SC stops LV’S sectional run

NORTH JUDSON Laville head girls basketball coach Nicholas Amor knew both his Lancer squad and South Central’s were different teams.

These two met nearly three months ago for an early-season game. Amor’s club won that one 42-39 to upset the then Class 2A No. 10 Lady Satellites. Saturday’s 2A Sectional 34 championship game at North Judson was set up to be a battle.

“Both teams are very different now,” Amor said beforehand. “South Central has really shown what they can do and will attack the basket. They try to attack hard and they have a couple of shooters in #44 (Kate Welsh) and #40 (Olivia Marks). We have to keep them out of the paint and force them to our help-side and rebound well.”

Laville came in allowing 31.9 points per outing, 15th best in the state, while South Central gave up 34.4 per game, 25th best. Both teams have the threat of 3-point shooters, but the ultimate deciding factor, may have been state tournament experience.

SC has won two of the last three sectional championships, to go with a regional title in 2020. Laville came in seeking its first sectional crown since 2003.

In the end, timely freethrow shooting and a couple of crucial 3-pointers helped South Central defeat Laville, 52-40, in a game that was much closer than the final score indicates.

After trailing for three quarters, the Lancers finally pulled even at 28-all with 6:29 left in the contest, but that tie lasted just a few seconds as Hope Welsh swished a 3-pointer from the left wing, then dropped another trey with 4:55 left to boost the SC lead to six.

Laville’s Lily Smith dropped two bombs from beyond the arc not long after though and LV was down, 38-36, at the 2:55 mark. Satellite forward Sadie Marks had a threepoint play following a timeout to send the lead back to five points.

The game then took a strange twist as LV’S Heaylyn Kwiatkowski and SC’S Olivia Marks got tangled and Marks was whistled for a technical foul. LV connected on just 1-of-4 foul shots after that sequence though, and SC led 41-37 at the 2:33 mark. A drive to the basket stretched the lead to six with 1:44 left before SC canned 9-of-10 free throws to seal the win.

The senior Kwiatkowski finished her career with a double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Smith (four 3s) had 12 points. Senior Lucy Sherk added seven points and seven boards, while Brooke Edison chipped in with five points and five rebounds.

Laville finished a fine season at 19-7, TCU Bi-county champions, and advanced to the sectional championship in Amor’s first season. Other LV seniors ending their prep careers are Lauren Edison and Quincy Blodgett.

CLASS 2A SECTIONAL 34 Championship At North Judson

• S. CENTRAL 52, LAVILLE 40 SC 12 18 28 52

LV 7 15 25 40

South Central - Samantha Marks 3, Sadie Marks 5, Hope Welsh 14, Lillian Tolmen 9, Olivia Marks 18, Kate Welsh 5. Totals: 17 14-22 52 Laville - Lily Smith 12, Heaylyn Kwiatkowski 13, Ava Weil 0, Brooke Edison 5, Mikalah Kuskye 1, Lauren Edison 0, London Kwiatkowski 2, Lucy Sherk 7, Quincy Blodgett 0. Totals: 16 4-13 40

3-point field goals: South Central 5 (H. Welsh 4, O. Marks), Laville 4 (Smith 4)

Total fouls (fouled out): South Central 17 (Sadie Marks), Laville 22 (B. Edison)