MERRILLVILLE -- Crown Point and Lake Central. The Bulls and Knicks, back when Jordan and Ewing dominated the game. Proud warriors defending their turf.

Gee, sounds a lot like persistent sophomore Alex Webster and quiet-but-deadly junior Sarah Zondor, two marvelous CP players well worth the price of admission.

"Those are the guards who have made us go,'' Crown Point coach Tom May gushed after Friday night's 58-50 Class 4A Sectional 2 win over Lake Central.

Zondor, the only sophomore MVP in the history of CP girls basketball, had a game-high 28 points. Webster added 14 after a frightening collision with LC's Mariel Yekich shortly before halftime.

Webster lay on her back for several minutes, dazed and bleeding from a gash on her forehead. Yekich suffered a nasty cut above her right eye and also was taken to the locker room.

"Alex had a four-inch gash and you could actually see her skull,'' May said.

Both players returned to start the second half -- Webster scoring 10 of her points then and Yekich leading LC with 19.

In the opener, Lowell was held to 14 second-half points, shot 10 for 28 at the foul line over the last three quarters -- and still had enough to eliminate Hobart, 42-34.

CP (10-11) and Lowell (15-7) meet for the championship at 7:30 tonight.

May couldn't say enough flattering things about his inspiring guard tandem, adding: "Alex and Sarah are capable of playing like that every game.

"I'm proud of them. I'm proud of all our girls. About the last three minutes, we did the right things needed to win ballgames. I'd like to think we've finally learned how to win down the stretch, when it counts most.''

Sarah Sikich had 15 points and 10 rebounds for LC (8-12), which never got closer than four in the final 2:00.

"That was my first question, 'Would I be able to play the second half?' When they told me yes, it made the pain go away,'' Webster said.

"We are so close-knit. We all lead in different ways. I just try getting everybody involved.''

Zondor wasn't surprised to see Webster gut it out.

"I was scared at first because (the cut) looked really gross,'' she said. "But I knew Alex would come back. She's that way.''

Lowell beat CP by eight points at midseason, but has looked sloppy during sectional play -- committing 45 turnovers in two games.

The ragged Lowell-Hobart matchup would've been more entertaining had both teams just shot 100 free throws, and the highest percentage wins. There were 31 free throws shot in the first half and 62 for the game.

The Brickies (5-18) had 27 turnovers and nobody in double figures. Lowell wasn't much better, shooting 27 percent from the field and missing 19 free throws.

Ginger Keithley led the Red Devils with 14 points, getting six in the fourth quarter. Laura Holcomb had 10.

"Hitting our free throws would be good (Saturday night). We also have to play better as a team and move around more on offense,'' Keithley said. "We all stepped up at the end tonight. It wasn't one person. I just happened to be the one shooting free throws.''

Said coach Patti McCormack, unable to hide her frustration: "I don't know what happened with the free throws. I'd like to think we have mature players who concentrate at the line, but it was chaos.''

* Al Hamnik can be reached at ahamnik@howpubs.com or at (219) 933-4154.

HOBART (34)

Suzie Clark 1-3 0-0 2, Julie Mandon 1-3 2-4 4, Amanda Isakson 3-9 0-0 6, Lisa Matie 1-7 6-11 8, Angela Grabczak 0-8 4-6 4, Amanda Stoops 0-5 4-4 4, Natalie Vukin 1-1 0-0 2, Jennifer Sullivan 2-4 0-0 4, Dawn Swantko 0-0 0-0 0. Totals -- 9-40 16-25 34.

LOWELL (42)

Kelly Schoon 1-9 5-8 7, Ginger Keithley 4-10 6-11 14, Laura Holcomb 4-7 2-4 10, Vanessa Zolmer 0-1 0-0 0, Katie Porento 1-10 1-6 3, Rachel Wieglos 1-6 3-4 5, Eva Slinn 0-0 1-2 1, Jennifer Schulfer 1-1 0-2 2, Courtney Schuttrow 0-0 0-0 0. Totals -- 12-44 18-37 42.

SCORING BY QUARTERS

Hobart 7 9 9 9 -- 34

Lowell 16 12 4 10 -- 42

Rebound leaders: Angela Grabczak 6, Lisa Matie 6 (H); Kelly Schoon 9 (L). Team fouls: Hobart 28, Lowell 19. Fouled out: Suzie Clark, Julie Mandon, Amanda Stoops (H).

LAKE CENTRAL (50)

Emily Smitka 1-5 2-2 4, Mariel Yekich 7-16 3-4 19, Sara Sikich 7-14 1-4 15, Kristen Rucinski 1-5 0-0 3, Erin Fosher 1-3 2-2 4, Brandi Shields 0-1 2-2 2, Kim Cowser 1-2 0-1 2, Melissa Fanelli 0-0 1-3 1. Totals -- 18 46 11-18 50.

CROWN POINT (58)

Alex Webster 4-14 6-9 14, Sarah Zondor 9-15 9-9 28, Nikki Borys 1-1 0-0 2, Allyson Carnahan 1-5 0-0 2, Erin Plumley 0-4 0-0 0, Ashley Plumley 0-2 0-0 0, Laura Warne 1-3 0-0 2, Amanda Bernard 0-1 2-4 2, Katie Lemke 3-3 0-2 6, Nicole Smoljan 1-3 0-0 2, La'kea Harvey 0-0 0-0 0. Totals -- 20-51 17-24 58.

SCORING BY QUARTERS

Lake Central 12 14 11 13 -- 50

Crown Point 13 14 9 22 -- 58