Louisburg senior Adyson Ross goes up for a shot during a tournament game last week in Tonganoxie. Ross and fellow senior Delanie Tally were each named to the Tonganoxie Invitational All-Tournament Team.

TONGANOXIE — Normally a matchup of two top 10 teams is reserved for the semifinals or championship game of a tournament.

That wasn’t the case Saturday when No. 10 Louisburg faced off with No. 3 Wamego in the fifth place game of the Tonganoxie Invitational. Still, it was an opportunity for the Lady Cats to measure themselves against one of the state’s best.

The Lady Cats found themselves in a battle with Wamego and even had the lead in the second half. Unfortunately, turnovers and missed free throws haunted the Lady Cats in their 52-42 loss at Tonganoxie High School.

“I thought the girls played a tough and smart game against Wamego,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “We battled with them the whole game. Wamego hit a couple threes down the stretch that pulled them ahead. Then we shot just 33 percent from the free-throw line and that really hurt us in the end.”

Louisburg got out to a good start with a 16-11 lead after the first quarter, but Wamego held the Lady Cats to just four second quarter points and took a 21-20 halftime advantage.

The Lady Cats came out of halftime on fire as it scored the first seven points and eventually took a 31-26 advantage late in the third quarter. Wamego ended the period on a 13-2 run to grab a six point lead it would never relinquish. 

Mistakes hurt Louisburg as it committed 16 turnovers, which led to 18 points for Wamego. The Lady Cats also hit 8 of 20 from the free-throw line, compared to 17 of 23 attempts for the Red Raiders.

Even with a losses to a talented Wamego team, and a bigger school in Blue Valley West earlier in the week, Lane believes her team improved against some challenging competition.

“This was a very tough week for the girls, but I feel like we got a lot better throughout the week,” Lane said. “We played some really good teams, but we played with them. Moving on from this tournament, I think we will be a stronger and smarter team.”

Seniors Adyson Ross and Delanie Tally both finished in double figures in scoring for the Lady Cats. Ross led the team with 14 points and four rebounds, while Tally added with 11.

The two players were rewarded for their efforts as they were both named to the all-tournament team on Saturday.

“I am very proud of Adyson and Delanie for making the all-tournament team,” Lane said. They both had three very good games in the tournament. They played hard and fought on both sides of the basketball. 

“Delanie has done a great job looking to score and being confident in herself. She made some big baskets throughout the week, not only 3’s, but she did a great job of getting to the basket. Adyson had a great week. She does a great job of rebounding and finishing in the lane and she also hit some big shots. I felt like all the girls played very well in this tournament, we played great as a team and work well as a team.”

The Lady Cats will have a difficult challenge as they get back into Frontier League play Friday as they travel to Bonner Springs, which is currently the No. 7 team in Class 5A. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.

LOU 16 4 13 9 — 42

WAM 11 10 18 13 — 52

LOUISBURG (8-4): Adyson Ross 4-8 4-6 14; Delanie Tally 4-4 2-4 11; Ava Baker 3-7 0-0 7; Ashley Branine 1-4 1-2 3; Brianne Kuhlman 1-2 1-2 3; Emma Lohse 1-5 0-0 2; Emma Prettyman 1-4 0-6 2. Totals: 15-34 8-20 42. 3-point field goals: 4, (Ross 2, Tally, Baker)

Louisburg senior Brianne Kuhlman dribbles around a couple Eudora defenders Thursday thanks to a screen from sophomore Mackenzie Rooney. The Lady Cats cruised to a 50-28 win over Eudora in Tonganoxie.

TONGANOXIE — The last time the Louisburg girls basketball team faced Eudora was a little more than two weeks ago. 

Louisburg squeaked out a win and now the Lady Cats had to see them again in the consolation semifinals Thursday in the Tonganoxie Invitational. This matchup was nothing like the last.

The Lady Cats connected on seven 3-pointers and used a big first half to propel them to a 50-28 victory over the Cardinals and advanced to the tournament’s fifth place game Saturday.

“The difference was I think we just made outside shots,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “We only made two the last time we played them so that was a lot better. Our intensity was really good and we switched our defense up with a 1-3-1 and I thought the girls did a good job with that.”

