Azyah Newson-Cole’s 25 points lead Lincoln-Way Central past Lockport – Shaw Local

LOCKPORT – It wasn’t the prettiest recreation that Lincoln-Way Central has performed this season, however it received the job carried out because the Knights downed Lockport 55-47 on Monday night time.

Lincoln-Approach Central (5-1) received 25 factors from Indiana-Purdue at Indianapolis-bound guard Azyah Newson-Cole and 15 factors and 7 rebounds from Gracen Gehrke en path to the victory. The Knights led 45-22 getting into the fourth quarter, however Lockport (1-5) refused to give up and pulled to inside 51-42 with 48 seconds remaining. That was as shut because the Porters received, nonetheless, till Kaya Osinski (10 factors) hit a 3-pointer within the last seconds to supply the ultimate margin.

“It wasn’t our cleanest recreation,” Lincoln-Approach Central coach Dave Campanile stated. “We have been making an attempt to get some completely different rotations and completely different combos of gamers in there. It’s solely our sixth recreation of the season, and there will likely be some rising pains as we work out what the combos that work properly collectively are.

“When a workforce is scrambling like Lockport was within the fourth quarter, typically the sport isn’t very fairly. However we often play with 5 guards, and so they can deal with the stress.”

Lockport jumped out to an early lead as Newson-Cole was on the bench for the primary 4 minutes. The Porters received 5 factors from Brooke Sartin, together with a 3-pointer, to take a 7-2 lead. Gianna Amiado then scored back-to-back baskets for Central to make it 7-6 earlier than Alaina Peetz (8 factors, 5 rebounds) made a pair of free throws to place Lockport forward 9-6 as Newson-Cole entered the sport.

She wasted no time in making her presence felt, driving and dishing to Brooke Baechtold for a basket earlier than driving the lane herself for a bucket and a 10-9 lead, and the Knights by no means trailed once more. It was the primary of a number of drives into the lane for buckets for Newson-Cole.

“I really feel like once I get within the lane, nobody can cease me,” Newson-Cole stated. “I’m not being cocky, however I do know the individual in entrance of me can’t guard me. I do know that shot goes to be there. I’ve been engaged on getting myself stronger so I can go in there and get these pictures.”

When she wasn’t taking pictures within the lane, she was discovering open teammates, and Gehrke reaped a bulk of the profit. Gehrke drained a pair of 3-pointers within the third quarter off passes from Newson-Cole.

“Quite a lot of instances, when Azyah goes within the center, I make sure that I’m able to shoot,” Gehrke stated. “She attracts a lot consideration that it leaves different folks open. Each of my 3-pointers have been as a result of I used to be left open when somebody went after Azyah.”

In the meantime, Gehrke and the Knights have been busy on the defensive finish, forcing the Porters into 17 turnovers and limiting them to 13 factors within the second and third quarters mixed.

“We take a whole lot of satisfaction in our protection,” Gehrke stated. “Coach [Campanile] stated that’s our identification, and we play man-to-man virtually on a regular basis. We solely use a zone as a final resort.

“I’m solely 5-8, however I’ve to protect a number of the different workforce’s huge gamers as a result of Lina [Panos] is out proper now, and he or she often guards the bigs.”

Lockport went on a 9-0 spurt early within the fourth quarter to tighten the sport to 49-36. Veronica Bafia scored six of her team-high 12 factors within the run, and Osinski added three free throws. Bafia later added back-to-back buckets the drew the Porters to inside 51-40 earlier than Osinski’s free throws within the last minute made it 51-42. Newson-Cole then scored within the lane earlier than a putback bucket by Peetz. Annalina Nelson drained a pair of free throws for the Knights earlier than Osinski’s 3 closed the scoring.