photo by: Chance Parker

Lawrence High senior Amaya Marshall drives the ball against Wichita North on Wednesday, March 1, 2023.

Three players put on double-figure performances to lead the third-seeded Lawrence High girls basketball team past fourth-seeded Wichita North, 65-39, in Wednesday’s substate semifinal at LHS.

Senior Lucy Hardy scored 19 points, sophomore Brynnae Johnson had 16 and senior Daphne Bracker-Sturm had 10 as the Lions (17-4) rolled to a double-digit lead at halftime and never looked back. Another player, senior Amaya Marshall, nearly broke double figures with nine points, and LHS finished the night 23 of 52 from the field and 12 of 18 from the free-throw line.

Redhawks junior Hali Shively tested LHS from the perimeter early on, banking in three 3s through the first quarter. The teams traded the lead twice, but three 3s between Johnson and Hardy gave the Lions a slight advantage heading into the second quarter.

Shively helped Wichita North play within one possession of LHS early in the second, but Bracker-Sturm and Marshall did enough inside to keep the Redhawks in check. Late in the second, Johnson’s third 3 of the night was enough to make Wichita North burn a timeout before halftime. The Redhawks, trailing by 16 at the break, coughed up 12 turnovers in the first half.

LHS opened the third quarter on an 8-0 run, now leading 45-21, and forced another timeout by the Redhawks with 6:46 to go in the third. Hardy shot 4 of 5 in the third and joined Johnson and Bracker-Sturm in double figures entering the fourth quarter.

For most of the fourth, LHS kept Wichita North off the scoreboard and ran away with the commanding lead, with additional support from juniors Delilah Barnes and Azura Clark. Barnes drained a contested 2, and Clark raised her scoring total to six in the fourth.

Up next, LHS (17-6) will host either No. 6 Wichita South in the substate championship on Saturday at LHS. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m.

Box score:

Lawrence High (65): L. Hardy 7-14, 2-2, 19, Johnson 6-12, 0-0, 16, Bracker-Sturm 4-7, 2-2, 10, Marshall 3-5, 3-5, 9, Clark 2-3, 2-3, 6, Savannah 1-4, 0-2, 2, Littlejohn 0-2, 2-2, 2, Keo 0-3, 1-2, 1. Totals: 23-52, 12-18, 65.

Wichita North (39): Shively 6-10, 0-2, 18, Hirsch 3-10, 2-4, 8, Ross 2-3, 0-0, 4, Hill 1-7, 0-0, 3, Pennick 1-3, 0-0, 2, Anderson 0-0, 2-2, 2. Totals: 14-36, 4-8, 39.

3FGs: 7-24 (Johnson 4, L. Hardy 3); W-North 7-20 (Shively 6, Hill 1) TOs: LHS 8; W-North 19. Fouled out: none.