The Wichita East Lady Aces topped the Liberal Lady Redskins 68-57 in overtime Saturday evening at the Big House. East is going to state and Liberal finishes 15-7. The game was played in front of a raucous Big House crowd as Liberal rallied from down nine at the end of three to send the game to overtime.
The Lady Aces took advantage of transition opportunities early to lead 13-6 and 19-12 after one quarter. East led 21-12 before LHS made it 23-18 East. The Aces led 32-22 and 34-24 before taking a 34-26 lead over the Lady Redskins into the halftime locker room. The Lady Red used a 10-2 run to tie the game at 36-36 at the 3:43 mark of the third quarter. But the Lady Aces responded with a 9-0 run of their own to make it 45-36 after three. East led 51-42 with 5:12 to play. LHS made the score 51-46 with 4:15 remaining. LHS cut the lead to three at 51-48 on a steal and Shamari Lewis lay up with 3:27 remaining. Shamari Lewis found Hannah McCarter for a lay up to cut the WEHS lead to 52-50 with 2 minutes to play. Kylie Rhine sent the Big House into a frenzy with a left wing three to give LHS the 53-52 lead with 1:34 to play. Liberal trailed 55-53 with six seconds left as coach Brandi Fowler drew up a play leading to a Maliyah Mullins lay up with an assist from Shamari Lewis to tie the game at the end of regulation. In overtime, it was all East. The Lady Aces out scored Liberal 13-2 in overtime.
LHS was 2-17 from three and 9-18 from the foul line. East was 4-10 from three and 15-27 from the foul line.
Shamari Lewis was Epic Touch Player of the Game with 17 points. Maliyah Mullens had 13. Kamilah Delgado scored 11.
East is 16-6 and going to state for the first time since 2006. Liberal finishes 15-7.