It didn’t look promising to start the game as Eudora jumped out to a quick 6-0 advantage, but the Lady Cats had an answer. Louisburg put together a 14-0 run to finish the first quarter to go up eight.

The Lady Cats then used a quick 7-0 run to end the first half and took a 27-16 lead at halftime.

Louisburg got consistent scoring up from and down its lineup. 

Seniors Adyson Ross and Delanie Tally each had 11 points to lead the way, while fellow seniors Brianne Kuhlman and Ava Baker each added eight. Tally also knocked down three 3-pointers and Baker had two.

Ross led the Lady Cats with six assists on the night and junior Ashley Branine finished with five.

Baker also found herself in the starting lineup as senior Emma Lohse was out with an illness and she made an immediate impact.

“Ava did a great job,” Lane said. “I was going to start her anyway as I wanted her to guard Sawyer Schriener as I thought that was a good matchup for her. She did a really good job and she has played well the last few games and really brought us a spark.

“When we can all be consistent scorers, that is obviously a good thing for us. I mean Brianne had like 8, Adyson and Delanie were in double figures and Ava gave us good points as well. When we do that, we are hard to guard. They have to worry about all of us.”

The Louisburg (8-3) defense came up big in the second half as the Lady Cats held Eudora to just five points in the third quarter and forced 18 turnovers for the game. They scored 15 points off those Eudora mistakes.

All that allowed Louisburg to empty its bench as seven sophomores saw playing time. Jillian Asher hit a 3-pointer, while Sami Lane also knocked down a shot to give them their first varsity field goals.

“That is very exciting to see them all get some time on the varsity level,” Lane said. “It has been a minute since they have gotten into a game and they deserve it. They all work so hard in practice and are making us better. Glad they all got to get out there.”

It will be quite the fifth place game Saturday as the Lady Cats, who are currently No. 10 in Class 4A, will square off with No. 3 Wamego. Tipoff is set for 10 a.m.

“I am excited to play them because I think this will give us a chance to see where we are at,” Lane said of Wamego. “From just the stuff I have watched, and from playing them over the summer, they never quit. Any ball at all times is their basketball. 

“It will probably be a rough game, but it will be a fun one that is up and down and fast. I think we match up with them well and hopefully we can give them a good go.”

LOU 14 13 13 10 — 50

EUD 6 8 5 10 — 28

LOUISBURG (8-3): Adyson Ross 5-12 0-0 11; Delanie Tally 4-9 0-0 11; Brianne Kuhlman 4-7 0-0 8; Ava Baker 3-8 0-0 8; Ashley Branine 2-3 0-0 4; Jillian Asher 1-4 0-0 3; Mackenzie Rooney 1-4 0-0 2; Sami Lane 1-4 0-0 2; Shylar Whiting 0-2 1-2 1. Totals: 21-59 1-2 50. 3-point field goals: 7, (Tally 3, Baker 2, Ross, Asher)

Lady Cats lose tourney opener to Blue Valley West

Louisburg had a big test Tuesday in the opening round of the Tonganoxie Invitational.

Not only did the Lady Cats have to go up against Class 6A Blue Valley West, they also had the challenge of guarding one of the tallest girls they will see all season.

The Jaguars’ Lily Ba, a Tulane commit, was a force in the middle at 6-foot-3. Despite the big obstacle, the Lady Cats had the lead in the final quarter.

Unfortunately, Blue Valley West put together a big run late as the Jaguars handed Louisburg a 51-45 loss.

Ba was a factor in the game as she scored 16 points and pulled down nine rebounds. She also banked in a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give her team a 22-21 lead at halftime.

“I thought the girls played well against Blue Valley West,” Lane said. “We played solid on both sides of the ball. Emma (Prettyman) did a great job guarding and boxing out Lily Ba, and the rest of the girls did well helping. If we got a couple different bounces we could have won that game. I thought it was a great match up for us.”

Louisburg held 40-38 lead in the fourth quarter, but the Jaguars went on a 9-0 run and the Lady Cats weren’t able to catch back up.

Delanie Tally led Louisburg in scoring with 14 points, including four 3-pointers and Adyson Ross also scored in double figures with 12. Ava Baker finished with nine.

Emma Prettyman tallied a team-high five assists, while Brianne Kuhlman had six points and a team-best five rebounds. 

