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If Louisburg wanted to win its second straight home tournament title, the Wildcats knew they would have to overcome a big obstacle. 
The Wildcats, who faced Shawnee Mission North in the finals of the Louisburg Basketball Tournament on Saturday, had to figure out a way to stop Kansas State signee Brianna Kulas.
Louisburg just couldn’t keep up with the bigger, faster Indians.
Shawnee Mission North cruised to a 56-44 victory to capture the tournament crown and ended Louisburg’s run of four games in six days with a loss.
“We just didn’t have the legs at the end of the game,” Louisburg coach Terry Tinich said. “We were pretty worn out. We don’t want to use this as an excuse, but it has been a long week and it just eventually wore us out. But (North) is a good team.”
The inside-outside combo of Kulas and Mary Pat Specht gave the Wildcats fits most of the night. Specht scored a game-high 22 points, including three 3-pointers, while Kulas, who battled some foul trouble, finished with 16 points.
The taller front line of the Indians also dominated the rebounding category. Shawnee Mission North got several second chance buckets off the smaller Wildcat team.
“We did our best to take away their best player (Kulas) and make their supporting cast beat us and that is what happened,” Tinich said. “We have done that about four of five times this year and it always seems the other team’s supporting cast always comes through.”
Louisburg (6-6) battled with North early in the game as it built a 10-9 lead on baskets from Jordan Shearer, Gentry Griffin and Marisa Mackey. However, the Indians went on a 19-4 run to help build a 28-17 lead at halftime.
The Wildcats did not back down as they eventually cut the North lead to seven late in the third after baskets from Shearer, Carlie Houchen and a 3-pointer from Mandy Mulich. Both teams, however, traded baskets in the fourth quarter and it left the Wildcats holding the runner-up trophy.
“This was a tougher tournament than it has been in year’s past, but at the same time our goal was to come out of here with first place and not second,” Tinich said. “There were times where we played well and we got a big win against Belton (in the semifinals), but we just didn’t have the legs to finish it.”
Seniors Shearer and Mulich gave the Wildcats a big boost on the offensive end. Shearer led Louisburg with 12 points, while Mulich finished with 11, including three 3-pointers.
In other tournament action, St. James Academy defeated Belton to take third-place, while Harrisonville downed Osawatomie in the fifth-place game.
The Wildcats faced off with Maize South in hopes of ending their two-game losing skid Tuesday. A full story and pictures will be in Friday’s Weekend edition.
LOU 10 7 12 15 — 44
SMN 18 10 11 17 — 56
LOUISBURG (6-6): Jordan Shearer 12, Mandy Mulich 11, Marisa Mackey 6, Emily Lemke 6, Jordan Crow 3, Carlie Houchen 3, Gentry Griffin 2, Maggie Mackey 1. 3-point field goals: 6, (Mulich 3, Mar. Mackey 2, Crow).
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