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‘Long range’ Lee lifts Warren JFK
Photo
Champion’s Mackenzie Kiser (51) tries to drive around Warren JFK’s Megan Lieber (23) in the third period of their basketball game Monday in Champion. Kiser put up 16 points and was the game’s leading rebounder, but the Flashes came up short against the Eagles, losing 50-46.
The junior scored 20 points on five 3-pointers as the Eagles pulled away from Champion.
By Jim Flick
champion
In a back-and-forth contest that wasn’t settled until the final minutes, the Warren JFK High girls basketball team defeated Champion Thursday night 50-46.
JFK was led by junior Lauren Lee, who sank five 3-pointers as scored a game-high 20 points.
Chanel Thorton, a senior, added 10 points for Kennedy, while juniors Natalie Ambrosy and Angelene Coates each contributed six points.
Champion junior MacKenzie Kiser, a junior, scored 16 points and was the game’s leading rebounder, hauling down 10 missed shots.
Gabby Lamont, a junior, tallied 12 points for the Flashes, while senior Lindsay Swipas added 11 points.
At the start of the game, Champion (5-2) took a 7-0 lead, with Kiser opening the scoring with a layup and adding a free throw, and Lamont sinking two field goals.
But Lee started the scoring for Kennedy (4-4) by launching her first 3-pointer. The Eagles quickly made up the difference and took the lead, 13-11, at the end of the first quarter. Lee connected on three more 3-pointers by halftime.
In the second quarter, it was the Golden Flashes’ turn, as they outscored the Eagles 15-12 and held a 26-25 advantage at halftime. Kiser sank two field goals in the second stanza, while junior Helen Shaver connected on a 3-point shot.
JFK drubbed Champion 13-6 in the third quarter to lead 38-32 at the end of that stanza. Lee swished her fifth 3-pointer of the night in the quarter,
The Eagles scored the first points of the fourth quarter to lead by eight points, 40-32, their biggest lead of the night.
But the Flashes overtook JFK when Kiser sank two free throws and led 45-44 with a little more than two minutes remaining.
Kennedy, led by Ambrosy and Thornton, outscored Champion 6-1 in the final two minutes for the victory.
“The first couple of shots we had just didn’t go in for us,” said JFK coach John Baytos. “I called a timeout and said, ‘Guys, we got to keep shooting and stay with our game.’
“As soon as that ball started going through the net, out kids got some confidence.”
Lee “had a phenomenal shooting night,” Baytos added. “But that’s not a surprise. She works very, very hard at her game.”
Baytos said that Thornton’s “aggressiveness on defense helps us and when she can penetrate [on offense] that’s a good thing for us.”
The Kennedy coach also had high praise for an opponent, calling Champion’s Kiser “a great, great player” who was targeted by his team’s defense.
“I give Kennedy all the credit in the world,” said Champion coach Jeff Thompson. “We weren’t patient enough on offense, and we did a poor job of matching up” on defense.
Warren JFK “did a good job of changing defenses, and we just didn’t know how to react to it,” Thompson said.