LOU 6 15 14 10 — 45

BVW 9 13 10 19 — 51

LOUISBURG: Delanie Tally 4-9 2-2 14; Adyson Ross 4-13 1-2 12; Ava Baker 3-9 2-2 9; Brianne Kuhlman 3-6 0-0 6; Emma Lohse 1-3 0-0 2; Emma Prettyman 1-4 0-0 2. Totals: 16-47 5-6 45. 3-point field goals: 8, (Tally 4, Ross 3, Baker)

Louisburg senior Delanie Tally goes up for two points and gets fouled Friday during the Lady Cats’ 44-27 victory at Baldwin.

BALDWIN CITY — For the second time in less than a month, the Louisburg girls basketball team put together one of their better performances of the season against Baldwin.

The Lady Cats jumped out to a double digit lead in the first quarter and never looked back in a 44-27 victory over the Bulldogs on Friday in Baldwin City. The win came at a perfect time as it ended a two game losing skid for Louisburg.

“The win against Baldwin was a needed win for our team,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “The girls were very excited to get this win. They played with confidence and they played together.

“Starting off with some quick scores definitely set the tone for the game. When we score quickly, the rest of the game is smoother.”

Louisburg (7-2) got out to the start it was looking for as the Lady Cats outscored Baldwin 16-4 to begin the game and they built on their lead from there. The Lady Cats held a 27-10 halftime advantage before the two teams played even in the second half.

Offensively, Louisburg was also able to overcome its recent struggles as the Lady Cats shot 39 percent from the floor and connected on six 3-pointers.

Senior guard Delanie Tally had a big night for Louisburg she scored a game-high 14 points and connected on three 3-pointers.

“The girls played very smart on offense,” Lane said. “If our play was not working, they would reset and we would run something different. This made a huge difference with how our offense was ran and how we moved the ball. Delanie did a great job on Friday. She played with confidence and she made some great plays on both sides of the ball.”

Another senior, Adyson Ross, did a little bit of everything for Louisburg. Ross finished with a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds to go along with four assists.

Senior forward Ava Baker also provided big scoring off the bench with nine points, while senior Emma Prettyman was second on the team with seven rebounds.

Defensively, the Lady Cats held Baldwin to just 21 percent shooting and held one of the league’s top players — Karly Neufeld — to just four points. Louisburg also outrebounded Baldwin, 36-23.

“The girls did such a great job on defense,” Lane said. “Every player did their job and guarded their person exactly how we practiced. The girls who guarded Karly did fantastic. Our team is so lucky to have some many girls who can and will face guard when asked.”

Louisburg will try for back-to-back wins starting today as it squares off with Blue Valley West in the first round of the Tonganoxie Invitational. Tipoff is set for 4:30 p.m.

The Lady Cats will also play on Thursday and Saturday. The tournament features teams such as state-ranked Wamego, along with 5A schools in Bonner Springs and Piper.

“Our team is very excited to play in this tournament,” Lane said. “It will be good to play some different teams and to get some great experience against some really good opponents.” 

LOU 16 11 8 9 — 44

BAL 4 6 8 9 — 27

LOUISBURG (7-2): Delanie Tally 5-7 1-1 14; Adyson Ross 4-13 1-2 11; Ava Baker 4-5 0-1 9; Brianne Kuhlman 2-3 0-1 4; Emma Lohse 1-4 0-0 2; Ashley Branine 1-4 0-0 2; Emma Prettyman 1-7 0-0 2. Totals: 18-46 2-5 44. 3-point field goals: 6, (Tally 3, Ross 2, Baker)

Louisburg senior Ava Baker goes up for a shot Tuesday during the Lady Cats’ home contest against Spring Hill.

Louisburg found itself down by as many as 15 points to Spring Hill on Tuesday at Louisburg High School.

Still, the Lady Cats didn’t let that bother them.

Instead, they put together a big run in the second half to cut the Bronco lead to just two points. However, Louisburg couldn’t get over the hump in a 47-39 setback as the Broncos handed the Lady Cats their second straight loss on the season.

“The girls did a great job fighting back after halftime,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “They showed a lot of heart and hard work. Once we got back into the game, we had a hard time pulling ahead. But I was very proud of them not to give up.

