Louisburg girls rally for overtime win

By Andy Brown
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Updated: February 9, 2017

Andy Brown / Louisburg Sports Zone

Louisburg’s Emalee Overbay (34), Isabelle Holtzen (30) and Kennia Hankinson leap off the bench in excitement after Tayler Lancaster hit the game-tying 3-pointer in the fourth quarter Monday against De Soto at Louisburg High School.

Carson Buffington stepped to the free-throw line seven times in what was the most crucial time of the game.

Free throws aren’t exactly Buffington’s forte — as she will be the first to tell you. Still, that didn’t stop the Louisburg sophomore from knocking down six of those seven attempts in overtime as she helped the Lady Cats to a 66-62 win Monday over De Soto at Louisburg High School.

“I am usually not confident when I shoot my free throws,” Buffington said. “But I just told myself I was going to make them for the team.”

Buffington wasn’t the only Lady Cat to come through in pressure-packed situations. Guards Isabelle Holtzen and Tayler Lancaster each hit 3-pointers at the end of the third and fourth quarters, respectively, that either helped bring Louisburg back from a deficit or tie the game.

Chloe Renner, Emalee Overbay, Haley Cain and Buffington battled a trio of De Soto 6-footers on the glass and came up with several big rebounds in the fourth quarter and overtime. Guards Madisen Simpson, Paige Buffington and Kennia Hankinson all hit key shots or free throws throughout the game.

“It was a great win,” Louisburg coach Shawn Lowry said. “We talk about defending this place because of how hard we work here and these girls refused to give up on their home floor. It was a big league game and another one for us to grow in.

“De Soto has probably three 6-footers in there and we were in there battling for rebounds and got some big offensive rebounds late in the game. That just shows how we play, and we are going to play our tails off. It was a great team win.”

Chloe Renner drives the lane during Monday’s overtime win against De Soto.

For a while, a victory was in doubt as De Soto started the third quarter on a 12-0 run after Louisburg had taken a two-point lead at halftime. De Soto went up 40-31 late in the third before the Lady Cats went on a mini run of their own.

After a pair of Simpson free throws, Renner hit a basket and then as the buzzer sounded to end the third, Holtzen knocked down a 3-pointer that brought the Louisburg bench to its feet and the De Soto lead to two.

Lancaster opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer to give the Lady Cats a quick advantage, but it would change hands two more times before De Soto went on a 10-2 run to go up 52-45 with four minutes left in the game.

The Lady Cats (8-7) eased their way back into the game again after two free throws from Carson Buffington and a basket from Simpson with 1 minute and 40 seconds left in the contest to cut the De Soto lead to three.

That set up the heroics from Lancaster as she hit a 3-pointer with 50 seconds left that put the game into overtime.

“They were great shots and they didn’t hesitate,” Lowry said of the Holtzen and Lancaster 3-pointers. “There is no selfishness here and it is everyone doing their job and everyone playing their role when they are asked to. We had different kids step up tonight like Chloe and Haley who came off the bench and played great defense. Everyone really played a role in this.”

De Soto opened the overtime with a basket, but the Lady Cats were able to tie it and take the lead after Carson Buffington made a basket and was fouled. She made the free throw to convert the three-point play.

Carson would go on to convert four of her next five free throw opportunities, while Paige Buffington and Simpson also hit a pair of free throws to help give the Lady Cats the win.

During that time, the Lady Cats also got big rebounds from Carson Buffington and Renner, who gave Louisburg second chances at the basket.

Carson led the Lady Cats with a double-double as she recorded 16 points and 11 rebounds, to go along with an 8-for-9 performance from the free-throw line.

(From left) Emalee Overbay, Kennia Hankinson, Madisen Simpson, Tayler Lancaster, Carson Buffington and Paige Buffington were all smiles just after the final buzzer sounded in their 66-62 win.

“Carson cares about her team and cares about winning that game,” Lowry said. “She just stepped up there and nailed them, but it wasn’t for her, it was for her team. I am really happy for her though.”

In fact, the whole Louisburg team shot well from the free-throw line as the Lady Cats made 21 of their 24 attempts.

Simpson led the Lady Cats in scoring with 21 points, while Renner was second on the team with seven rebounds and had a team-high four assists.

The victory puts Louisburg in third place in the Frontier League with a 5-2 record, with its lone league losses coming to state-ranked Paola and Baldwin.

Louisburg will try and improve on that mark Friday when it hosts Ottawa. Tipoff is set for approximately 6 p.m.

LOU 12 14 12 14 14 – 66

DES 13 11 16 12 10 – 62

LOUISBURG (8-7): Madisen Simpson 21, Carson Buffington 16, Tayler Lancaster 8, Paige Buffington 6, Kennia Hankinson 6, Chloe Renner 4, Isabelle Holtzen 3, Haley Cain 2. Totals: 19 21-24 66. 3-point field goals: 7, (Simpson 2, Lancaster 2, Hankinson 2, Holtzen)