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Lawrence High’s Cami Nauholz dribbles into multiple defenders during a girls basketball game against Olathe South on Dec. 16 at Lawrence High School.
The Lawrence High girls basketball team’s perfect start to the season fizzled out in Tuesday night’s 57-34 loss to the visiting Olathe South Falcons.
Coming off a hard-fought overtime victory a few days prior, the Lions appeared to be lacking the same level of energy they had displayed during their first two victories of the season.
Despite entering the contest with prized blue chip prospect Eve Long sidelined by injury, the Falcons didn’t show any signs of slowing down on the offensive end, opening on an 8-0 run.
Lawrence (2-1) snapped a three-plus minute scoreless drought when sophomore sharpshooter Macyn Ramsay connected from long-range to trim the deficit to 8-3.
Cami Nauholz’s short fadeaway jumper early in the second quarter trimmed the Lions’ deficit to 16-13, but the Falcons ended the half on a 11-0 blitz, capped off by Macy Price’s 3-pointer for a 27-13 halftime advantage.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Lawrence High’s Macyn Ramsey goes for a layup during a girls basketball game against Olathe South on Dec. 16 at Lawrence High School.
The extended run stretched well into the third quarter as the Falcons opened a 24-point lead, and led 43-21 entering the fourth quarter.
Trailing 50-26 with five minutes remaining in regulation, the Lions rattled off an 8-0 run punctuated by Nauholz’s kickout pass to Ramsay for a 3-pointer from the left wing to cut the lead to 16. The Falcons replied with a 7-0 run to close out the contest.
Ramsay, a sophomore guard who has embraced an enhanced leadership role this season, said she didn’t play to her fullest capabilities. She added that the game had “a different feel to it” because it was a Sunflower League clash.
“I didn’t feel as confident as usual; my energy wasn’t up,” she said, “and I apologized for that in the locker room.”
Despite critiquing her own play, Ramsay still tied for a game-high 16 points — knocking down three 3-pointers, while sinking 5-of-5 from the charity stripe.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Lawrence High’s Lucy Jane Juelsgaard drives toward the basket during a girls basketball game against Olathe South on Dec. 16 at Lawrence High School.
Olathe South head coach Nikki Hoffman said her squad’s game-plan centered on containing Ramsay and Nauholz.
“They are legit players,” she said.
In the Lions’ season-opening triumph over Topeka West, the inside-out duo combined for 55 points. Nauholz’s spectacular performance included 28 points, 14 rebounds, four steals and three blocks. Against Olathe South, Nauholz finished with just eight points and was held scoreless in the second half — while Ramsay poured in all 16 of her points over the final 16 minutes.
“The game-plan going in was to play aggressive defense and really get after Cami and Macyn — they are just forces offensively,” Hoffman said. “We knew that we would have to aggressively attack and try to frustrate them to take them out of their game.”
Hoffman said one of her “favorite plays” of the evening was Nauholz’ fourth quarter kickout pass — while being tightly defended in the low-post — to Ramsay for the knockdown 3-pointer.
“She just drained it,” Hoffman said. “It was beautiful.”
The Lions return to the court Friday for a Sunflower League road matchup with Shawnee Mission East (1-4). The Lancers enter the matchup coming off a 54-38 win over Topeka High on Dec. 12.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Lawrence High’s Marley Doleman gets her shot blocked on a layup attempt during a girls basketball game against Olathe South on Dec. 16 at Lawrence High School.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Lawrence High’s players celebrate a made 3-pointer during a girls basketball game against Olathe South on Dec. 16 at Lawrence High School.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Lawrence High’s Macyn Ramsey awaits teammates to help her up after drawing a foul on a drive to the basket during a girls basketball game against Olathe South on Dec. 16 at Lawrence High School.
