LHS senior Trey Quartlebaum (15) drives to the net in the first quarter of a game Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019 at Shawnee Mission South.

OVERLAND PARK – Not even mother nature can slow the Lions down.

In a game that was pushed up a day due to expected bad weather on Friday, Lawrence High (No. 5 in 6A) earned an 81-63 win over Shawnee Mission South (No. 7 in 6A), Thursday night at SM South. Lawrence (15-3, 8-2 Sunflower League) now sits one game out of first place in the Sunflower League.

The Lions led the Raiders (14-4, 10-3) the entire game and pulled away to lead by as many as 20 points in the fourth quarter.

“This was a great matchup against what I feel like are two good basketball teams,” LHS coach Mike Lewis said. “We played very well in the first half, shot it very well, and I knew they wouldn’t go anywhere in the second half. … Good Friday night feel on a Thursday night.”

Trey Quartlebaum drilled five first-half triples, finishing with a game-high 21 points in the win. Fellow seniors Clarence King and Brett Chapple joined him in double figures. Chapple scored 15 and also led LHS in rebounds, with six, while King scored 19 and also led the Lions’ with five assists.

Thursday’s performance capped off a strong week for Chapple as the team’s go-to post scorer.

“Just senior energy, senior leadership,” Lewis said. “He’s not a vocal leader, he just plays real hard. When he’s there for us in the middle or out on the perimeter able to pass, take care of the basketball, and be a little more multidimensional, we’re tough.”

Down the stretch, King had a pair of steals and kicked to Mayson Quartlebaum for open 3-pointers. King’s unselfish play was only part of the Lions’ team-effort on offense, as they logged 12 assists on 30 field goals by the end of the game.

With the Lions leading by 18 with 2:17 to go, both schools finished strong. Devin Neal scored the final 4 points for the Lions, with a 3-pointer and a free throw.

After experiencing back-to-back losses for the first time this season, both coming in league play, the Lions are back on track with three straight wins.

“We don’t hit the panic button, we just make adjustments and move onto the next game,” Lewis said. “That’s senior leadership leading that mentality.”

Lawrence will play host to Olathe Northwest at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

LAWRENCE (81)

Zeke Mayo 3-5 2-2 9; Clarence King 7-13 5-6 19; Brett Chapple 6-8 3-5 15; Trey Quartlebaum 8-10 0-0 21; Eric Galbreath 0-0 1-2 1; Willie Dotson 1-2 0-0 3; Mayson Quartlebaum 2-3 0-0 5; Bryce Johnson 2-5 0-0 4; Devin Neal 1-1 1-2 4; Gannon Hill 0-0 0-0 0; Bryant Graham 0-0 0-0 0; Ruben Littlehead 0-0 0-0 0; Garrett Hart 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 30-48 12-17 81.

SHAWNEE MISSION SOUTH (63)

Skyler Rhoads 6-11 4-6 17; Jake Potthoff 3-8 1-2 8; Evan Hickman 2-7 7-7 11; Sam Caldwell 0-4 0-0 0; Kennedy Rater 6-10 2-2 19; Erik Smith 1-1 0-0 2; Rio Bingley 1-6 2-2 4; Ike McLey 0-0 0-0 0; Jack Webb 1-1 0-0 2; Blake Potthoff 0-1 0-0 0; Max Close 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-49 16-19 63.

Lawrence 22 19 16 24 – 81

SM South 17 14 13 19 – 63

3-point field goals: Lawrence 9-16 (T. Quartlebaum 5, Mayo, Dotson, M. Quartlebaum, Neal); SM South 7-14 (Rater 5, Rhoads, J. Potthoff). Turnovers: Lawrence 11, SM South 15. Rebounds (O-D-T): Lawrence 5-20 25; SM South 10-15 25. Fouled out: None.