Welcome to Top Sports News
T-Birds continue hot streak with 82-30 UKC rout over Leavenworth
By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
There was no letdown for the Shawnee Heights boys Tuesday night.
Jaret Sanchez led the way with 21 points as Shawnee Heights improved to 9-2 with an 82-30 UKC win over Leavenworth Tuesday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The T-Birds followed up their thrilling Shawnee Mission West Viking Classic championship with a blowout of Leavenworth 82-30 at Shawnee Heights.
The T-Birds picked up where they left off last weekend, drilling their first seven shots Tuesday. But it was the Shawnee Heights defense that was the catalyst. The T-Birds made such a routine of turning over the Pioneers, they only permitted the visitors 29 shot attempts in the game.
The turnovers converted to fast break attempts at the other end, which senior Jaret Sanchez said is precisely the plan.
“Coach (Ken Darting) said at the beginning of the season that he wants like 65 to 70 percent of our points to be in transition on turnovers,” Sanchez said. “All of us are just buying in, knowing that if we go for a passing lane and miss, we have our teammates behind us to back us up and they’re going to get a stop.”
The T-Birds bolted to a 27-9 first quarter lead and continued to pile on. They held the Pioneers to just three points in the second period and led 44-12 at intermission. Darting substituted liberally in the second half, which was quickened by a running clock in the fourth period.
Deacon Pomeroy scored 13 points in Shawnee Heights' 82-30 win over Leavenworth Tuesday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Ontarius Emmot scored 10 points in Tuesday's 82-30 UKC win over Leavenworth. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Nine T-Birds scored in the game. Sanchez led Shawnee Heights with 21 points. Deacon Pomeroy contributed 13, while Da’Quan Lee and Ontarius Emmot each scored 10. Players off the bench got in the act, including senior Andrew Ledell, who drilled three shots for eight points.
“It’s the best feeling seeing your friends that you grew up with go out there and get buckets and make plays,” Sanchez said. “We put hard work in every day at practice and then just see everybody shine.”
A1 Lock & Key Performers Jan. 27, 2025
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Kameron Badura
KAMERON BADURA, Rossville
A senior, Badura scored 21 points Saturday as Rossville downed Perry-Lecompton 49-41 to cap off its championship run in the Valley Falls Invitational. Badura averaged 17 points in the tournament as the Bulldawgs went 3-0 on the week to improve to 8-3 on the season.
Mason Becker
MASON BECKER, Hayden
Becker, a sophomore, scored 20 points with five 3-pointers on Saturday as the Wildcats won the tournament championship in the Baldwin Invitational with a 63-49 win over the host Bulldogs. Becker helped Hayden cap a 3-0 run in the tournament as the Wildcats improved to 7-5 on the season.
Kailyn Hanni
KAILYN HANNI, Silver Lake
A junior guard, was named the Most Outstanding Player in last week's Burlington Invitational after helping lead Silver Lake to the tournament championship. Hanni scored 22 points in the Eagles' 70-60 win over Labette County in the championship game and scored 64 points in the tournament for the Eagles, No. 3-ranked in Class 3A by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association.
A look at this week's girls midseason prep basketball tournaments involving Shawnee County teams
--By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Topeka West will host the 2025 Capital City Classic girls basketball tournament Thursday through Saturday, with Highland Park, Shawnee Heights, Topeka West and Washburn Rural all taking part in the event.
Sophomore Pearmella Carter and the 7-1 Highland Park girls will compete in this week's Capital City Classic at Topeka West. [File photo/TSN]
Shawnee Heights (6-4 on the season) will open the tournament at 3:15 p.m. Thursday against Blue Valley (3-7).
City rivals Highland Park (7-1) and host Topeka West (1-8) are on the same side of the bracket with Heights and Blue Valley and will play a first-round game at 6:30 p.m.
The Highland Park-West and Shawnee Heights-Blue Valley winners will play a 6:30 p.m. semifinal on Friday.
On the other side of the bracket, Lawrence (5-4) will take on Shawnee Mission West (1-6) in a 4:45 p.m. first-round game while Washburn Rural (5-3) will face Lawrence Free State (3-6) at 8 o'clock.
Rural is ranked No. 6 in Class 6A by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association while Lawrence is No. 10 in 6A.
The Lawrence-SM West winner will face the Washburn Rural-Free State winner in an 8 o'clock Friday night semifinal.
The tournament will conclude on Saturday, starting with the third and seventh-place games at 10 a.m. in separate gyms, followed by the fifth-place and championship contests at 11:30 a.m. in separate gyms.
CAPITAL CITY CLASSIC
At Topeka West
Thursday
3:15 p.m. -- Shawnee Heights vs. Blue Valley.
4:45 -- Lawrence vs. Shawnee Mission West.
6:30 -- Highland Park vs. Topeka West.
8 -- Washburn Rural vs. Free State.
Friday
3:15 p.m. -- Lawrence-SM West loser vs. Washburn Rural-Free State loser.
4:45 -- Highland Park-Topeka West loser vs. Shawnee Heights-Blue Valley loser.
6:30 -- Highland Park-Topeka West winner vs. Shawnee Heights-Blue Valley winner.
8 -- Lawrence-SM West winner vs. Washburn Rural-Free State winner.
Saturday
10 a.m. -- Third place (main gym); Seventh place (auxiliary gym).
11:30 -- Championship (main gym); Fifth place (auxiliary gym).
Senior Millie Ramsey and 10-0 Hayden will compete this week in the Lady Cat Invitational at El Dorado. [File photo/TSN]
Undefeated Hayden to compete in El Dorado
Hayden, No. 3-ranked in Class 4A by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association and 10-0 on the season, is the top seed for the 32nd annual Lady Cat Classic in El Dorado Thursday through Saturday.
Hayden will open its tournament bid at 6 p.m. Thursday against the host team, El Dorado, which is 1-7 on the season.
With a win the Wildcats will advance to a 7:45 p.m. semifinal on Friday to face the first-round winner between Gardner-Edgerton (5-4) and Goddard (4-6).
On the other side of the bracket Kapaun Mt. Carmel (7-3) will play a first-round game against Mill Valley (5-5) while Maize South (8-1) will face Augusta (3-5). Those two winners will play a 6 p.m. semifinal on Friday.
