Lawrence Central girls make history with regional title, but aren't content to stop now
When the buzzer sounds, Lawrence Central having made good on the mission stated on T-shirts throughout the Decatur Central gymnasium — “Let’s make history” — the celebration is almost subdued. Smiles abound in front of the Bears’ bench, but a unique dynamic is at play: This team has never been here, yet it never expected to be anywhere else.
And they expect to keep going.
IHSAA girls basketball: Central Indiana regionals scoreboard
Lawrence Central made history Saturday, winning its first regional title in program history with a 58-30 victory over Mt. Vernon. A hot start for the 27-1 Bears meant the outcome was rarely in question. But it wasn’t until the closing minutes that Lawrence Central took its foot off the gas. Memories from the team’s lone loss on the season linger, when Lawrence Central squandered a seven-point lead in the closing minute, meaning there’s never time to relax.
Since then, the team has reeled off 22 straight wins. The latest — and biggest in program history — saw Jaylah Lampley pace the team with 22 points, scoring eight points in the opening three minutes of the first quarter to set the tone. Laila Abdurraqib added 13, including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to close the opening period. Lola Lampley scored 10. A suffocating Bears defense forced 19 turnovers, and the team hit nine shots from behind the arc.
It was a clinic in efficiency, and a testament to the mentality coach Jannon Lampley has seen from her team all season long. If this group wants to see its mission through, nothing less will suffice.
“We asked them, ‘What is it that you want out of this season, and are you willing to pay the price for it?’ Everyone responded, ‘We want to win a state championship,’” coach Lampley said. “We test them throughout the year. Is this a real goal or are we just talking? As we went along, we could tell by the work that was being put in, by the sacrifices, the unity and chemistry, that they were in.”
While Jaylah Lampley and Abdurraqib consistently lead the charge, the Bears have plenty of contributors. Katie Castro, one of the team’s two seniors, drew a raucous cheer from her teammates when she made an acrobatic layup in the second half. While she doesn’t frequently fill up the stat sheet, her leadership is respected and appreciated.
“We’ve been through thick and thin,” Castro said after the win. “I just try to get them in line. I feel so good right now.”
Coming into this season, the program hadn’t won a sectional game since 2001. Now, it’s two wins away from a berth in the state championship game.
The Bears’ coach says complacency “is not something that’s in our program,” and the 24-point margin of victory average on the season affirms that. It’s a “mindset shift” this season, the former professional basketball player says. Last season, when the Bears went 16-8, the goal was to “build a culture” and be “the best version of ourselves” possible.
This year, the commitment is at another level.
“Everybody wants to win this year, and we want a lot out of our team,” Jaylah Lampley said. “We’re very committed, putting in the extra work, and it’s finally paying off. I’m extremely proud of our team.”
The final score isn’t indicative of how well Mt. Vernon played. The Marauders, coming off their fourth consecutive sectional title, put pressure on the No. 1 Bears, forcing 10 turnovers. Kanyonrae Kenny led the team with 10 points, and Ellery Minch added 9. But Lawrence Central’s size, speed and 3-point shooting made it difficult to stay within striking distance.
“Mt. Vernon did really good tonight, attacking the basket and hitting some big 3s,” Jaylah said. “But we just stayed together and executed.”
The Bears will enjoy this win, before turning their attention to next week’s semistate. The two games in one day format often poses a challenge for even the best of teams. And while the Bears certainly look the part of a team ready to tackle the challenge, they won’t take anything for granted. There’s more work to be done.
“We came from having nothing, and now we’re cutting down nets at the regional,” Jaylah said. “It shows to the younger generation that whatever you put your mind to, you can do anything.”
Lawrence Central 58, Mt. Vernon 30
Lawrence Central 18 15 20 5 — 58
Mt. Vernon 9 13 4 4 — 30
Lawrence Central (27-1): Jaylah Lampley 22, Laila Abdurraqib 13, Lola Lampley 10, Aniyah McKenzie 8, Katie Castro 2, Mariah Garrett 2, Melaya Hughes 1. Totals: 22 5-9 58.
Mt. Vernon (13-14): Kanyonrae Kenny 10, Ellery Minch 9, Gabby Thomas 5, Addison Bucksot 3, Kaitlyn Laffey 3. Totals: 12 2-4 30.
3-pointers: Lawrence Central 9 (J. Lampley 5, Abdurraqib 4). Mt. Vernon 4 (Thomas, Minch, Kenny, Laffey).
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IHSAA girls basketball: Lawrence Central wins first regional title
