Austin Miller looks to put the ball in as Lawrence High went against Lee's Summit West in the second session of the Hy-Vee Shootout at Avila University.

Kansas City, Mo. ? Lawrence High boys basketball players weren’t at their sharpest on Thursday against Lee’s Summit West and jump shots weren’t falling.

But the Lions refused to back down. Diving all over the court, they grabbed 11 steals and fought back with their defense in a 62-59 victory in the Hy-Vee Shootout at Avila University.

With four lead changes in the fourth quarter, the Lions pulled ahead for good when junior guard Jackson Mallory drove down the baseline, fired a pass to the opposite corner, and senior guard Anthony Harvey drilled a three-pointer with 2:44 remaining for a 52-49 lead.

After a free throw by Lee’s Summit West, LHS senior forward Price Morgan added a left-handed bucket and Mallory made two free throws for a six-point lead after junior forward Kobe Buffalomeat blocked a shot on the defensive end.

The Titans (3-2) never pulled closer than four points until sophomore Mario Goodrich hit a three-pointer with five seconds left. The Lions inbounded the ball and started celebrating once the Titans weren’t in position to foul.

“I think we had a couple of deflections and a couple of rebounds go our way,” LHS coach Mike Lewis said. “But it was based on effort. It was us digging in and wanting to compete. We had a pretty good nose for the ball, for the most part, and a good, aggressive spirit at the end where we just weren’t going to let it go.”

The Lions (4-1, ranked No. 7 in Class 6A) trailed by 10 points at halftime, shooting 5-for-14 (36 percent) in the second quarter. Meanwhile, Lee’s Summit West went 9-for-10 at the free throw line in the period, including two layup-and-the-foul buckets. LSW 6-foot-7 junior Elijah Childs finished with 12 points and 15 rebounds.

“I felt like they were the aggressor on offense and were kind of cramming it right down our throat,” Lewis said. “So I made it clear at half that it wasn’t going to be the case in the second half.”

In the third quarter, the Lions opened with a 6-0 run and eventually took a lead when Mallory deflected a pass, Harvey stole the ball and flipped it up the court to LHS senior point guard Justin Roberts, who converted a layup.

Harvey scored eight points in the third quarter, driving down the lane for floaters or making back cuts to create space for open layups.

“I was trying to keep driving,” said Harvey, who had a game-high 18 points and six assists. “I felt like my jumper was a little off. My legs were a little tired. I thought getting to the cup would open up my jumper. I got a few open looks, got one to fall, then the rest was just layups and floaters.”

On defense, the Lions went to their 2-3 zone for stretches in the second half. It kept the Titans from driving into the paint, and the Lions used their athleticism on the perimeter to force turnovers and scrape for loose balls.

“When the ball is on the floor, it’s 50-50 who comes up with it,” said Morgan, who had 12 points and two blocks. “Most of the time, that was us. I think that really says a lot about our team how we’re willing to fight no matter what.”

The Lions will play host to Free State in the City Showdown at 7 tonight.

Brou awarded scholarship: Following the victory, LHS senior Fred Brou was presented with a $1,000 scholarship from Hy-Vee, which selects one boy and one girl from the entire 42-team showcase. The scholarship is based off a criteria involving academic and athletic achievement, sportsmanship and community involvement.

LAWRENCE (62)

Justin Roberts 5-16 3-5 14, Price Morgan 6-8 0-3 12, Fred Brou 3-6 0-1 6, Anthony Harvey Jr. 8-13 1-2 18, Jackson Mallory 1-3 4-4 6, Braden Solko 0-1 0-0 0, Kobe Buffalomeat 2-6 2-2 6, Austin Miller 0-1 0-0 0, Tayvien Robinson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-54 10-17 62.

LEE’S SUMMIT WEST (59)

Phillip Brooks 1-6 0-0 0, Joe Ganaden 2-3 1-1 5, Mario Goodrich 4-8 4-4 13, Dusty Stroup 6-8 6-9 18, Elijah Childs 6-15 0-1 12, Tyson Campbell 1-1 0-0 2, Malachi Butler 0-0 0-0 0, Caleb LuAllen 1-2 0-0 3, C.J. May 0-5 4-4 4, Devin Cole 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 21-49 15-19 59.

Lawrence 14 10 19 19 — 62

LS-West 17 17 8 17 — 59

Three-point goals: Lawrence 2-9 (Roberts, Harvey Jr.); Lee’s Summit West 2-7 (Goodrich, LuAllen). Fouled out: Brou. Turnovers: Lawrence 9, Lee’s Summit West 16.