Liberty North Invitational Championship Game Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Each year, Liberty North High School hosts its annual early-season invitational tournament, featuring some of the top teams from both Kansas and Missouri. This event has become a highly anticipated part of the schedule, giving teams and coaches an early opportunity to test themselves and see what they're truly made of.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This year, the Liberty North Invitational featured a strong field of teams from both Kansas and Missouri. Representing Kansas were Blue Valley, Olathe West, St. James, and Shawnee Mission South. From Missouri, the tournament included the host school Liberty North, along with St. Joe Central and St. Joe Benton.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The event tipped off on Monday, December 8th, and runs through this evening with the championship matchup between the Liberty North Lady Eagles and the Shawnee Mission South Lady Raiders at 6pm. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Matchup Details </strong>:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Shawnee Mission South's</strong> road to the championship game began with a 71–54 first-round victory over a competitive St. Joe Benton squad, followed by a 65–51 win against a talented St. James team in the second round. In both matchups, the Lady Raiders showcased a balanced, cohesive effort on both ends of the floor, combining steady defense with an efficient and well-distributed offensive attack.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Liberty North's</strong> road to the championship included a dominant 74–32 first-round win over St. Joe Central, followed by a 62–47 second-round victory against the Blue Valley Tigers. Their success was fueled by strong performances from their upperclassmen leaders, who set the tone on both ends of the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Friday's championship matchup is intriguing not only on paper—with both teams ranked among the top programs in their respective states—but also in the way they are similar yet so different to each other on the court. Both Shawnee Mission South and Liberty North are led by experienced upperclassmen with bright futures in the sport. They also feature some of the area's top young talent, players who continue to rise to the occasion and embrace the spotlight rather than shy away from it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>South's</strong> starts a upperclassman heavy lineup in <strong>Micha Kirkwood</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='884871' first='Ella' last='Jack']</strong>, <strong>Laila Berndt</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='849030' first='Kylenna' last='Potts']</strong>, <strong>Elise Slaven</strong>, who set the ton defensively and also provide the experience early and often to start games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>They add instant energy off the bench with two dynamic freshmen,<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1313319' first='Amiyah' last='Carter']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1480445' first='Riley' last='Kramer']</strong>, who have started the season impressively and given the team valuable depth and a real spark.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Lady Raiders have overwhelmed teams with a blistering pace, sparked by their knack for creating turnovers in both full-court pressure and half-court defense. Those takeaways turn into fast-break points in a hurry. In the half-court, they're just as dangerous—playing with poise, moving the ball, and consistently turning decent looks into great ones.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Liberty North</strong> rolls out an upperclassmen-driven lineup anchored by senior D1 commits <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='445429' first='Millie' last='Perry']</strong> (Rider University) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='538901' first='Alex' last='Couch']</strong> (Drake University), joined by veteran presence <strong>Mia Couch</strong>. The Eagles complete their starting five with standout freshmen <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1279361' first='Taytum' last='Schnakenberg']</strong> and <strong>Eyoni Mills</strong>, whose length, depth, and skill give the team a versatile edge.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Lady Eagles also like to play an up-tempo game but do a great job of running selectively when they have numbers. They look to force turnovers for easy baskets when pressing but also are able to lock in the half the get stops. Their offense shows balance but has an advantage most games from beyond the three point line. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Both these teams look to continue to continue their in which should be a great matchup. If you don't have plans this evening Liberty North High School is the place to be.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Other Notable Finishes from the Invitational:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>3rd Place Game: St. James defeated Blue Valley: 54 - 27</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>5th Place Game: St Joe Benton defeated Olathe West: 47 - 37 </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->