Maize South basketball teams dominate in district rival games vs. Maize
Both Maize South girls and boys basketball teams win Tuesday night against Maize High with double digit victories.
Maize senior Jaxon Booth goes up for a 3-point shot in the first half of the game. Maize fell to Maize South, 70-38. bringing the Eagles to a 2-2 record on the year.
December 15, 2022
The Lady Mavs won the tip-off to begin the game, followed by a missed three-point shot from Maize South senior Sophie Hurley.
Maize junior Brynley Smith set the offense back up for a failed right-hand drive to the basket, leading to a turnover from Maize South junior Amani Lipscomb. Lipscomb was fouled on her fast break and made one shot to score the first point of the game.
The Lady Mavs and Eagles battled in the second quarter, but Maize South took a halftime lead of 20-12 going into the break.
At the start of the third quarter, Maize sophomore Adley Pierce wasted no time setting up the offense for a quick pass to the high post, senior Peyton Samek. Samek scanned the court for a wide-open pass to teammate and senior Mattie Brownell who went for the open jump shot.
Maize South continued their lead into the fourth quarter, with a score of 40-28 in the last minute and 45 seconds of the game.
Wichita large school pre-season player of the year Maize South senior Avery Lowe scored 25 points, adding four blocks and four steals on the night.
Maverick junior Bella Peters was fouled by Eagle senior Mallory Hertzel in the last 3.6 seconds of the game. Peters scored both free throws for a Mavericks win of 46-28, pushing them to 2-1 on the year.
In the highly anticipated boys matchup of Maize vs. Maize South, the game began close until Maize began falling short at the end of the first quarter. Maize South to this point had been unable to beat Maize High in boys basketball.
That was until Tuesday’s night’s game.
Maize South took the lead throughout the second quarter and into the end of the game. In the last minutes of the second quarter, the score was 28-15 in favor of the Mavericks.
Senior point guard Isaiah Atwater hit a 3-pointer in the last second of the first half for a halftime score of 31-17.
It was all Maize South in the second half, as Atwater was the highest-scoring player of the game with a total of 24 points and put on a clinic with his accurate shooting.
“I think we played great, we played together as a team and we got the outcome we wanted,” Atwater said. “I feel like I got my teammates involved pretty well and I could have made a few more shots but I’m just glad we got the win.”
Maize High senior Justin Stephens knows the Eagles have some work to do in practice to improve their team defense.
“We need to work on playing defense as a team, really just taking charges…we need to work on putting the ball in the hoop so we can score more points,” Stephens said. “We’re two and two though, we’re 500, it’s early in the season and I’m excited to see what’s in store.”
Maize High freshman Brayden Myovela was Maize’s highest scorer with 15 points followed by senior Jaxon Booth with nine points.
The final score was 70-38 in favor of the Mavericks, who are now undefeated on the season and currently ranked #1 in 5A in Kansas.
