Heading into Friday night’s match-up with Olathe North at Lawrence High, the LHS girls basketball team had a decision to make — pound it inside, where the Lions enjoyed a significant size advantage, or stay on the perimeter and bomb away from the outside.

Instead of choosing, the Lions did both.

Led by 14 points, seven rebounds and five blocks by freshman forward Chisom Ajekwu, the Lions routed the Eagles, 67-37, outscoring O-North 41-19 in the second half.

“It really took off in the third quarter,” said Ajekwu, who during that frame had a sequence in which she blocked back-to-back shot attempts by Olathe North’s Brooklynn Anderson, ripped the rebound out of the air and pushed it ahead to a racing E’lease Stafford (14 points), who finished an easy layup on the other end to put the Lions (9-9) up 35-20.

“Coming out strong in the third quarter is especially important to our team,” said fellow freshman Hannah Stewart, who finished with six points on two three-pointers. “When we come out dead, things don’t usually go our way. But when we come out with energy like we did tonight, things usually do.”

The 6-foot-3 Ajekwu made her first three shots and final four, all within inches of the basket. LHS coach Jeff Dickson said getting the team’s best post player going was not just an emphasis Friday.

“Always,” he said. “We want Chisom to be active and involved because she’s a tough guard even when you play really good defense.”

Ajekwu’s performance came on the eve of her 15th birthday.

“That definitely inspired me,” she said. “I wasn’t gonna lose tonight.”

Her teammates made sure of that, with just about every Lion who played contributing something of significance. Olivia Lemus’ back-to-back three-pointers in the second quarter gave the Lions their first cushion. Skylar Drum’s strong defense and soft shooting touch late helped keep O-North off balance. And even though she did not score, sophomore Talima Harjo chipped in four rebounds, two assists and three steals to help the Lions hand over the game to reserves Gracie Reinsch (two points), Emma Bentzinger (six), Alexis Boyd (three), Asia Goodwin (two), Sammy Williams (two rebounds) and Leslie Ostronic.

“It’s huge,” he said. “I think our girls were a little fresher in that third quarter and that gave us that extra spring to kind of pull away.”

OLATHE NORTH (37)

Brooklynn Anderson 4-13 1-3 9, Lexy Watts 6-13 2-6 14, Leyanna McGinnis 3-7 0-2 6, Quintella Neal 1-7 0-0 2, Jaida Kenana 0-4 1-2 1, Hope Watts 1-3 2-4 5, Sireen Kenana 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 15-50 6-17 37.

LAWRENCE (67)

Olivia Lemus 3-7 2-2 11, Chisom Ajekwu 7-11 0-0 14, E’Lease Stafford 6-13 0-0 14, Skylar Drum 2-5 3-4 9, Hannah Stewart 2-7 0-0 6, Talima Harjo 0-1 0-0 0, Gracie Reinsch 1-4 0-2 2, Emma Bentzinger 2-2 1-3 6, Alexis Boyd 1-3 1-1 3, Leslie Ostronic 0-0 0-0 0, Asia Goodwin 0-0 2-4 2, Sammy Williams 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-53 9-16 67.

Olathe North 3 15 7 12 — 37

Lawrence 7 19 21 20 — 67

Three-point goals: LHS 10-21 (Lemus 3, Stafford 2, Drum 2, Stewart 2, Bentzinger 1); O-North 1-5 (Hope Watts 3). Turnovers: LHS 12, O-North 13.