“Overall, I thought we played not to lose versus playing to win. We had some really good moments, but we also had some moments that showed areas that we need to improve in.”

Both teams got out to a good start offensively as the two squads combined for 32 points in the first quarter, but the Lady Cats had a hard time slowing Spring Hill senior Jenna Weber.

Weber scored 12 of the Broncos’ 19 points and finished with a game-high 23. Spring Hill sophomore Sydney Buscher also added a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds.

“Jenna is a great player,” Lane said. “She is hard to guard and does a great job getting herself open in the offense. She had a great game and I think she will continue to thrive throughout her season.”

Defensively, the Lady Cats thrived in the third quarter as they whittled an 11-point Spring Hill lead at halftime, to just three going into the fourth.

Senior Brianne Kuhlman knocked down a pair of free throws at the end of the third and Spring Hill led 34-31. Adyson Ross made it a 2-point game with an offensive rebound and a lay-up with 6:42 left in the game.

It would be as close as the Lady Cats could get as they struggled to hit shots, and free throws, down the stretch.

Louisburg shot 26 percent for the game and converted 7 of 16 free-throw attempts. Still, the Lady Cats used their defense to stay in it as they forced 16 Bronco turnovers.

The Lady Cats also did well on the glass with 17 offensive rebounds, which led to 13 second chance points.

Ross led the Lady Cats in scoring and rebounding. She finished with 11 points and eight rebounds, including six on the offensive end.

Delanie Tally also scored in double figures for Louisburg with 10 points, while senior Emma Prettyman added seven rebounds and three assists in the loss. Tally and Emma Lohse each finished with a team-high three steals.

Louisburg will try and snap its two-game losing skid tonight as the Lady Cats travel to Baldwin. The Lady Cats defeated the Bulldogs by double figures last month and Lane knows it will be a difficult test on the road.

“It is going to be tough, Baldwin will for sure be looking for some revenge and overall our team has been very inconsistent on offense since we played Baldwin last,” Lane said. “I am hoping we can have another great offensive game and get some of our confidence back.”

LOU 13 6 12 8 — 39

SH 19 11 4 13 — 47

LOUISBURG (6-2): Adyson Ross 5-15 0-3 11; Delanie Tally 4-12 0-0 10; Brianne Kuhlman 1-2 3-8 5; Emma Prettyman 1-4 2-2 4; Emma Lohse 1-5 0-1 3; Ashley Branine 1-2 0-0 2; Ava Baker 0-10 2-2 2. Totals: 13-50 7-16 39. 3-point field goals: 4, (Tally 2, Lohse, Ross)

Louisburg senior Adyson Ross goes up for a shot and gets fouled Thursday at Ottawa High School. Ross finished with 15 points in the loss.

OTTAWA — After a successful start to its season, the Louisburg girls basketball team experienced its first hiccup of the 22-23 campaign.

The Lady Cats couldn’t overcome a rough second quarter as they fell to Ottawa, 47-31, on Thursday at Ottawa High School.

Whether it was a tough shooting night, or struggles on defense, Louisburg had a difficult time with a more physical Cyclones team.

“This was a tough game overall for us,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “It felt like we couldn’t get anything accomplished on the defensive or offensive side of the ball. It felt like we were almost a half-second behind Ottawa on both ends of the floor.”

Louisburg (6-1) took a one-point lead going into the second quarter, but the Cyclones came to life offensively as they outscored the Lady Cats, 18-7, and took a 26-16 lead at halftime.

The Cyclones’ lead ballooned to 19 in the second half as the Lady Cats shot 22 percent from the floor.

“Ottawa was very physical and tough, and we had not seen a team that played that physical yet,” Lane said. “They did a great job pushing us out of our offense and we had a hard time getting get looks at the basket because of this. They were also very physical on the boards, Ottawa did a great job keeping us off the offensive boards.”

Louisburg senior Adyson Ross provided a bulk of the Lady Cats’ scoring as she finished with a team-high 15 points. Another senior, Emma Prettyman, had a team-best seven rebounds, while senior Delanie Tally led Louisburg with five steals.

The Lady Cats will try and bounce back tonight as they host Spring Hill. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.

“Losing is tough and never the outcome we want, but we always try to learn and get better after we lose,” Lane said. “I can get better and I can help the team get better because of the loss.

