Girls’ Basketball Recap: Olathe North

The Lady Lancers varsity basketball team lost 74-49 to the Olathe North Eagles on Feb. 3.

“It was a tough loss. We went out with high expectations and the mindset of a possible win, and weren’t too happy with the outcome,” sophomore Madison Mustoe said after the loss. “We watched film the following day and learned from our mistakes and know what we need to focus on for future games.”

At the end of the first quarter, the score was 6-15 Olathe North. A comeback seemed within reach for the Lady Lancers. However, the score by half time had widened, with the Eagles up 14-36. Number 33 Lexi Watts of Olathe North was the star of the first half, putting up most of the Eagles’ points. East struggled to meet Watts’ speed and rebounding in the second quarter, securing Olathe North with a 20-point lead.

“I definitely feel like [the Olathe East players] knew how to guard me,” varsity player Emma Eberhart said. ”They had great defense against my post moves and knew how to box me out.”

The third quarter started off with considerable excitement as the Lady Lancers had renewed energy after the half time talk. The team hit their stride when they started pressing and playing high- pressure defense. With rejuvenated intensity, a come back or a closer game seemed like a possibility for the Lady Lancers. However, Olathe North kept making their shots and clinched their 20-point lead. The score at the end of the third was 32-52 Eagles.

Both teams came back into the fourth with high energy by diving for balls and forcing turnovers. A recovery seemed to be in the cards for the Lancers with the Eagles cracking under their intense defense. Two Lady Lancer guards were up in a full press that resulted in lots of turnovers in favor of East. The Lady Lancers continued to be aggressive with only 38 seconds left in the game, forcing turnovers and going after jump balls. The final score was a hard-fought 74-49.

“In order to prepare for upcoming games, we need to focus on our own personal weaknesses,” Mustoe said. “And clean up the little things in order to put together the big things and have a better outcome each game.”