Recap and Gallery: Boys’ Basketball Falls to Olathe East

The Lancers were topped last night in the fourth quarter by a tough Olathe East squad, losing 49-56.

The game started rough for the Lancers when they got themselves in a hole by as many as 13 points in the second quarter. Coach Shawn Hair kept the Lancers in a man-to-man defense, allowing Olathe East to get quick transition points and drives led by their quick guards Kameron Barnes and Javion Blake, contributing to the lead.

The Lancers went into halftime trailing by nine points, but regrouped in the locker room and came out in a zone defense. This defense forced Olathe East to spread the ball around, allowing senior Lucas Jones and junior Ryan Dornbusch to make steals and create fast break opportunities. By the end of the third quarter, the Lancers were down by five points.

The beginning of the fourth quarter was a showdown between Olathe East’s Josiah Talbert and East’s Jones in the box. Matched with Jones’ success down low, senior point guard Jack Flint started to create opportunities by driving to the basket. This effort cut Olathe East’s lead down to two points with two minutes left.

Yet the Lancers’ strong second half was in vain, as Olathe East was able to hit their free throws, and the Lancers weren’t able to knock down their three point attempts. Olathe East’s Talbert also grabbed rebounds and made key blocks to secure their victory.

After the loss, the Lancers’ record stands at 5-3 overall. They will look forward to playing Shawnee Mission West on Friday at 7 p.m., and the game will be broadcasted live here.