LAS VEGAS - The hopes of a second consecutive state championship fell short for the Lowry High School girls basketball team, who lost 48-32 to Faith Lutheran in the semifinals of the Division I-A state tournament Friday afternoon at Silverado High School in Las Vegas.
"It wasn't the way we wanted to and we played a little scared and that is not us," said LHS coach Chelsea Cabatbat. "We hit a couple of shots to begin, but couldn't make any after that. We also had a lot of turnovers that hurt us. For whatever reason things happen. I am extremely proud of the girls. They have had a great two-year run. This was the first time that we had to have a losing talk. It was tough in the locker room. But, they have done so much not only for the school but for the Lowry basketball program. They have shown that they can compete at this level."
Both teams started off hot combining for four 3-point field goals in consecutive possessions down the floor. Alyssa Dendary gave Lowry its first lead at 3-2 on a long-range shot, when Faith Lutheran answered back with three of her own. Dendary countered right back to put Lowry back in front 6-5, only to see Madison Bocobo fire right back.
Payton Naveran had the only other points for the Lady Bucks in the first quarter, making a pair of free throws, but Lowry still trailed 10-8.
The difference came in the second quarter, after Naveran made a layup off a steal to close the gap to 12-10. Faith Lutheran went on an 11-1 run in the next six minutes to go in front 23-11. Naveran ended the run with a short jump shot, but Lowry had only four field goals in the first half, while eight turnovers.
"That was a big turning point in the game," Cabatbat said. "We had trouble taking care of the ball and they were pressuring us well. They started hitting baskets from everywhere."
The Crusaders' advantage grew to as many as 14 points in the third quarter, when Alyssa Jones put back a bucket and Dendary converted a layup to cut the deficit to 31-21 with just over a minute to play in the quarter. That was as close as the Lady Bucks got.
The Crusaders, who led by 11 points at the start of the fourth quarter, opened with a 3-pointer by Bobbi Tharaldson and quickly took a 38-22 lead after another basket.
Faith Lutheran's biggest lead of the day came at 43-24. Lowry managed to score the next six points, four of those by Kylee McClellan. But the rally fell short for the 2014 champions.
Lowry committed 24 turnovers in the contest and shot just 27 percent from the field. The Lady Bucks were also 3-of-10 from the free throw line.
Payton Naveran led Lowry with 10 points and seven rebounds. Dendary, in her final game as a Buckaroo, had nine points and McClellan, a fellow senior finished with six points. Jasmine Marchand, Jillian Albright and Jones scored two each and Shelby McKinnon had one.
Lowry finished the year 16-0 in the Division I-A North and 23-5 overall. The 23 wins are the most since the Lady Bucks won 29 games in the 2004 season.
"If you work hard and buy in, good things will happen," Cabatbat said. "We are going to miss our six seniors. They are a big part of rebuilding the program. They are the ones that got this run going again and put the Lowry girls back on the map. They were a part of two straight league championships, two straight academic championships and a state championship. We didn't leave with the hardware we wanted, but it's amazing how they have grown as basketball players and young women. I am excited for the future and now we know what this level of basketball is all about."
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