LOU 9 7 9 6 — 31

OTT 8 18 13 8 — 47

LOUISBURG (6-1): Adyson Ross 6-15 1-1 15; Brianne Kuhlman 2-5 0-0 4; Emma Prettyman 1-7 2-4 4; Emma Lohse 1-8 0-0 2; Ashley Branine 1-6 0-2 2; Delanie Tally 1-9 0-2 2; Ava Baker 0-3 2-2 2. Totals: 12-55 5-11 31. 3-point field goals: 2, (Ross 2)

Louisburg junior Ashley Branine leaps through the air to save a ball from going out of bounds Tuesday at home against Eudora.

It wasn’t the prettiest game for Louisburg on Tuesday, but the end result was exactly what the Lady Cats were looking for.

Louisburg overcame a tough shooting night, but the Lady Cats held off Eudora for a 38-35 victory over the Cardinals at Louisburg High School. The win moves the Lady Cats, who are currently ranked No. 6 in Class 4A, to 6-0 on the season.

“I am very proud of them,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said of her team. “This one was a hard one for us. I feel that we struggled with matchups all night, who we were guarding and weak side help. For them to pull this out, they did a really good job.”

It was the first game back from the holiday break for both teams and the Lady Cats had to shake off a little rust. Louisburg shot 35 percent from the field, but just 2-for-17 from 3-point range.

Those two 3-point makes were big ones, however.

Eudora opened the second half on a 12-4 run, before senior Adyson Ross knocked down a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Louisburg a 29-28 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Senior Delanie Tally provided the Lady Cats with another big basket late in the fourth. Tally hit a 3-pointer from the corner to put Louisburg up 36-33 with 1:45 left in the game.

“They didn’t give up and that was a great thing to see,” Lane said. “We have to keep shooting and I encourage the girls to keep doing so, even if they are missing. We came up with some big shots there in the second half and it was nice to see those go in.”

Eudora cut the Louisburg lead to one on the next possession and had the opportunity to take the lead with under 20 seconds left in the game. Louisburg’s Ashley Branine and Ava Baker trapped Eudora’s Sawyer Schreiner and forced a travel with three seconds left.

Ross would then get fouled and converted both free throws to ice the game for the Lady Cats.

“They did exactly like I asked them to do,” Lane said. “They stood there with their hands up. The last few times down the floor we got called for fouls, so we did a great job there to force that travel.”

It was a close game throughout as Louisburg held a 10-9 lead after the first quarter, and it extended it to 22-16 at halftime. Eudora then opened the third on an 8-0 run and it went back-and-forth the rest of the way.

Ross led the Lady Cats in scoring with 13 points and also had a team-high eight rebounds. Senior Emma Lohse also finished in double figures with 10 points and three assists.

Senior Emma Prettyman finished with seven rebounds and also had a team-best four steals and two blocks. Senior point guard Brianne Kuhlman had a team-high four assists.

Louisburg will try and make it seven in a row tonight as the Lady Cats travel to Ottawa for a Frontier League matchup. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.

LOU 10 12 7 9 — 38

EUD 9 7 12 7 — 35

LOUISBURG (6-0): Adyson Ross 5-9 2-3 13; Emma Lohse 5-6 0-2 10; Ava Baker 3-6 0-0 6; Ashley Branine 2-6 0-0 4; Delanie Tally 1-11 0-0 3; Emma Prettyman 1-5 0-0 2. Totals: 17-48 2-5 38. 3-point field goals: 2, (Ross, Tally)

Louisburg senior Emma Prettyman battles for a rebound Thursday during the Lady Cats’ game with Frontenac.

Two days after hitting 10 3-pointers and racking up 72 points, those points didn’t come quite as easy Thursday for the Louisburg girls basketball team.

The Lady Cats hosted Frontenac in their final game before the holidays and had to work for every basket. In the end, it was free throws that saved the day for Louisburg. 

Frontenac trimmed the Louisburg lead to one on couple different occasions in the final three minutes, but free throws from Adyson Ross and Emma Prettyman helped secure the 42-39 win.

For the game, the Lady Cats knocked down 11 of 15 free throw attempts.

