photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

LHS senior Brynnae Johnson passes to the corner during a 56-12 season-opening win over Washington High School in Lawrence on Friday.

Basketball returned to the Lions’ den on Friday night as Lawrence High School’s boys and girls basketball teams returned to the court and had blowout wins.

“It felt amazing,” Lawrence boys basketball coach Nick Wood said of the home atmosphere. “To come home and play well in front of our community — it was a celebration. It was exciting to have our group of guys show the community what we can do.”

Lawrence High School’s girls basketball season-opening win was a dominant one on the defensive front. They beat Washington High School 56-12.

Energy and aggression were the keys to the game, and the Lions emphasized playing fast and aggressively against a Washington team that held a size advantage. A healthy dose of ball pressure and help defense prevented the Wildcats from getting many shots up, and when they did, the Lions could contest or block shots.

“I thought we came out with a lot of energy,” coach Jeff Dickson said. “I was very proud of the effort and enthusiasm.”

The Lions lit up the stat sheet offensively with numerous players, but the defensive effort kept the contest from being close. The Lions took an early 9-1 lead before Washington took its first timeout. The Wildcats struggled to score and didn’t hit a field goal until midway through the second quarter.

In the meantime, senior Brynnae Johnson was the team’s leading distributor, point scorer and rebounder. She had a strong first half and finished the game with nine points, which was tied for the second-most on the team.

“It felt great,” Johnson said. “It was a little nerve-racking at first. They are a pretty physical team — I feel like being physical is my natural nature. Our aggression and drive won us that game.”

The third quarter for the Lions featured some mishaps with turnovers and missed shots, but the defense remained stout and only allowed two points in the eight-minute quarter. D’ema Barnes effectively leaked out in transition and scored on a wide-open layup. She ended up leading the team in points with 12.

That defensive effort lasted through the fourth quarter, in which the Lions shut out the Wildcats until the final minute, when they scored their lone basket of the quarter. Throughout the game, the Lions consistently pressured the Wildcat ball handlers, but Johnson and Dickson said the team’s help defense stood out.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Freshman guard Jayla Colter defends during a 56-12 win over Washington High School at Lawrence High School in the season opener on Friday.

“Us trusting each other that we’re going to be in help defense — it’s all those little things that we put together in practice that just came together,” Johnson said.

In the boys game, the 3-pointers fell early and often as the Lions scored 78 points while holding JC Harmon to 38.

The Lions had a fair number of new varsity players step up in the game, and the results from the group were positive. Despite some expected communication issues and early-season jitters, the Lions passed the ball well and hit shots.

Like in the girls game, the Lions took an early lead and never let it go. Senior Avery Johnson hit the first 3-pointer of the night, and senior Aden Ramirez and freshman Joey Dooley continued to hit outside shots.

Wood said the Lions’ success in shooting the ball is a product of the team’s trust in each other and unselfish play style. Eddie Roman Nose said that he trusts his teammates like Johnson. Those moments led to a 19-5 run for the Lions through the first four minutes of the second quarter. By halftime, the Lions led 46-20.

“I trust (Johnson) with my life with the ball,” Roman Nose said. “We have to have that energy to believe.”

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Eddie Roman Nose passes the ball to the wing during the Lawrence boys basketball team’s 78-38 season opening win over JC Harmon on Friday at Lawrence High School.

Ramirez was the team’s offensive spark late in the second quarter and into the second half. He finished with 19 points, 13 of which came in the second quarter. But even when he and several other starters hit the bench, the Lions still produced. They outscored Harmon 14-8 in the final quarter to win 78-38.

“Tonight, for four quarters, I saw guys playing for one another and competing hard,” Wood said. “That was fun to see. We felt like we had that group, but you never quite know until lights come on if guys are willing to make plays for one another. I’m proud of how they played together.”

For both teams, continuing to get more comfortable with each other will be key over the next few games in December. Chemistry and communication will be paramount for both teams to keep building on before the season gets into the conference schedule. The boys basketball team will play Shawnee Mission North on Tuesday.