Avant drops 38 for boys, girls ‘grit’ out win

Pike Liberal’s Chandler Avant scored seemingly at will Tuesday night against the Lakeside Chiefs.

The senior point guard finished the night with 38 points, and led the Patriots to a 51-37 win. Avant scored the Pats’ first seven points of the game, to give Pike a lead it would never surrender.

Avant scored nine points in the first quarter, six in the second, 11 in the third and a dozen more in the fourth.

Head coach Gene Allen said the team runs smoother when Avant is in a groove.

“He makes us go,” Allen said. “Everyone seems to calm down a little when he is hitting shots. He is always strong to the hole, and if confident with the ball in his hand. He and Brian (Adams) are our floor leaders.”

Adams was the only other Pike Lib player to score. He finished with 13 points,

Girls: Pike Liberal 39, Lakeside 37

Katie Ward stepped in front of a Lakeside pass and converted the steal in to points with a coast-to-coast lay up with just 38 seconds to go to give Pike a come-from-behind win.

Five of Ward’s seven points came with less than a minute to play, sealing a “program win” for the Lady Pats.

“Lakeside is the program you want to be like as far girls basketball in AISA,” said head coach Craig Kennedy. “I don’t know if we had ever beat them before this year, and now we have done it twice. These girls played so hard tonight, and showed grit to get this win.”

Marlee Tunstill led the Lady Patriots with 15 points, and Kennedy feels she “raised her game,” late in the contest.

“Marlee picked up some fouls early, but she came to life late,” Kennedy said. “She and No. 13 for them bring out the best in one another. They are both great players, and know what to do with the ball.”

Pike returns to action Friday in a tournament in Ashford.