SALINA — Despite 27 points from Landry O’Brien and outrebounding their opponents by a dozen, the Labette County Grizzlies fell to the Buhler Crusaders, 56-51, in the first round of the KSHSAA 4A Girls Basketball State Tournament on Thursday.
“I feel sad. I thought we were going to win that game,” O’Brien said. “I thought we wanted to win that game. But I also feel like I have closure. We had a great season and we made it to state twice in a row.”
In the first half, the lead changed hands nine times alongside five ties. Buhler went into halftime with a 25-22 lead — the Crusaders never relinquished their advantage in the second half.
“We knew going into the game that they’d be in your face and run man,” Labette County head coach Brianna Volmer said. “But it’s the state tournament. They’re a great basketball team that plays in a fast league in a fast part of the state. We struggled with that. We don’t see that as much in SEK League play. We just didn’t adjust as quickly as we needed to.”
Buhler’s harassing defense high up the floor limited Labette County’s ability to run its action. The Grizzlies rarely initiated high-low sets and committed 21 turnovers, allowing Buhler to take eight more shots (55) than Labette County (47).
“They took us out of it in every aspect,” Volmer said. “We had to start scrambling and setting random screens. That’s not our identity. We were only down three at half, but then they punched us in the mouth. Buhler’s defense was stellar tonight. We just had to be more confident with the ball in our hands.”
O’Brien’s 27 points came on 8-of-24 shooting from the field while the senior added five rebounds, four steals and three assists in her final game.
“I just feel like I was a little faster than the girls guarding me,” O’Brien said. “But my teammates were a huge part of it. Everytime I scored, it was either off an assist or a screen — to me, that’s an assist.”
Gracie Oard led Buhler with 14 points while Ella Voss added a dozen. For the Grizzlies, Jayden Davis pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds while Amery Baker had eight points.
“It’s just sadness right now,” Volmer said. “The more you invest into a season, the longer it goes, the harder it hurts when it ends. Buhler was the better team today. But I’m so proud of the years these seniors have invested into the program. They’re the reason we have the culture we do. They built the foundation.”
The loss leaves Labette County with an 18-5 overall record for the 2024-25 season.
“The culture here is like a family. You get coached hard, but you know they’re all there for you,” O’Brien said. “I had the freedom to do me, but I also grew and learned so much. Everybody has improved and that’s because of our coaches.”
O’Brien, Aubrey Boss, Kinsley Boss, Madison Bevans, Jaden Davis, Anna Cantrell and Kaylee Eberhart — seven of the nine girls that saw the floor on Thursday — are seniors set to graduate.
“They’re good kids in every aspect of their lives,” Volmer said. “Whether it’s FFA, basketball, FCA, track, you name it. They’re great kids that give it their all, no matter the mission in front of them. Last year, they looked Bishop Miege in the face. They faced any challenge head-on. I never saw doubt in their eyes.”
Baker and guard Amelia Carnahan will be the key returners for an overhauled roster.
“We need to get the younger kids bought into the philosophy,” Volmer said. “We can’t rely on one person or one kid. They all need to get on board. We’ve got some kids coming and we’ll be able to build. I’m not going to say we’re going to struggle. We’ll miss these seniors, but we’re going to work hard in the offseason and continue to be Labette County.”
