Lawrence High sophomore center Chisom Ajekwu (45) attempts a shot over Topeka's Erica Birch during the Lions' season-opener on Friday against Topeka at LHS.

It’s a new high school basketball season and Lawrence High’s basketball programs are both ranked, but enter the season with completely different types of teams.


Lawrence’s girls basketball team, which returned all five starters from last season, has plenty of experience and its players are comfortable playing alongside each other. From watching one game, it looks like the Lions have more depth from last season, which makes sense because so many of the younger players are a year older.


The LHS boys basketball team, which has reached the Class 6A state tournament in the last two seasons, only returns one starter and a couple of key players off of the bench. The Lions have talent, but are younger than they have been in several seasons. That means there will be some growing pains and players will need some time to get used to playing together.


In the season opener Friday, Lawrence’s girls basketball team, ranked No. 7 in 6A, won 56-44 with a couple of dominant stretches in the second and third quarter. That’s different than the boys team, ranked No. 10, which had trouble holding a lead in the fourth quarter, but found a way to rip out a 53-49 win over Topeka, which was the 100th career win for coach Mike Lewis.


Both teams are highly-regarded, judging by their rankings, but took different ways to get there.


Meanwhile, I didn’t get a chance to watch Free State’s boys and girls basketball teams play Saturday, but both teams also won their season openers.


Free State’s boys basketball team beat top-ranked Barstow (Mo.), 56-53, in a neutral-site game. Free State’s girls team, under new coach Ted Juneau, earned a 54-42 win over Lincoln Prep.

*
In case you missed it, we’re copying one of the popular features of KUsports.com, “Keegan’s Ratings,” where Sports Editor Tom Keegan ranks KU football and men’s basketball players after every game he attends. These individual rankings are just one person’s opinion, but it’s a good way to look at how each person impacted each game.

Lawrence High girls basketball

1. Chisom Ajekwu, soph. — Ajekwu sets the tone for the Lions and it was no coincidence that they played some of their best basketball when she was at her best. During a big run in the second quarter, she had four points, three rebounds, a block and a steal. The 6-3 sophomore, who was in foul trouble from the very start, had nine points, eight rebounds and two blocks.


“Chisom really is the motor that pushes our program,” LHS coach Jeff Dickson said. “I was really proud of the way she kept her composure (after foul trouble).”


2. Hannah Stewart, soph. — Obviously there’s only been one game played, but if we’ll make rash generalizations, it looked like Stewart made as much offseason improvement among any returning starter. Mostly a steady point guard last year, Stewart appears ready to have a bigger role on the offense. She finished with seven points, three rebounds, three steals and two assists with only two turnovers.


3. Skylar Drum, sr. — Drum helped the Lions add to their lead in the third quarter, scoring three points with two steals in a 30-second stretch. Such a great defender because of her length and speed, Drum filled the stat sheet with seven points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals.


4. Olivia Lemus, sr. — Every time the Lions go through a prolonged stretch without a basket, it seems like Lemus has a sixth sense to step up with a key bucket. She tied for the team-high of 10 points, adding three rebounds and a steal with aggressive full-court defense.


5. E’lease Stafford, jr. — In her first game back on the court following a torn ACL at the end of last year’s regular season, Stafford played well. She fell to the court on one drive, but didn’t look to be affected by her knee brace. She had eight points, two rebounds and a blocked shot.


6. Sammy Williams, soph. — With Ajekwu in foul trouble (and eventually fouling out), Williams was needed in the low post. She didn’t score on four shots but she made her presence felt in every other area. She controlled the paint with six rebounds and a blocked shot, playing solid defense against Topeka’s post players.


7. Tamo Thomas, jr. — The Royal Valley transfer showcased plenty of potential in her LHS debut, tying for a team-high 10 points. She has a real knack for jumping passing lanes, grabbing two steals and affecting countless others. Her only problem Tuesday was getting her shot to drop, shooting 3-of-13 from the field.


8. Talima Harjo, jr. — Harjo always brings a lot of energy off of the bench and Tuesday was no different. She had three points with four rebounds and two steals. If she hits three-pointers like she did last year, she will be a big headache for opposing defenses.


9. Tyrin Cosey, jr. — A speedy point guard, Cosey wasn’t afraid to fight for rebounds inside of the three-point line. She had three rebounds and two points off of the bench.


10. Leslie Ostronic, soph. — Ostronic missed her only shot attempt at the end of the fourth quarter, but played her usual strong defense, which earned her playing time last season as a freshman. She added one rebound.


• Next up: 7 p.m. Tuesday at Topeka Hayden (ranked #1 in 4A-II). Record: 1-0.

Lawrence High boys basketball

1. Kobe Buffalomeat, sr. — In crunch time, Buffalomeat stepped up with some of his best play in his varsity career. He had six points and four rebounds in the fourth quarter, including four straight points after the Lions trailed by a point. He finished with team-highs of 12 points and seven rebounds.


2. Clarence King, soph. — After sitting out a season because of a transfer from AC Prep in Kansas City, King scored 10 points in his varsity debut with five rebounds, two assists and a steal. He shot 4-of-6 from the floor, showed off some nice ball handling and made some good passes through traffic. The big thing for him is just gaining experience, turning the ball over five times.


3. Noah Butler, soph. — Butler showcased his athleticism with a couple of nice drives to the rim. He scored five of his nine points in the third quarter, drilling a three-pointer and scoring on a layup. He had a little bit of foul trouble, but added four rebounds.


4. Jackson Mallory, sr. — The only returning starter for the Lions, Mallory did many of the things that made him so valuable last year. He filled the stat sheet with five points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals. The only negative was he tried to force a couple of passes and ended up with five turnovers.


5. Brett Chapple, soph. — Chapple played like the classic glue guy that every team needs. He was in the right place at the right times, scoring four points with five rebounds and three steals.


6. Trey Quartlebaum, soph. — The 6-foot point guard scored seven of his nine points in the first half, including one impressive step-back jumper after losing a defender off of the dribble. He showcased plenty of potential, shooting 4-of-6 from the floor with one rebound and one steal.


7. Braden Solko, sr. — The veteran guard was his usual self, providing plenty of stability on both sides of the ball. He scored two points and had one rebound.


8. Anthony Selden, jr. — Selden couldn’t get his offense going, shooting 0-for-4 from the floor including a missed dunk in transition. But he was solid in every other phase of the game, adding four rebounds and one big rejection on defense, swatting a shot like a fly.


9. Austin Miller, sr. — Off of the bench, Miller had two points and two rebounds. He played solid defense in crunch time and made a clutch free throw for a four-point with 23 seconds left, which helped seal the win for the Lions.


• Next up: 8:30 p.m. Tuesday vs. Lee’s Summit North in Blue Valley Shootout. Record: 1-0.
*
As always, feel free to comment, email me, or find me on Twitter @nightengalejr.