After Lakota East carried a modest 13-7 lead out of the first quarter, the game tilted decisively in the second. The Thunderhawks used a 17-0 second period to seize a 30-7 halftime advantage.
“That second quarter was huge for us,” Lakota East coach Dan Wallace said. “We talk all the time about playing fast, sharing the ball and trusting each other. Tonight, we finally looked like Lakota East basketball.”
Lakota East shot 41.2 percent from the floor for the game and assisted on more than half of its made baskets, finishing with 12 assists on 21 field goals. The Thunderhawks also won the rebounding battle 32-19 and forced 17 Hamilton turnovers.
Sophomore Isadore McCune and senior Bailey Bacher led Lakota East with 14 points apiece. McCune knocked down four 3-pointers, while Bacher filled the stat sheet with three assists, two steals and two blocks.
Lakota East’s depth also proved decisive. Payton Buker scored eight points off the bench while adding three assists, Maddie Manzardo went a perfect 3-for-3 from the floor for six points, and Bella Sturgill controlled the paint with nine rebounds, two blocks and five points.
Eleven Thunderhawks logged double-digit minutes, allowing Lakota East to maintain its pace throughout the night.
“That’s how we want to build this team,” Wallace said. “When we can play eight, nine, even 10 kids and keep the energy high, it makes us really hard to play against.”
Hamilton briefly showed signs of life early, keeping the game close in the opening quarter, but struggled to generate consistent offense against Lakota East’s pressure. The Big Blue went scoreless in the second quarter and finished 12-of-39 shooting (30.8 percent) for the game.
Makayla Tipton led Hamilton with 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting, while Amaginn Beamon added seven points. Brookelyn Murrell contributed six rebounds, five steals and two blocks, providing defensive energy for a Hamilton team still searching for stability.
Hamilton coach Kimar Morris said the night reflected the growing pains of a young roster navigating the GMC.
“We’re really trying to find our confidence,” Morris said. “A lot of our kids are playing varsity basketball at this level for the first time, in the best league in southwest Ohio. That’s a big jump.”
Morris pointed to the second quarter as the turning point, when fatigue and depth began to show.
“We don’t have a lot of room for breathers,” Morris said. “That stretch hurt us, but I was proud of how we competed in the second half. We kept fighting.”
Hamilton was outscored just 26-24 after halftime and showed flashes of what Morris hopes will eventually become the team’s identity.
“When people come to watch us, I want them to see a team that plays hard and plays the game the right way,” Morris said. “Our effort can’t depend on whether shots go in. It has to start on the defensive end.”
Lakota East continued to build its lead in the third quarter, pushing the margin to 45-17 behind continued ball movement and perimeter shooting. By the fourth quarter, Wallace was able to rotate freely, giving younger players meaningful minutes while maintaining control of the game.
The win moved Lakota East to 3-5 overall and 3-2 in the GMC, with three victories in its last four games after a challenging nonconference schedule.
“We play a really hard schedule, and it’s tested us,” Wallace said. “But nights like this show what we’re capable of when we play together.”
Hamilton fell to 1-5 overall and 0-4 in conference play, dropping its fourth straight.
“We’re building,” Morris said. “Sometimes you’ve got to take a step back to see the bigger picture. We’re heading in the right direction, and we’ll keep competing.”
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