Lafayette Fighting Irish rain threes to claim victory over Mid-Buchanan
By Calvin Silvers
A busy week of high school basketball continued Tuesday night as the Lafayette Fighting Irish girls took on the Mid-Buchanan Dragons in a non-conference matchup. Despite being a Class 3 vs. Class 4 contest, Mid-Buchanan stayed within striking distance throughout the first half, but Lafayette’s perimeter shooting kept the Dragons on their heels as they grabbed the 37-23 victory.
Lafayette struck first, setting the tone early. Off an inbound play, Delaney McQuiston drained a corner three-pointer to open the scoring. On their next possession, the Fighting Irish encountered a 2-3 zone from Mid-Buchanan, designed to neutralize the size and presence of center Laniya Carriger in the post. However, the adjustment left Lafayette’s shooters open on the perimeter, and Rozlyn McDevitt capitalized, splashing a three from the top of the key to extend the lead to 6-2.
Mid-Buchanan responded with a balanced offensive approach. Quick ball movement created opportunities, including a backdoor cut by Miya Dillman for an easy layup. As the first quarter wound down, London Wilson beat the buzzer with a high-arcing shot off the glass, cutting Lafayette’s lead to 13-10.
The second quarter saw Lafayette’s shooters continue to find their rhythm. Katana Bigham opened the period by draining another three-pointer, and McQuiston struck again from beyond the arc, pushing the lead to 20-10 midway through the quarter.
Mid-Buchanan struggled to break through Lafayette’s defensive pressure but found a spark late in the half. A lapse in Lafayette’s defense left Myla Flinn wide open under the basket for a layup. Dillman added another basket just before the halftime buzzer, closing the gap to 22-15. Dillman led all scorers with seven points through two quarters, keeping her Dragons within reach despite Lafayette’s strong outside shooting.
Lafayette came out of the halftime break with renewed energy and sharp ball movement, quickly building on their lead. The Fighting Irish’s relentless perimeter shooting opened the floodgates, pushing their advantage into double digits. Mid-Buchanan called a timeout early in the third quarter, hoping to reset and slow the Irish’s momentum, but Lafayette continued to execute on both ends of the floor.
Bigham added to Lafayette’s dominant three-point shooting display, sinking a corner triple that extended their lead to 34-18 heading into the fourth quarter. With a commanding lead in hand, the Fighting Irish managed the clock effectively, allowing their defense to maintain control of the game.
The final quarter brought fewer offensive fireworks, as both teams struggled to find rhythm. Lafayette added just three points in the period, while the Dragons scraped together five points of their own.
The Fighting Irish now turn their attention to the Holiday Hoops Classic, where they will face Battle on Thursday. Meanwhile, Mid-Buchanan looks to rebound as they hit the road to take on Penney on Friday.
