Effort gives Lady Cats second victory

By Andy Brown
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Updated: February 1, 2016

Madisen Simpson puts up a shot in the lane for the Louisburg girls basketball team Friday during the Top Gun Tournament in Wellsville. Simpson finished with 10 points in the Lady Cats’ 40-36 victory over Anderson County and was selected to the all-tournament team.

WELLSVILLE – The Louisburg girls basketball team left the floor with the same feeling only one other time this season.

The sweet taste of victory has alluded the Lady Cats quite a few times this year, but not on Friday. In the final game of the Wellsville Top Gun Tournament, Louisburg picked up its second victory of the season when it downed Anderson County 40-36 to finish sixth.

However, had it not been for a couple key hustle plays, it might have been a different story.

“I can’t say enough about our effort,” Louisburg coach Shawn Lowry said. “I can’t tell you how many times we were on the floor for loose balls and that really sets the tone for what we do. I think that helped us in the fourth quarter.”

The Lady Cats found themselves down six points with five minutes left in the contest, but junior Paige Buffington dove on the floor for two loose balls, including one in front of the Louisburg bench. Those plays coincided with an 11-1 run to end the game and seal the win.

“We played our hearts out,” Buffington said. “We have been working hard all season and it is really rewarding to get another win. That is how our team has been. If we get down, we know that we can come back if we keep working hard and that is what we did.”

It happened again in the second quarter as the Lady Cats trailed by five points before they hit the boards hard. Junior Emalee Overbay was fouled on a shot, hit her first free throw, but missed the second before freshman Carson Buffington got the offensive rebound.

Sophomore Isabelle Holtzen gets fouled while going up for a shot Friday in Wellsville.

The rebound led to a shot from senior Megan Lemke, who was also fouled– and just like Overbay – made one of two free throws before Carson again pulled down the rebound. After another missed shot and rebound from Carson, her teammates found her open in the corner for a jumper and made it.

That effort sparked the Lady Cats (2-11) to go on a 13-5 run to end the half and take a 24-21 lead into halftime. All this while several players were a little under the weather.

“That was just an amazing effort by her and those are the types of things that sparks our team and that is what it did for us there in the second quarter,” Lowry said of Carson. “It was a team win and everyone participated in it. Carson is as sick as she can be and she goes out and does what she does and that is special. Emalee wasn’t feeling all that well either and she battled through it and gave us some good minutes.”

Junior guard Madisen Simpson gave the Lady Cats a good offensive presence, especially in the second quarter when she scored eight of her game high 10 points during that run to give Louisburg the halftime lead.

During the fourth quarter spurt, Louisburg got production from up and down its lineup. Carson and Paige Buffington each made baskets early in the quarter.

However, Carson fouled out with four minutes left in the contest, which brought on sophomore forward Ryan Caldwell in her place. She quickly contributed as she made a basket to tie the game at 35-all after a pass from Simpson.

Sophomore guard Isabelle Holtzen did the same. Following a Paige Buffington steal, Holtzen hit a jumper to give the Lady Cats their lead back with 2 minutes and 45 seconds left.

Senior Megan Lemke (10) was named to the Top Gun Tournament’s all-academic team.

Simpson hit a pair of free throw and Lemke hit one in the final minute to wrap up the victory.

“They continue to impress with how much they give,” Lowry said. “They continue to say that this is how they are going to play and this is our identity. We may not have the best shooters, best post moves, but no one is going to outwork us.”

After Simpson’s 10 points, Paige Buffington was next on the team with eight points and three steals. Lemke had seven points and six rebounds, while Carson Buffington added six points, a team-high 11 rebounds and three steals.

Louisburg returns to action Tuesday when it hosts Paola. Tipoff is set for approximately 6 p.m.

POST-TOURNAMENT HONORS: For her effort in the three-game tournament, Madisen Simpson was named to the Top Gun Tournament all-tournament team. Simpson averaged just more than 10 points a game to lead the Lady Cats.

Senior Megan Lemke was also awarded a spot on the tournament’s all-academic team. Freshman Bailey Kern participated in the free-throw contest and finished fourth overall.

LOUISBURG 10 14 5 11 – 40

AND. COUNTY 14 7 8 7 – 36

LOUISBURG (2-11): Madisen Simpson 3-12 2-4 10; Paige Buffington 3-10 0-0 8; Megan Lemke 2-11 2-7 7; Carson Buffington 3-3 0-0 6; Isabelle Holtzen 1-3 2-4 4; Emalee Overbay 1-4 1-2 3; Ryan Caldwell 1-4 0-0 2. Totals: 14-47 7-17 40. 3-point field goals: 5, (Simpson 2, P. Buffington 2, Lemke 1).

Lansing downs Louisburg in consolation bracket

Louisburg faced an uphill battle in its second game of the Top Gun Tournament on Thursday.

The Lady Cats, who were scheduled to face Veritas Christian, instead faced off with Lansing after Veritas dropped out of the tournament. The tournament had to pool out the back side of the bracket therefore Louisburg had to play both Anderson County and Lansing in back to back days.

Lansing, a Class 5A school, proved to be too much for Louisburg as it downed the Lady Cats 63-37. Madisen Simpson led Louisburg in scoring with 15 points, including five 3-pointers. Freshman Kennia Hankinson added nine points in the loss.

Carson Buffington was big on the boards for Louisburg as she finished with a team-high 12 rebounds.

LOUISBURG 8 8 11 10 – 37

LANSING 17 16 13 17 – 63

LOUISBURG: Madisen Simpson 5-11 0-0 15; Kennia Hankinson 2-9 2-4 9; Paige Buffington 1-8 3-5 5; Emalee Overbay 1-2 1-5 3; Carson Buffington 1-5 0-1 2; Megan Lemke 0-4 2-2 2. Totals: 10-44 10-20 37. 3-point field goals: 7, (Simpson 5, Hankinson 2)

State-ranked Piper beats Lady Cats in opener

Louisburg had its toughest test of the Wellsville Top Gun Tournament first as it opened with Piper, the No. 4-ranked team in Class 4A.

Piper showed why it was ranked so high as it outscored Louisburg by 24 points in the first half on its way to a 54-23 victory over the Lady Cats on Jan. 26.

Carson Buffington nearly finished with a double-double for the Lady Cats. Buffington had a team-high eight points and 14 rebounds in the loss.

Piper held Louisburg scoreless in the second quarter and jumped out to a 32-8 halftime lead.

LOUISBURG 8 0 8 7 – 23

PIPER 18 14 12 10 – 54

LOUISBURG: Carson Buffington 4-7 0-0 8; Madisen Simpson 2-5 0-0 6; Isabelle Holtzen 1-5 2-2 4; Megan Lemke 0-12 2-4 2; Emalee Overbay 1-5 0-2 2; Paige Buffington 0-3 1-2 1. Totals: 8-39 5-10 23. 3-point field goals: 2, (Simpson 2)