Lowell Rolling Into Sectional Play With Dominant Win Over LaPorte Head coach Kelly Chavez’s Lady Red Devils continue to hit their stride heading into sectional play, putting together another strong performance with a convincing 53–24 victory over LaPorte. Lowell had three players score in double figures, led by sharpshooter Ellasandra Labas, who caught fire by knocking down four consecutive three-point shots, each set up perfectly by her teammates. Guard Brooke Dawson also had an outstanding night, showcasing excellent decision-making, shot selection, and relentless defensive pressure. The junior finished with 12 points, continuing her strong play after scoring 19 points earlier in the week against Illiana Christian. In the paint, center Gatlin Hanrath added 10 points, as the Devils did a great job of feeding her the ball at the right moments for easy finishes at the rim. LaPorte briefly took a 5–4 lead early on following a three-pointer by Lexi Surowiec, but that would be the final time the Slicers were ahead. Coach Chavez turned up the defensive intensity, sparking a 21–0 run that gave Lowell a commanding 25–5 lead after the first quarter. Lowell’s defense was dominant, forcing eight LaPorte turnovers in the opening quarter. Dawson led the charge with suffocating ball pressure, scoring three straight baskets to help build a 12–5 advantage. Chavez then went to her bench, inserting Labas, who immediately delivered by draining three straight three-pointers to stretch the lead to 23–5. Another Dawson steal and score capped the quarter with Lowell firmly in control, 25–5. The Slicers opened the second quarter with a basket from Siona Ohime to make it 25–7, but Labas quickly answered with her fourth straight three, pushing the lead to 28–7. At the 5:47 mark, Hanrath converted two free throws following a well-executed high-low set to make it 29–7. Josie Laub and Aubrey Fleming then connected on back-to-back three-pointers, extending the lead to 37–11 and forcing a LaPorte timeout with 3:05 remaining in the half. Fleming closed out the scoring by hitting two free throws at the buzzer, as Lowell finished the half on a 10–0 run to take a 41–11 lead into the break. At halftime, Lowell had committed just seven turnovers, while LaPorte had 12. With the game well in hand, Chavez cleared her bench for much of the second half as the Devils cruised to their 15th win of the season, closing out the night with a 53–24 victory. After the game, Chavez praised her team’s defensive effort. “I thought our defense played extremely well in the first half, especially the first quarter,” Chavez said. “We caused eight turnovers with our pressure, didn’t allow the ball in the paint, and did a great job moving our feet and deflecting passes. It was just a great first half of basketball.” The Lady Red Devils improved to 14–6 on the season and will close out the regular season with two games remaining: at Merrillville on Tuesday night and a tough matchup against Rensselaer Central to finish the week.