(LEFT) Hamilton Southeastern’s Kennedy Holman scored 29 points for the Royals during their Saturday, Nov. 15 game with Lawrence Central. (RIGHT) Kayla Stidham scored 14 points for Southeastern. (Julie Brown)
By RICHIE HALL
FISHERS – The Hamilton Southeastern girls basketball team is always up for a challenge.
On Saturday, Nov. 15, the Royals took on Lawrence Central, the No. 2-ranked team in Class 4A and more than held their own. Southeastern, ranked No. 6 in 6A, came back from a 10-point deficit to force overtime before falling to the Bears 62-53 in front of a loud crowd at the Royals’ gym.
“It’s good experience for both groups as we keep moving forward,” said Southeastern coach Brian Satterfield. “But what I loved about our group, especially as young as we are and not having a lot of varsity experience, just to seen our girls come out there and compete the way they did.”
The game was exciting the entire way, especially with two Division I commits and Miss Basketball candidates facing off against each other. The Royals’ Kennedy Holman signed with the Florida Gators, while LC’s Lola Lampley is committed to Louisiana State.
Both stars were on their game in the first quarter, which ended in a 10-10 tie. Holman scored HSE’s first eight points, while Lampley scored six.
The Bears outscored the Royals 9-4 in the second period, with Riley Schellhammer making a pair of 3-pointers. Southeastern was held to a basket from sophomore Piper Brinley and two Holman free throws, but the Royals were still within 19-14 at halftime.
Kayla Stidham, a Bowling Green State commit, opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 19-17. Lawrence Central tried to pull away, at one point leading 31-23, but a Holman layin and 3-pointer from Haylee Mezera got the Royals within 31-28.
The Bears used a 7-0 run to lead 38-28, but Stidham finished the third quarter with a layin that was the start of an 12-0 spurt by Southeastern. Stidham began the fourth period with a three-point play, then Holman made a free throw.
Sophomore Eevey Tolliver came off the bench to drain a 3, Stidham scored to give the Royals their first lead, and Mezera’s free throw pushed HSE up 40-38.
The Bears quickly scored six points to move ahead 44-40, then Aniyah Mckenzie’s layin pushed LC ahead 46-41. Southeastern answered with a 6-0 run: Holman and Stidham both drained two free throws, then Holman scored off a steal.
Keadriah Butler’s free throw tied the game at 47-47 and it was on to overtime. Lampley took over in the extra period, scoring seven points. Lampley contributed three points of a 6-0 run that clinched the game during the final 1:16 of overtime.
Holman played outstanding, with 29 points and five steals. Stidham scored 14 points. Brinley led the rebounds with six, while Antonette Green dished out four assists.
Mckenzie led the Bears with 16 points, followed by 15 for Lampley, 13 for Butler and 11 for Schellhammer.
Southeastern is 2-1 and plays at Cathedral tonight.