“We were able to hit our free throws when we needed to,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “One of the big things that we work on is hitting our free throws, and if we can do that, we are going to win games. They were super huge free throws to keep us ahead. I know they are so tired right now mentally and physically, so it was good to see the girls come through in some big moments.”

Down the stretch, both Ross and Prettyman made key plays. Prettyman knocked down a jumper with under two minutes left to extend the Louisburg lead to three and hit a pair of free throws.

Ross hit four straight free throws, including two with under a minute left to once again extend Louisburg’s lead to three points.

Frontenac had a chance to tie in the final seconds, but missed three straight shots and the Lady Cats were able to hold on for the win.

“They found a way to win and that was the most important thing,” Lane said. “It was a very different game than our last one, but I really thought we ran good offense though even though our shots weren’t going in.

“Emma (Prettyman) did a great job scoring for us and also rebounding as well. I thought it was one of her best games of the season so far.”

Prettyman led the Lady Cats in scoring with 12 points to go along with nine rebounds. Ross also scored in double figures with 11 points and five rebounds.

Emma Lohse, one of Louisburg’s smallest players, was active around the basket as she was second on the team with eight rebounds and also had three assists. Junior Ashley Branine led the Lady Cats with three steals on defense.

Senior Brianne Kuhlman provided the Lady Cats with strong play throughout the game with eight points and two assists. Kuhlman connected on a pair of 3-pointers — one in each half — to give her team a little boost offensively.

“Brianne is awesome and is the vocal captain for this team,” Lane said. “She really holds us together and does all the little things right that we need her to do. She hit a couple big 3s for us in this one and has in some other games as well. Super proud of her for looking to score and she is great rebounder too.”

The Lady Cats had a difficult challenge of trying to slow down Frontenac’s Hattie Pyle — the team’s leading scorer. Pyle, who finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds, was a factor for the Raiders all night.

“Pyle is very good player and probably one of the better players I have seen since I started coaching in Louisburg,” Lane said. “She is going to get her points and she was tough to guard. She posted us up some too and we lacked in some help defense, but did a good job overall.”

Now the Lady Cats head into the holidays with a 5-0 record and have a lot of momentum when they resume play again on Jan. 3 agains Eudora.

“We are very excited about that,” Lane said. “Our entire program is 15-0 as freshman and junior varsity haven’t lost yet either, so that is all very exciting. These girls have earned every win we have gotten. They have worked hard in practice and haven’t gotten better everyday. It is a huge start for our program and it is super exciting going into Christmas break.”

LOU 10 8 13 11 — 42

FRON 5 4 13 17 — 39

LOUISBURG (5-0): Emma Prettyman 5-7 2-3 12; Adyson Ross 3-10 5-6 11; Brianne Kuhlman 3-4 0-0 8; Ava Baker 2-8 1-2 5; Delanie Tally 1-8 0-0 3; Ashley Branine 0-4 2-2 2; Emma Lohse 0-3 1-2 1. Totals: 14-44 11-15 42. 3-point field goals: 3, (Kuhlman 2, Tally)

Louisburg senior Delanie Tally scored 18 of her game-high 20 points in the second half Tuesday and led the Lady Cats to a 72-44 win over No. 8-ranked Baldwin.

It may have been just its fourth game of the season, but the Louisburg girls basketball team looked like its was in midseason form.

The Lady Cats picked a good opponent to do it against Tuesday.

Louisburg hosted No. 8 Baldwin and put together a 72-44 victory thanks to its best shooting performance of the season. The Lady Cats knocked down 10 3-pointers and shot better than 50 percent for the game.

It was the second half where the Lady Cats shined the most as they scored 45 points in the final two quarters. Louisburg took its eight-point halftime lead and ran with it.

“I was so proud of them,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “At halftime, I told them that we cannot come out and let them get back in the ballgame. They definitely put on a show. Everyone was making shots and we weren’t just settling either. We were passing the ball around and getting layups or wide open looks. They were working together and was great to see.”

The instigator of that second half for Louisburg was Delanie Tally. She entered the locker room with just two points and found herself a little frustrated.

The Lady Cat senior guard was a different person in the second half as Tally scored 18 of her game-high 20 points in the final two quarters and knocked down four of the team’s 10 3-pointers. She also finished with a team-high in steals (3) and assists (3).

