Defense wins games. Defense wins championships.
Crest High’s Lady Lancers proved that defense wins games in their 42-40 victory Friday night over Chetopa High’s Hornets. It came in the Kansas Class 1A, Division II Substate Basketball Tournament semifinals.
Tonight, the Lady Lancers are out to prove defense wins championships. They play Altoona-Midway High’s Jets, a team that did not win a regular season game but has won back-to-back substate games to reach the title game.
The championship game is at 6 o’clock at Allen County Community College in Iola. ACCC is hosting the high school substate tournament.
The Jets rolled past top-seeded Kansas School for the Deaf 56-10 Friday night.
Crest was down by five, 40-35, with 1:34 left in the game. Erica Holman hit a jumper for the Lady Lancers.
Then it was defensive time.
Kurston Gilliland came up with a defensive rebound. Holman drove to the basket, scored and was fouled. She missed the free throw to tie but Crest trailed 40-39 with 49 seconds left.
No problem.
“We played solid defense and these girls did not give up,” said Daniel Buller, Lady Lancer head coach. “Defensively we got the job done at the end.”
The Lady Lancers got the steals but turned the ball right back over to the Hornets as time ticked away.
Katrina Strickler, one of two seniors on the Crest team, swiped the basketball away and scored the go ahead basket. Crest led 41-40 with 10 seconds left.
Crest fouled on the inbounds play and sent Chetopa’s Jamie Jackson to the free-throw line. Jackson missed the front end of a one-and-one and Crest got the rebound.
Holman hit one of two free throws with 3.6 seconds left. The Lady Lancers go the job done defensively as Chetopa’s Emily Johnson had a tough shot at the end that did not fall.
“Offensively, I couldn’t be happier with how our girls played. We controlled the ball and found our post inside and the cutters,” Buller said.
The Lady Lancers were down 13-6 when Strickler hit a three at the buzzer. The Hornets pulled away again for a six-point lead but it didn’t stand up.
Holman scored with 34 seconds left and Crest’s defense caused a turnover. Strickler drained a three to make it 21-20 at halftime.
“This was a hard fought game by both teams. We got down early but kept on their heels,” Buller said. “I know our girls and they come back. Katrina’s two threes were key for us, especially the one right before halftime.”
Strickler and fellow guard Shayla Stephens are the seniors on the team. Buller said they’ve been good leaders for the younger players.
Chetopa was up 31-28 going into the fourth quarter. Crest had a 7-3 run to get a 35-34 lead but Chetopa scored six straight to go up 40-35.
Holman finished with 15 points for Crest. Emily Frank had 10.
Chetopa was led by Jackson with 14 points and Kayla Underwood with 11.
Buller said he expects a tough championship game against an Altoona-Midway team with a little momentum. Crest (5-17) has beaten the Jets (2-20) twice this season.
“It will be a good game because both teams are ready to go,” Buller said. “We’ve been playing better and focused a lot this week on our defense. It paid off tonight.”
Crest (9-11-8-14-42) (FG/3-pt): Stephens 1-0-5-2, Frank 5-0-2-10, Strickler 1/2-1-3-8, Gilliland 2-2-2-6, Holman 6-3-3-15. TOTALS: 15/2-6-15-42.
Chetopa (13-8-10-9-40) (FG/3-pt): Conard 1-0-5-2, Underwood 1/3-0-0-11, Johnson 2-0-4-4, Kepner 0-0-2-0, Jackson 4/1-3-1-14, Carrell 3-1-2-7, Kabrey 1-0-5-2. TOTALS: 12/4-4-19-40.
Lady Lancers go after Class 1A substate title
