Lakota West won its first game in the Lexington Catholic Holiday Tournament by defeating Simon Kenton by the score of 55-40 Tuesday. The Firebirds are scheduled to face Trinity (Louisville, Ky.) at 8 p.m. Wednesday.
Against Simon Kenton, junior small forward Monty Boykins led Lakota West with 16 points and 8 rebounds. His senior teammate, Jackson Blue finished with 12 points and 6 rebounds.
The win improves Lakota West to 4-0 on the season. It is the program’s best start since the 2005-2006 season.
Lakota West 55, Simon Kenton 40
Lakota West (4-0, 3-0 in GMC) – Blue 4 4 12, Barnes 3 0 6, Williams 2 0 4, Boykins 7 1 16, Grove 2 0 4, Ross 2 3 8, Bowling 1 1 3, Bengal 1 0 2. Totals: 24 9 55.
Lakota West avoided a late rally and snapped a two-game losing streak against Lakota East by defeating its school district rival by the score of 56-51 at a packed Hawks Nest Tuesday.
In practice, leading up to the game, Lakota West junior Monty Boykins put the score of last year’s loss to Lakota East – 74-34 – up on the scoreboard.
“We didn’t forget about that,” Lakota West head coach Sean Van Winkle said.
“We have almost everyone back from that situation last year. To them, that was inspiration. To me, it was just our next game. Its East, we just got to beat them. Now, we are 3-0 in the GMC. That is something to be said.”
Fueling off last year’s embarrassment at home Lakota West spoiled the evening for East fans, who celebrated their 2011 state championship baseball team at halftime.
Playing the role of spoilers were two players who remembered last year’s loss well in sophomore point guard Tyler Williams and senior forward Kayaune Ross.
“Our team came in hard to win and they were ready to play, so we knew it was going to be fight,” Ross said.
“Honestly, we didn’t get the win the way we wanted it, but a win is a win so we will take it.”
After scoring two points in last season’s blowout loss, Ross converted four free throws in the final minute to seal the win for the Firebirds.
Meanwhile, his teammate, Williams broke a 49-49 tie with 2:16 left in the game with a three pointer. The sophomore, who has been attracting the attention of Division I scouts, finished with a career high 15 points.
The heroics of Williams and Ross wouldn’t have been needed if not for a Lakota East fourth quarter comeback, which featured a 10-0 run that turned a 42-33 deficit into a 43-42 lead with five minutes to play.
Junior Stedman Lowry led Lakota East with 15 points. His teammates, juniors Keith Brady and Zach Panzecca, each finished with 12 points.
Boykins, who used last season’s blowout to inspire the Firebirds, finished with 11.
Lakota West 56, Lakota East 51
Lakota West
14
12
14
16
56
Lakota East
12
4
17
18
51
Lakota West (3-0, 3-0 in the GMC) – Ross 1 4 6, Blue 3 4 10, Barnes 4 0 8, Stalker 1 0 2, Williams 5 2 15, Boykins 5 0 11, Grove 2 0 4. Totals 21 10 56.
Lakota East (1-3, 0-3 in the GMC– Leppert 1 2 4, Emrick 0 1 1, Harpring 1 0 3, S. Lowry 7 0 15, Brady 5 1 12, D. Lowry 1 0 3, Panzecca 6 0 12, 0 1 1. Totals 21 5 51.
Halftime: Lakota West 26-16. 3-pointers: LW 4 (Williams 3, Boykins), LE 4 (Harpring, S. Lowry, Brady, D. Lowry).
The Lakota West boys’ basketball team won its second straight game against a Greater Miami Conference opponent when it defeated Sycamore by the score of 59-53 Friday.
Junior Monty Boykins, who finished with a team high 15 points, led the Firebirds. Teammates senior Kayaune Ross (14 points, 15 rebounds) and junior Ali Barnes (14 points, 3 assistss) combined to score 28 points.
Meanwhile, 6-foot-6 260-pound A.J. Williams, who is committed to play football at Michigan, finished with 17 points and 9 rebounds for Sycamore in the loss.
Next up for the Firebirds (2-0 overall, 2-0 in the GMC) is a road contest at rival Lakota East (1-2 overall, 0-2 in the GMC). Sycamore (1-3 overall, 0-2 in the GMC) will also play Tuesday, visiting Colerain (2-2 overall, 0-2 in the GMC) at 7:30 p.m.
Box score – Lakota West 59, Sycamore 53
Sycamore
12
10
13
18
53
Lakota West
19
7
13
20
59
Sycamore (1-3, 0-2 GMC) – Gruden 2 4 8, Hill 1 2 5, Farquhar 1 0 2, Brown 3 4 10, Morgan 4 3 11, Williams 8 1 17. Totals: 19 14 53. Lakota West (2-0, 2-0 GMC) – Ross 4 4 14, Blue 2 0 4, Barnes 6 1 14, Stalker 1 0 2, Williams 1 3 6, Moo Young 0 2 2, Boykins 5 4 15, Grove 1 0 2. Totals: 20 14 59.
Halftime score: Lakota West 26-22. 3-pointers: S 1 (Hill); LW 5 (Ross 2, Barnes, Williams, Boykins).
Lakota West won its first game in the Lexington Catholic Holiday Tournament by defeating Simon Kenton by the score of 55-40 Tuesday. The Firebirds are scheduled to face Trinity (Louisville, Ky.) at 8 p.m. Wednesday.
