Lift for Life uses third-quarter surge to beat Park Hills Central in Missouri Class 4 girls basketball title game

COLUMBIA, MISSOURI – The Lift for Life girls basketball team got the rematch and the result they wanted on Thursday night.

The Hawks, heartbroken after losing to Park Hills Central in the quarterfinals a year ago, got a rematch in the Missouri Class 4 championship game and made the most of it.

Lift for Life broke open a close game with a 30-point offensive explosion in the third quarter and rolled from there to beat Park Hills Central 75-57 to capture the Missouri Class 4 girls basketball title.

"We've been practicing all season to make that third quarter our best quarter," Lift for Life coach Chantell Polk said. "Yesterday was a little rocky, but today I knew that after I got after them a little bit that we would come out blazing and they did just that. That third quarter, I couldn't have asked for them to play any better than they did. It was just amazing for us."

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Freshman guard Amaya Manuel had 19 points, six rebounds and six steals for Lift for Life (28-3). Sophomore guard Zha'Viarra Harris had 18 points, nine steals and five assists. Senior forward Paige Fowler had 13 points and 16 rebounds. Freshman guard Cara Manuel added 11 points and sophomore guard Diamond Polk scored 10.

Senior guard Khloe Dischbein led Park Hills Central (27-5) with a game-high 24 points.

"It sucks coming up short tonight on the big stage," Central coach Aaron Tyree said. "I thought we played really well. My girls never quit. They kept battling. I thought we played a really good first half and then had just an unfortunate series there at the end of the quarter that felt like it took the momentum out of our sails.

"Came out in the third quarter and I felt like we kind of started getting some momentum and then just again. They've got some really good players and they make plays and they get steals and they can shoot it and they can get to the rim and hurt you in a bunch of different ways. It was just too much for us tonight."

Missouri Class 4 girls basketball championship: Lift for Life - Park Hills Central

Photos by Nate Latsch

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- Nate Latsch | latsch@scorebooklive.com | @SBLiveMiz