“Delanie was very upset at halftime,” Lane said. “I told her that we don’t need her to score a lot, but that she needed to keep playing like she was and that it would eventually come. Then she went off and it was great to see. She plays more confident when she make some shots. It was awesome.”

Tally was one of three Wildcats to score in double figures and one of those players made her season debut.

Senior Ava Baker played in her first game back from injury and certainly left her mark. Baker finished with 11 points and knocked down three 3-pointers in what was a memorable opening game for her.

“It was very nice to have Ava back,” Lane said. “She is so excited when she gets out on the court and she brings a spark out there. The girls just love her and they are happy to see her back out there playing. She made a basket right away, hit a couple 3s and it was fun to watch her have success.”

Another senior, Adyson Ross, was a focus of the Bulldog defense, but that didn’t stop her from getting on the scoreboard. Ross was second on the team with 15 points and had team-highs in rebounds (7), assists (3) and steals (3).

Senior point guard Brianne Kuhlman also had a good outing with eight points and also tallied three assists to go along with six rebounds.

“When all the girls contribute like that, we are going to be really hard to guard,” Lane said. “They were all making baskets, making good back door cuts and were all driving to the basket. It is very hard for teams to pick who they want to guard. They started to face guard Adyson, but I thought she did a good job getting easy baskets as well, and posting her defender up. She learned and scored a lot too.”

Defensively, the Lady Cats held Baldwin to 40 percent shooting and wanted to try to take away the team leading scorer — Karly Neufeld. Although she scored 14 points, the Washburn signee had most of her points from the free-throw line. 

Louisburg senior Emma Lohse was given the job of shadowing Neufeld and helped limit her to only six shots.

“We wanted to face guard Karly as much as possible and Emma Lohse did a great job on her,” Lane said. “Eight of those points she got were from the free-throw line so Emma did a good job on her and Tally did great as well when she was guarding her.”

The Lady Cats took a 27-19 lead into halftime before exploding for 23 third quarter points. Louisburg put the game away as it outscored Baldwin 22-10 in the final period.

Lane was able to empty her bench and sophomore Ally Brown put the icing on the cake as she knocked down a 3-pointer late in the fourth to score her first varsity basket.

Louisburg will try and stay undefeated as it hosts Frontenac tonight in its final game before the holiday break. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.

LOU 17 10 23 22 — 72

BAL 11 8 15 10 — 44

LOUISBURG (4-0): Delanie Tally 6-13 4-6 20; Adyson Ross 6-9 3-7 15; Ava Baker 4-5 0-1 11; Brianne Kuhlman 3-6 1-3 8; Ashley Branine 3-4 0-0 6; Emma Lohse 2-9 0-0 5; Emma Prettyman 0-1 3-3 3; Ally Brown 1-2 0-0 3; Mackenzie Rooney 0-0 1-2 1. Totals: 25-49 12-22 72. 3-point field goals: 10, (Tally 4, Baker 3, Lohse, Kuhlman, Brown)

Louisburg senior Adyson Ross pulls up for a shot Friday against Anderson County. Ross finished with 12 points on the night.

GARNETT — It shot under 30 percent and Anderson County outscored Louisburg in two of the four quarters during Friday’s contest in Garnett.

Despite those things, the Lady Cats found a way to win thanks to their defense. Louisburg forced 15 turnovers and held Anderson County to just 29 percent shooting as the Lady Cats left with a 38-31 victory.

“Our defense was big on Friday,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “With the height on the other team, our girls had to fight and be physical the entire game. Their fight and hard work paid off.”

It certainly did. 

The Lady Cats (3-0) turned those 15 turnovers into 14 points and it was one of the biggest differences in the game.

Seniors Adyson Ross and Delanie Tally gave the Lady Cats the spark they needed offensively at the start of each half. Ross scored seven points in the first quarter to help Louisburg to a 12-4 lead.

After Anderson County outscored Louisburg in the second quarter, and cut the Lady Cat lead to just two at halftime, it was Tally’s turn to shine.

Tally scored nine points in the third quarter, including three 3-pointers. She finished with a team-high 15 points, four 3-pointers and four steals.

As for Ross, she added 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. 

