Lady Cats bounce back with win over Eudora at Tongie Invite

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)