By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
Running out to an 11-1 lead in the first four minutes Thursday night, Huntington’s Lady Raiders looked like the state’s No. 1 seeded Select Division I basketball team.
While they were never threatened in their state quarterfinal matchup with Lafayette’s St. Thomas More, the Lady Raiders muddled through the next 12 minutes, scoring only 15 more points while posting a relatively mundane 12-point lead at halftime.
Then a trio of 3-point bombs from senior Zanayah Lefear defined the night, framing Huntington’s 66-27 romp. The Lady Raiders treated the visiting Lady Cougars like kittens, erupting for 25 third-quarter points while giving up only 5.
The diminutive Lefear nailed back-to-back 3s opening the third period, igniting Huntington fans – and her teammates.
Huntington (29-5) finished the quarter on a 19-2 run into a 51-19 margin that triggered a running clock for the fourth quarter, flooring eighth-seeded STM (17-14).
Then as time ticked down to the final buzzer, Lefear dribbled away the seconds in front of her bench, and jubilantly pulled up for one last 3-pointer, nailing it from WNBA range as the clock evaporated, setting off a dance-filled celebration.
“Bad sportsmanship!” exclaimed a visiting fan. Fitting finish, undoubtedly. Huntington did what it wanted to do, dominating STM on the boards, in the open floor, with its trapping 3-2 zone defense, and in well-executed half-court offensive sets.
“That last shot, I was just feeling it, so I took it and it went in there,” said Lefear, who posted 11 points in Huntington’s ensemble performance. Jaila Marshall led with 14, while Kyndal Graham and Carley Hamilton each scored 10.
Winning coach Brian Shyne, who was sparkling all night in a suit, was barely off the ladder after he cut the last strands of the net on the home rim before he got hit by a celebratory spray from his players, spewing water bottles. Moments later, they found him with ice cubes from a cooler. Then, he beamed about his team and the resilient, resplendent Lefear.
“This is my baby right here. She’s a senior, but she still wants to be babied sometimes,” he said. “She played huge tonight. Last game she didn’t play too well, but we talked. She got in the gym, put the work in, got herself prepared for this moment. She earned this moment, she deserved this moment.”
The Lady Raiders have won their two playoff games over Lafayette district rivals Acadiana and STM by spreads of 38 and 39 points. Now they’ll head to Hammond for the state semifinals and presumably tougher tests next week at Marsh Madness.
They embrace their top seeding instead of downplaying it.
“Yes! A hundred percent, we’re the favorite,” said Lefear. “Keep doing what we’re doing, everybody staying together. That’s when you see the best of our basketball team.”
“We’re the favorite in our eyes,” said Shyne. “I tell them, I don’t care what seed we are, we believe we have the team to win it all, and we know we’re capable, so we’re going out and show the world that.”
Not to say he and assistant Rickey Evans took Thursday’s outcome for granted, but they did plan ahead. Scouting their semifinal opponent, fifth-seeded Woodlawn of Baton Rouge (64-42 winners over St. Scholastica), has been underway. John Curtis and Liberty will meet in the other semifinal next week.
“Yes, oh, trust me,” said Shyne, grinning. “We’re doing our job.”
So are his players.
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com