GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL

CROWN POINT -- Alex Webster had a glazed look in her eyes, like a child whose eyes had finally grown tired from hours of hypnosis in front of the television.

The Crown Point Indiana All-Star candidate admitted that because of LC's uncharacteristically cold early shooting, her team's 12-point halftime lead over Lake Central Wednesday was an aberration. She hopes her off shooting night was, as well.

For the first time since she was a freshman, the Southern Mississippi recruit was held scoreless, as Times No. 3 Lake Central overcame an early hole and some atrocious shooting the first few minutes to prevail 44-35 over the Bulldogs.

LC guards Kim Haviar, who began the game 0 for 9 from the field, and Linsey Smith eventually found their rhythm. Smith paved the way with 22 points, including five 3-pointers. Haviar scored 16 points.

Webster was 0 for 10 from the floor, and 0 for 4 from the free-throw line.

"I feel like I didn't even play a game," Webster said. "We never got into the flow of it tonight. I don't know why not.

"I was unbelievably terrible tonight. I did not have anything. I missed all my shots, missed all my free throws. I'm gonna spend a lot of time in the gym over break, I'll tell you that much."

The never gun-shy Smith was 5 of 15 from 3-point territory, and hit her two biggest shots during a 17-0 Indians run that mostly took place in the fourth quarter. Smith's 3 with 4:53 to play in the game put LC (9-1), which trailed 15-3 early, up for the first time in the game. Just over a minute later, she hit another 3 to make the score 37-32.

Haviar took 10 shots from beyond the arc, and the prolific pair took 37 of the team's 44 shots, most of them over a perimeter zone that CP never exited.

"I told them at halftime, the first thing I said, if you guys are open, shoot the ball," LC coach Tom Megyesi said. "Shoot yourself out of this. Every shot's a different shot. Not one shot was missed on purpose.

"I have confidence in my girls. If they're open, they're supposed to shoot."

Smith and Haviar both connected on second-quarter 3-pointers, but a jump shot by Blayre Reeves and a jumper by Amy Zondor, who led CP (7-4) with nine points, pushed the Times No. 2 Bulldogs' advantage back up to 25-13 by halftime.

"We both try to fire each other up," Smith said. "We tell each other, we always look at each other and she says, 'Keep shooting, you've got a great shot,' and I look at her and I say the same thing."

"This was such a big game for us," Haviar said. "It's such a big adrenaline rush."

Crown Point coach Tom May said that his team could take a lesson from the patient Indians.

"Once you get up four or five, you dictate play," May said. "You don't need to make one pass and a shot. You don't need to go to the basket and make a cutesy shot. All you've got to do is pass the ball five, six or seven times, let the opening occur, and get it to a kid whose shot you want. We still haven't learned yet."

Jeff Carroll can be reached at jeffcar@howpubs.com or (219) 933-3373.

LAKE CENTRAL (45)

Katie Chick 0-1 0-0 0, Brandi Shields 1-2 2-2 4, Kim Haviar 5-16 4-6 16, Linsey Smith 7-21 3-4 22, Megan Bowman 0-3 0-0 0, Jen VanderZanden 0-0 0-0 0, Emily Smitka 0-1 0-0 0, Melissa Fanelli 0-0 2-3 2. Totals -- 13-44 11-15 44.

CROWN POINT (35)

Ashley Plumley 1-5 1-2 3, Alex Webster 0-10 0-4 0, Amy Zondor 4-8 0-0 9, Janel Heneghan 3-7 1-2 7, Carissa Triplett 1-5 2-2 4, Danielle Brueck 4-4 0-0 8, Cassie Pruzin 0-3 0-0 0, Blayre Reeves 2-3 0-0 4, Jill Weiand 0-0 0-0 0, Allison Isailovich 0-1 0-0 0, Stephanie Swanson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals -- 15-46 4-10 35.

SCORING BY QUARTERS

Lake Central 3 10 12 19 -- 44

Crown Point 11 14 7 3 -- 35

3-pointers: Smith 5, Haviar 2 (LC); Zondor 1 (CP). Rebound leaders: Bowman 8 (LC). Team fouls: Lake Central 13, Crown Point 14.