“Adyson and Delanie did a great job getting us going on offense,” Lane said. “Adyson hit a couple shots early to get the scoring going and Delanie did the same in the third quarter. Delanie had three huge 3’s in the third quarter that gave us the edge over Anderson County.”

Another senior came up big late for the Lady Cats. Louisburg led just 32-29 with 2:20 left in the game when Brianne Kuhlman knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Lady Cats some breathing room.

Louisburg senior Emma Prettyman also did some work on the boards as she finished with a team-high eight rebounds, while junior Ashley Branine had five.

The Lady Cats had to deal with a pair of Anderson County post players that kept the Bulldogs in the game. Caitlyn Foltz led Anderson County with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Kylie Disbrow added 12 points and 10 boards.

It was a team effort for the Lady Cats as they got good production from their bench on the defensive end. Sophomores Shylar Whiting, Mackenzie Rooney, Sami Lane and Jillian Asher all gave their team crucial minutes as the Lady Cats were down two players to injury and another was out sick.

“The bench did a great job on Friday, they came in and fulfilled their roles,” Lane said. “They rebounded, pressured the ball and played great help in the lane. The sophomores getting experience is only going to make our program stronger in the future. 

“Friday night’s game was for sure a hard team win, but I was so happy that we pulled together as a team and got the victory.”

Louisburg will try and stay undefeated Tuesday when it hosts Baldwin in a Frontier League matchup. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. 

LOU 12 4 14 8 — 38

AC 4 10 5 12 — 31

LOUISBURG (3-0): Delanie Tally 5-15 1-2 15; Adyson Ross 5-13 1-2 12; Brianne Kuhlman 1-5 2-3 5; Ashley Branine 1-5 0-0 2; Shylar Whiting 0-0 2-2 2; Emma Prettyman 1-7 0-2 2. Totals: 13-46 6-11 38. 3-point field goals: 6, (Tally 4, Ross, Kuhlman)

Louisburg seniors Brianne Kuhlman (left) and Delanie Tally double-team a Burlington player as they try for a steal Tuesday in the Lady Cats’ home opener.

Defense has been the name of the game for the Louisburg girls basketball team and it has led the Lady Cats to a pair of wins to start the season.

The latest came on Tuesday as Louisburg hosted Burlington in its home opener. The Lady Cats held Burlington to just six first half points and ran away with a 56-19 victory.

Louisburg has outscored its first two opponents 111- 30 on the season.

“We are really good at defense,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “These girls work so hard every day and it is really showing in games. Our defense is tough and I think we will just continue to get better as the season goes along. We are so excited to get our first home win and the girls were ready and played hard together.”

The Lady Cats (2-0) held Burlington to just 15 percent shooting and did it thanks to their pressure defense. They turned Burlington over 17 times and scored 21 points off those mistakes.

Louisburg also controlled the glass as it out rebounded Burlington, 38-20.

Offensively, the Lady Cats were just as efficient as they shot 46 percent from the field as a pair of seniors lead them in that category.

Delanie Tally recorded a team-high 17 points, to go along with three 3-pointers and had five rebounds. Adyson Ross was right behind her as she finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds — her second straight double-double — and also had a team-high four steals.

“Adyson and Delanie did a great job offensively I thought they looked to score at the right opportune times,” Lane said. “They didn’t force any shots and they just let the offense work for them.”

Louisburg jumped out to an 18-5 lead to begin the game and then outscored Burlington 14-1 in the second quarter to take a 26-point halftime advantage.

Eight different players scored for Louisburg and senior point guard Brianne Kuhlman was next in line with seven points. Senior Emma Lohse, junior Ashley Branine and sophomore Mackenzie Rooney each finished with four.

Louisburg will try for its third straight win tonight as it travels to Garnett to face Anderson County. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.

LOU 18 14 14 10 — 56

BUR 5 1 7 6 — 19

LOUISBURG (2-0): Delanie Tally 6-12 2-2 17; Adyson Ross 6-10 3-4 16; Brianne Kuhlman 3-7 1-1 7; Emma Lohse 2-6 0-0 4; Ashley Branine 2-4 0-0 4; Mackenzie Rooney 2-2 0-0 4; Emma Prettyman 0-2 3-4 3; Shylar Whiting 0-1 1-2 1. Totals: 21-46 10-13 56. 3-point field goals: 4, (Tally 3, Ross)