Lion girls slip past Firebirds, 49-48

Lawrence High junior Skylar Drum, right, rips the ball away from Free State junior Madison Piper (14) as the two battle for possession of a loose ball during their game Friday evening at LHS.

Lawrence High’s girls basketball players knew if they played with confidence, they could compete with the top teams in the state.

The Lions proved it on Friday, picking up a 49-48 victory against Free State in the City Showdown at LHS. It snapped a 12-game losing streak to the Firebirds, dating back to 2009.

In the fourth quarter, the Lions held a 49-45 lead with less than two minutes left after a putback and two made free throws by sophomore guard E’lease Stafford.

The Firebirds (3-1, ranked No. 3 in Class 6A) cut their deficit to one point, 49-48, when senior guard Caiti Schlesener drilled a three-pointer from the top of the arc.

During the final 90 seconds, the Lions turned the ball over twice and missed the front end of two one-and-one free throws. Instead of panicking, the Lions stayed calm on the defensive end and forced three missed shots in the final minute, including a jumper by Free State sophomore guard Jaelyn Two Hearts right before the buzzer.

Once LHS freshman forward Chisom Ajekwu secured the final rebound and the buzzer sounded, the Lions sprinted to their bench to celebrate. LHS coach Jeff Dickson turned to his team and raised both of his fists in the air.

“As much as I try to downplay it, there’s just nothing like it,” Dickson said. “For our kids to come out, especially underclassmen who have never been in that situation, to be as poised as they were and to handle adversity the way they did — it’s just amazing.”

During the 12-game losing streak to their crosstown rival, the Lions usually had a bad stretch that turned worse until they fell into a double-digit deficit.

The Lions (4-2) led by a point with 51?2 minutes remaining in the third quarter when Stafford picked up her fourth foul on a rebound. They turned the ball over on offense during the next two possessions and the Firebirds went on a 6-0 run with a layup-and-the-foul bucket from Two Hearts and three points by Schlesener.

Instead of letting Free State’s rally turn into something bigger, the Lions responded with a layup from junior guard Skylar Drum, five straight points by senior forward Alexis Boyd and a putback by senior forward Gracie Reinsch.

Drum, who was guarding Free State junior Madison Piper, last year’s Sunflower League Player of the Year, added four points early in the fourth quarter, including a long jump shot for a two-point lead. Piper finished with 10 points.

“I just didn’t think about it,” Drum said of her baskets. “I knew my team had to win so I just stepped up with confidence and shot them.”

The Lions were also boosted by a quick start. Ajekwu scored the first six points for the Lions, helping her team sprint to a 6-1 lead in the first 41?2 minutes. Ajekwu recorded a double-double in the first half with 11 points and 12 rebounds.

“We felt like coming in — as good as Peyton Brown is and how hard she works — clearly that could be a strength for us if we could get it past their guards and press,” Dickson said of the 6-foot-3 Ajekwu. “Early on, they kind of played us straight up. That allowed us to kind of get some momentum early.”

The Firebirds missed their first seven shots from the field before Two Hearts made a layup, assisted from Piper.

Free State shot just 29 percent from the field (16-for-56) and had a few long stretches without a bucket. Two Hearts scored a team-high 13 points with two triples, and senior guard Hannah Walter added seven points.

“I think, if anything, we’re actually too hyped up to start games,” FSHS coach Bryan Duncan said. “It causes some mistakes. I think that’s what happened to us tonight.”

FREE STATE (48)

Cameryn Thomas 2-6 2-2 6, Caiti Schlesener 3-12 2-8 9, Madison Piper 3-16 4-4 10, Hannah Walter 3-5 1-2 7, Peyton Brown 0-3 0-0 0, Jaycie Bishop 1-4 0-2 3, Jaleyn Two Hearts 4-10 3-4 13. Totals 16-56 12-22 48.

LAWRENCE (49)

Hannah Stewart 1-5 0-0 2, Olivia Lemus 3-14 1-2 10, Skylar Drum 2-4 2-2 6, E’lease Stafford 4-8 2-6 10, Chisom Ajekwu 5-6 2-4 12, Alexis Boyd 3-4 1-2 7, Talima Harjo 0-2 0-0 0, Emma Bentzinger 0-1 0-0 0, Leslie Ostronic 0-0 0-0 0, Gracie Reinsch 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 19-46 8-16 49.

Free State 10 16 13 9 — 48

Lawrence 8 17 13 11 — 49

Three-point goals: Free State 4-24 (Two Hearts 2, Schlesener, Bishop); Lawrence 3-15 (Lemus 3). Turnovers: Free State 9, Lawrence 19.