advantage, because the Lions established a patient approach.

“We want to get out and get the momentum and that positive vibe going our way,” Lewis said. “That’s tough against a team you’re walking the ball up against and it’s a 3-2 zone. Guys can get a little bit uptight and a little bit frustrated and uncomfortable just because of the pace of the game, and I thought we did a nice job of moving the ball side to side and making the extra pass, and we were able to make some shots.”

LHS didn’t force bad shots against the zone. Sophomore forward Morgan, whose steady production throughout the win helped him accumulate 15 points and 10 rebounds, said Lawrence’s coaches prepared the players for O-South with a detailed scouting report.

“The JV guys were playing the zone in practice,” Morgan said, “making us better. We kind of knew what was coming.”

As usual, Morgan did some damage on the offensive glass, but he also scored easy points (6-for-9 from the field, 3-for-3 on free throws) thanks to the LHS backcourt. The 6-foot-5 sophomore said all he had to do was take the ball up strong.

“The other guys were penetrating, someone would slide over and (I was) wide open,” Morgan said. “They did a great job of finding me.”

Morgan scored six points in the fourth quarter, when Lawrence only turned the ball over once, made all five of its field-goal attempts (two apiece from Morgan and Henrichs, and one from Roberts) and converted eight of 10 free throws.

Roberts said the Lions, who finished the game with just four turnovers and went 18-for-40 from the field, are getting comfortable playing with a lead in the fourth quarter.

“We just didn’t want to make any stupid turnovers that could lead to points on the other side,” the point guard said. “We just wanted to keep our lead and take as much time off the clock as possible by holding the ball and moving it around.”

Bonner didn’t make any field goals in the second half, but he still produced 13 points and three assists by consistently attacking the rim in the half court and in transition, and he made seven of eight at the foul line.

Henrichs defended the perimeter with intensity and added nine points and five boards for LHS.

Said Morgan: “We’ve just been real competitive and keeping our minds focused on the next game. The most important one is the next one.”

The Lions only have to wait until 4 this afternoon for their next game, at LHS against Rockhurst.