The Jefferson City Lady Jays will be looking to make it two in a row after knocking off the host team Lebanon in the opening round of the Missouri Class 5 District 10 tournament on Monday, 63-46.
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Southern Illinois signee Nicole Martin scored 21 points and hauled in 10 rebounds, while Lindenwood recruit Megan Fisher added a game-high 24 points and nine rebounds.
The 'Jays jumped out to a 12-4 lead early on Monday, but LHS battled back to pull within three points (16-13) at the end of the first quarter. But the 'Jays took control of the game in the second quarter and used an 8-0 run late in the frame to pull away with a 16-point lead.
"Our game plan was to try to get up and down the floor, and in the first half we did," Jefferson City head coach Brad Conway said. "We were able to get behind them and able to get some long lead (passes). But I told the girls at halftime that we left at least 12 points on the floor missing layups.
"But we were able to get some stops and I thought we could get the ball inside."
The second half, however, Lebanon came out with an aggressive trap on the ball and was able to use sloppy play by the 'Jays to trim a 16-point lead early in the third to just eight early in the fourth.
Lebanon got a basket by Jaiden Offutt and six points from Winfrey to spark an 8-2 run to open the fourth quarter and were within 51-43 early in the frame. But the 'Jays answered right back by outscoring the 'Jackets 12-3 the rest of the way. Lebanon had just a single one free throw over the final five minutes before getting a late basket as time expired.
But Lebanon head coach Brendan Kelley said the game was largely won and lost early on when the 'Jays pulled away with a big lead in the second quarter.
"We came out in a 3-2 (zone) and didn't do a good job in defending the post and obviously they have a good post player (Martin)," Kelley said. "We tried to go to more of a pressure defense in a 1-3-1, and we looked pretty good there for a while, but the thing about that defense is that it requires a lot of energy.
"I feel like at times you could see that they had more left in the tank than our kids did. We were kind of run down and anytime you get down, the amount of energy that it takes to get back in the game is extraordinary.
"We made a couple of runs where I thought we might get them on the ropes, but they always made plays to put an end to it."
The win sets up a showdown between the 'Jays and Waynesville in the championship game and a showdown between a pair of elite post players — Waynesville senior Kallie Bildner, a Lindenwood signee, and Martin.
That game will be played at 6 p.m. on Thursday at Boswell Auditorium at Lebanon High School.
"We played them once and Bildner had a really good game and fortunately our guards outplayed their guards, but Bildner really ate us up," Conway said. "It's going to be a challenge and hopefully we'll come up with something in the next two days and we'll be ready to go."
On Monday, Jefferson City (22-4) out-rebounded Lebanon 38-19 and held the 'Jackets to just 29 percent shooting (13 for 45) and LHS was 2 for 16 (11 percent) from 3-point range. LHS did attempt 21 free throws and shot 81 percent at the line.
Lebanon got 23 points and three rebounds from Winfrey. The 5-foot-8 junior scored at least five points in each quarter and made several key baskets to keep the 'Jackets in the game. Senior Mikalyn Callahan completed her last game with 13 points and five rebounds.
"Hats off to them, they are an extremely good basketball team," Kelley said. "They are very athletic, get up and down the court and rebound well and shoot the ball. I think they have a chance to make a run down the road."
JEFFERSON CITY 63, LEBANON 47
Jefferson City 16 20 9 17 — 63
Lebanon 13 9 13 11 — 47
Jefferson City (22-4) — Tayler LePage 2, Lacey Haug 2, Nicole Martin 21, Caitlin Anderson 10, Megan Fisher 24, Micah Linthacum 4.
Lebanon (18-9) — Kelsey Winfrey 23, Mikalyn Callahan 13, Jaiden Offutt 3, Faith Alwardt 4, Kamryn Mack 3.
