Leonard Squeaks by Lady Bulldogs

<p>Leonard 57, Howe 54
</p>

<p>
</p>

<p>By Jack Walker
</p>

<p>Staff Writer
</p>

<p>
</p>

<p>I'm pretty sure that Howe Lady Bulldog coach Derek Lands has had far more enjoyable birthday celebrations than last Friday when he had to watch his team drop a 57-54 decision to Leonard in a pivotal District 11-2A clash.
</p>

<p>A home-court loss at this stage of the district race is hard to take with games against Melissa and Gunter remaining on the Howe schedule.
</p>

<p>It was a familiar theme that played out for the Lady Bulldogs, they ran plays that got them easy looks at the basket but just could not cash in enough to hold off the Lady Tigers. On a sequence that opened the second quarter, Katy Courtney got a bucket to fall after the team had missed on two opportunities deep inside the paint. Her basket and another from Morgan England got the team off on a run that was highlighted later by the play of Ashley Davis. Working hard in the post, Davis scored 12 points in the quarter to help push Howe to a 26-25 lead at the break. Davis finished with 24 points in the contest.
</p>

<p>A basket by England opened the second half scoring, but Ashley Booher keyed a run by the visitors that bumped their lead to six at the end of the third quarter. Booher had nine in the frame and senior Kayla Winkler contributed four for the Lady Tigers. Davis had a pair of baskets near the end of the quarter to help stem the tide.
</p>

<p>A field goal and two from the line by Najwa Nwanko got Leonard its biggest lead of the game at 10,early in the final period. She had three more points to build the Lady Tiger lead to 47-38 before Howe made some stops.
</p>

<p>A Davis basket and the pressing Howe defense got the next score. Courtney jumped into the passing lane to nab a steal and raced to the offensive end to score for the Lady Bulldogs. A Katie Pelzel shot from the right side followed another Davis basket and that cut the Leonard lead to just two with just under four minutes left.
</p>

<p>Everything else for Leonard came at the free-throw line and they were perfect over that stretch. Three different players went 10-for-10 and the Lady Bulldogs couldn't make up any ground.
</p>

<p>After a basket by Morgan Bailey had made it a 55-52 game Leonard, turnovers plagued Howe on its next two possessions and time ran out after a final bucket by Maddie Potter.
</p>

<p>After a Tuesday trip to Tom Bean, Howe will play its final home game of the season tonight as they host Melissa.
</p>

<p>
</p>

<p>Leonard	14	11	15	17-57
</p>

<p>Howe	8	18	8	20-54
</p>

<p>H: Ashley Davis 24, Katy Courtney 8, Maddie Potter 6, Katie Pelzel 5, Paige Potter 5, Morgan England 4, Morgan Bailey 2.</p>