photo by: Conner Becker/Special to the Journal-World

The Lawrence High boys basketball team shows off its first-place trophy from the Blue Valley Shootout on Friday, Dec. 9, 2022.

Overland Park –The Lawrence High boys basketball team dug out of an early double-digit hole on its way to a 68-57 win over Olathe South in Friday’s Rick Taylor Shootout finale at Blue Valley High School.

Junior Zaxton King led LHS (4-0) with 29 points, shooting 4 of 6 from behind the arc. Senior Dallas Ostronic and Jaylon Case each chipped in eight points, and the Lions shot 24 of 36 (67%) from the field.

LHS coach Mike Lewis said he was impressed by the composure his group showed during the early-season invite and hopes to position the Lions for success heading into the holiday break. LHS hosts Shawnee Mission East next Friday to close out the semester.

“You’ve got to be able to handle those momentum streaks,” Lewis said. “Once we got settled in and hit a couple of shots, then you play a little bit harder. It’s about the fight. You’re just going to have to keep fighting when it’s way early in the game.”

The Falcons soared to an 11-point lead after winning the tipoff. O-South’s Josiah Polynice dropped three consecutive 3s through the first three minutes of action, setting up a tough 12-1 hole for LHS to overcome. The Lions settled in and worked up to a one-point deficit, trailing 17-16 heading into the second quarter.

Three Lions — King, Will Leuschen and Case — each added a 3 to the stat sheet on the way to a 37-29 lead at halftime. King scored 11 second-quarter points after guiding LHS back into the game late in the first half. O-South went just 5 of 12 from the field in the second quarter after opening the game hot.

Lewis credited the defensive turnaround to seniors post Kenton Simmons and Lance Bassett, who are showing growing promise down low early in the season. The pair also contributed on the offensive end, as well.

“We have a lot of confidence in our big guys,” Lewis said. “Their physicality and effort and energy, I really think they can play off each other and be a grouping that we can count on.”

LHS buckled down on O-South’s 3-point shooting in the second half, holding the Falcons to just 2 of 6 (33%) from behind the arc.

The fourth quarter featured the worst offensive production of the game from LHS, with the Lions scoring just 12 in the final eight minutes while O-South went a perfect 5 of 5 at the free throw line in the fourth quarter.

Olathe South climbed back into the conversation late, converting an LHS turnover into a much-needed 3 from Nic Anderson to bring the Falcons within five points at under a minute to go. The Lions’ defense held back two late 3-point attempts from Anderson and Polynice, killing off any sign of a tight finish.

LHS will look to enter the holiday break at 5-0 with a win over SM East next Friday.

LHS girls top O-South 52-39 for second consecutive win

Fueled by a win in its season opener, the Lawrence High girls basketball team rolled to a 52-39 win over Olathe South on Friday night.

“I am very proud of our grit and toughness,” LHS coach Jeff Dickson said after the win. “Every Lady Lion contributed and I thought we battled and played hard on defense all night.”

Sophomore Brynnae Johnson (13) and seniors Daphne Bracker-Sturm (11) and Amaya Marshall (10) paved the way for the LHS girls throughout the game. LHS (2-0) led by four points at the break before dropping 28 second-half points against the Falcons.

Alongside a game-high three 3s from Marshall, LHS’s Johnson, Azura Clark, Cyrenity Hardy and Lucy Hardy each buried a 3-point basket in the contest.

“Lucy Hardy was sensational on defense,” Dickson said. “She is special. Brynnae and Daphne kept us afloat the first half and Amaya and Lucy came alive in the second. It is near impossible to go into Olathe South and come away with a win against one of the elite programs around and we were very fortunate to do so.”

Next up, LHS will travel to Blue Valley West on Tuesday.