State basketball: Walter controls the tempo as LP tops Heritage Academy

By Rocky Hulne
Published 3:19 pm Thursday, March 15, 2018

MINNEAPOLIS – The last time Lyle-Pacelli senior Brooke Walter played a game in Williams Arena, she was one of the go-to scorers on an LP team that had its state tournament dreams crushed in a tough loss to Ada-Borup. This time around, Walter came into Williams Arena as a play-making point guard as she led LP to a 59-43 win over Heritage Academy in the Minnesota Class A State Girls Basketball State Tournament quarterfinals in Minneapolis Thursday.

Walter tallied just three points, but she added eight assists and six rebounds.

“Brooke’s role has evolved,” LP head coach Justin Morris said. “The last time we went to state she was more of a scorer and she’s taken a back seat and ran the show as a point guard. We run probably 30 sets and every time we run a play she’s got kids hanging on her and kids denying her and she gets us int our set every time. I’ve never coached this team without her being our point guard and it makes coaching a whole lot easier.”

Kristi Fett had 25 points and 18 rebounds for LP and Olivia Christianson added 14 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals.

Walter said past losses have motivated this year’s LP team as they try to capture the program’s first ever state title.

“We always talk about past players and how they taught us to get to this point,” Walter said. “We’ve learned from our past mistakes and I feel like the younger kids have learned a lot from the older kids.”

LP will take on Minneota in the semifinals in Target Center Friday at noon.