Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Lawrence High’s Cami Nauholz attempts a 3-point shot during a girls basketball game against Shawnee Mission West on Jan. 22 at Lawrence High School.
Lawrence High’s Cami Nauholz and Macyn Ramsay helped the Lions girls basketball team erase a slow start against Shawnee Mission West and deliver a 57-33 home victory on Thursday.
Nauholz and Ramsay delivered an unstoppable one-two punch as the dynamic inside-out duo combined for 39 points in the team’s win over the Vikings.
Lawrence entered the Sunflower League contest having won four of its first five games to open the season, but followed by dropping four of five.
Shawnee Mission West capitalized on Lawrence’s early shooting struggles as freshmen Madison Andre and Sammie Auer buried 3-pointers to hand the Vikings a 6-1 lead.
After misfiring on their first eight shots from the field, the Lions began making a concerted effort to get the ball to Nauholz in the low-post — a strategy that paid immediate dividends.
Nauholz dazzled on the interior, while also showing off her feathery shooting touch from beyond the arc — finishing the opening frame with nine points, three rebounds, and a block as the Lions led 13-10.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Lawrence High’s Macyn Ramsey attempts a 3-point shot during a girls basketball game against Shawnee Mission West on Jan. 22 at Lawrence High School.
Lawrence’s most cohesive offensive stretch of the game transpired during the second quarter. Freshman guard Marley Doleman’s knifing drive and score resulted in a traditional 3-point play to hand the Lions a 16-10 lead.
But it was Ramsay who caught fire.
After collecting a pass in the paint, Nauholz kicked out to Ramsay and watched as the sophomore combo guard drained a triple from two steps beyond the 3-point line. With under three minutes remaining in the first half, Nauholz continued torching the Vikings’ defense, connecting on back-to-back 3-balls — stretching the Lions’ advantage to 29-13.
Lawrence concluded the half with a low-post bucket from Nauholz, followed by Ramsay shaking-and-baking her defender as she drove to the cup from left baseline. She then stopped on a dime and knocked down a fadeaway jumper for a convincing 35-16 halftime lead.
Lawrence’s defense stiffened in the second quarter, further rattling the Vikings’ guards, harassing the visitors into 12 turnovers over the first 16 minutes of play.
Lawrence cooled off in the third quarter after connecting on just five of 15 shots from the field, but the Lions’ ability to create turnovers led to ample fastbreak opportunities, and a parade of trips to the charity stripe.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Lawrence High’s Marley Doleman splits a pair of defenders while driving toward the basket during a girls basketball game against Shawnee Mission West on Jan. 22 at Lawrence High School.
Lawrence’s lead ballooned to 48-24 as Nauholz dropped in seven straight points — followed by Jada Baars-Turner’s driving layup late in the third en route to the 24-point victory.
“Our game plan was to work the ball inside-out,” Ramsay said.
Nauholz filled the stat sheet with a game-high 22 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks, and two steals. Ramsay added 17 points, pouring in 11 during an electrifying stretch of the second quarter. Marley Doleman chipped in 10 points and three steals — consistently attacking the paint, and in turn, knocking down 4-of-6 free throw attempts.
For the contest, Lawrence shot 27 percent from the field (16 of 58) while knocking down 13 of 20 from the charity stripe. The Lions also forced 22 turnovers, while committing 12.
“We played really good defense, and our energy from the start was also good,” Ramsay said.
Ramsay said she’s confident in the Lions’ ability to build off Thursday’s blowout victory. The team is also coming off a 45-40 non-league road defeat against a solid Washburn Rural squad.
“I don’t think wins or losses over the past few games have brought us down,” she said. “And coming off some tough games definitely made us more prepared tonight.”
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Lawrence High’s Zoey Barber passes the ball to a teammate near the top of the key during a girls basketball game against Shawnee Mission West on Jan. 22 at Lawrence High School.
Shawnee Mission West head coach Sta’Nisha Hersey lamented her squad’s inability to slow the Lions in transition, while also failing to contain Nauholz in the half-court set.
“We didn’t handle our double (teams) on the inside very well,” she said, referring to busted assignments while attempting to defend Nauholz on the low block.
“It’s the first time we’ve really had to double-team all season, so there was a lack of practice with that,” Hersey said. “I wish we had executed a little better, because (Nauholz) is a very skilled low-post player.”
Lawrence (6-5, 3-3 Sunflower League) returns to the court Friday night for a non-league road contest with F.L. Schlagle High School (1-9 overall) in Kansas City. The Lions are then idle until a Jan. 29 non-league road clash with Shawnee Heights.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Lawrence High’s players celebrate a play during a girls basketball game against Shawnee Mission West on Jan. 22 at Lawrence High School.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Lawrence High’s LaKeyshia Woods and Jada Baars-Turner hug after a girls basketball game against Shawnee Mission West on Jan. 22 at Lawrence High School.
