photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence senior Nyasia Ramos passes to senior Brynnae Johnson in a 63-53 loss at Olathe West in the first substate round on Wednesday, March 5, 2025.

Olathe — Lawrence girls basketball came close to an upset in the first substate round against Olathe West but fell short in a 63-53 loss to end the season.

Lawrence coach Jeff Dickson says that no matter the score in any given game, “we want people to know that we were there.” Wednesday’s game didn’t result in a win for the Lions, but the team performed at their best and finished the season on as close to a high note as possible, going toe-to-toe with the Owls.

“There’s one team in 6A that ends their season with a win — we finally got a healthy roster, and we showed what we were capable of doing,” Dickson said. He praised the fight of his senior leaders, saying “they gave us a chance against a top-10 team in the state. If we would’ve won, I wouldn’t be any more prouder than I am right now.”

Lawrence senior Nyasia Ramos started the game with back-to-back 3s to give the Lions a 6-0 lead. She finished with 9 points on three 3s. After her first two, the Lions missed a few shots as the Owls worked their way into the lead.

Senior Ajala Glover ended the cold snap with a bucket, and senior Brynnae Johnson hit a 3 to make it a 1-point game. Glover finished with 7 points, and Johnson had 10. Freshman Jayla Colter hit two free throws to give the Lions the lead back, but the Owls finished the quarter with 4 points to take a 3-point lead.

The Owls led the Lions for most of the game, but every time the Owls started to build a substantial lead, the Lions knocked it down. From timely 3-pointers to blocked shots to free throws, the Lions kept pushing the Owls.

Lawrence had a slow start to the second quarter and didn’t score until halfway through it, but they caught up with 3-pointers from freshman Macyn Ramsay – who scored 8 points in the game — and Ramos. Colter finished the quarter scoring 5 points late to cut the Owls’ lead to one possession. Ramsay hit a final 3 at the end of the half to make it a 30-29 Olathe West lead at halftime.

Late in the second quarter, sophomore Cami Nauholz hit the deck hard and didn’t return to the game. Not only did that complicate things on offense for the Lions, as Nauholz is the team’s leading scorer, but also on defense. The Lions play aggressively on defense, and Nauholz is a safety for the team if a guard overpursues and the opposing team gets a clean drive at the basket. In the second half, the Owls had an advantage in offensive rebounds and scoring in the paint.

Johnson started the second half with Lawrence’s first 5 points. Both teams went shot-for-shot for the third quarter. The Owls gained a slight lead and held the Lions at arm’s length. Ramsay hit two free throws at the end of the quarter to cut the Owls’ lead to 4 points, and she finished with a block on the other end to keep it a 49-45 game entering the final quarter.

The Owls started with an and-1, and Johnson responded with a driving layup. The Owls then went on a 9-0 run to take a 14-point lead. Senior D’ema Barnes hit two 3s to give the team some life, but the Lions’ run ended there. The Owls finished with a 63-53 win over the Lions to advance to the substate championship.

For Lawrence, this means the end of four Lions’ high school careers. Barnes, Glover, Johnson and Ramos have been in the Lawrence youth programs since elementary school, and the chemistry and identity they built from those years into high school showed up on the court on Wednesday.

“They have nothing to hang their heads about,” Dickson said. “For them to stick things out and perform as well as they have … we’re going to miss them a lot. It’s sad to see them go, but I’m also excited to see what they’ll do for the rest of their lives because they’re all going to be very successful.”

Overall, “I’m proud of the kids for coming out and competing,” Dickson said. “They finished the season on a super-high note.”

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence senior Brynnae Johnson passes to the corner in a 63-53 loss to Olathe West in the first substate round on Wednesday, March 5, 2025.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence sophomore Cami Nauholz attempts a 3-pointer in a 63-53 loss to Olathe West in the first substate round on Wednesday, March 5, 2025.