By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
SHAWNEE MISSION NORTH BOYS (1-7) vs. HIGHLAND PARK (6-0)
Bo Aldridge and the top-ranked Highland Park boys will open the Topeka Invitational Tournament at 3:15 p.m. Thursday against Shawnee Mission North. [File photo/TSN]
Topeka Invitational Tournament at Topeka West
Top-ranked (Class 5A) Highland Park will open the Topeka Invitational Tournament in Thursday's 3:15 p.m. game against Shawnee Mission North, coached by former Topeka High coach Pat Denney. Highland Park is coming off a 91-29 Meadowlark Conference rout over Kansas City-Harmon last Friday while SM North is coming off a 44-34 Sunflower League loss to Shawnee Misssion South, the Bisons' seventh straight loss. Scot senior Bo Aldridge led the Scots with 27 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Harmon. The Highland Park-SM North winner will advance to an 8:30 p.m. Friday semifinal to face the winner of the first-round game between Wichita Southeast and Hayden.
Hayden junior Jacob Padilla (0) is coming off a 25-point performance with four 3-pointers in last Friday's 67-57 Centennial League win over Topeka High. [Photo by Sarah Carson/Special to TSN]
WICHITA SOUTHEAST BOYS (4-5) vs. HAYDEN (4-4)
Topeka Invitational Tournament at Topeka West
Hayden will face Wichita Southeast in a 5 p.m. first-round game in the Topeka Invitational Tournament. Hayden, ranked No. 10 in Class 4A, snapped a three-game losing steak with a 67-57 Centennial League win over Topeka High last Friday while Wichita Southeast has won three straight games, including a 68-55 win over Wichita East on Tuesday. Junior Jacob Padilla led Hayden with 25 points, including four 3-pointers, against Topeka High while senior Joe Otting added 12 points. The Hayden-Wichita Southeast winner will play an 8:30 p.m. Friday semifinal against the winner of the opening-round game between Highland Park and Shawnee Mission North.
LANSING BOYS (1-7) vs. TOPEKA WEST (6-2)
Topeka Invitational Tournament at Topeka West
The defending Topeka Invitational Tournament champions will be on their home court to take on United Kansas Conference rival Lansing in a 6:45 p.m. first-round game. Topeka West will be looking to bounce back from last Friday's 71-56 UKC loss to Piper, which snapped the Chargers' six-game winning streak. Senior Xavier Alexander scored 19 points and hit three 3-pointers while senior Malachi Berg added 11 points and grabbed six rebounds. Lansing has dropped six straight games, including a 45-32 UKC decision to Basehor-Linwood last Friday. West beat the Lions 65-49 on Dec. 13. The West-Lansing winner will play a 6:45 p.m. semifinal Friday night against the winner of the first-round game between Lawrence and Topeka High.
LAWRENCE BOYS (6-2) vs. TOPEKA HIGH (1-8)
Topeka Invitational Tournament at Topeka West
Topeka High will square off against Topeka High in the final game of Thursday's Topeka Invitational Tournament first round at 8:30 p.m. Lawrence is coming off a 46-39 win over Mill Valley last Friday while Topeka High dropped a 67-57 Centennial League decision at Hayden, the Trojans' sixth straight defeat. Senior Mason Gomez led Topeka High with 17 points against Hayden while junior Isaiah Lyons added 14 points and sophomore Da'Mykel Hales 11 points. The winner of the Lawrence-Topeka High first-round game will advance to a 6:45 p.m. semifinal Friday night against the winner of the first-round game between Lansing and Topeka West.
HIGHLAND PARK GIRLS (5-1) vs. SALINA SOUTH (4-5)
Salina Invitational Tournament
Highland Park will play Salina South in a 6 p.m. opening-round game in the Salina Invitational Tournament on the Cougars' home floor. Highland Park will take a five-game winning streak into the tournament, including a 96-18 romp past Meadowlark Conference rival Kansas City-Harmon. Sophomore Amelia Ramsey scored 30 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the win over Harmon. Salina South dropped a 58-28 decision to state-ranked Andover last Friday. The winner of the Highland Park-Salina South game will advance to a 3 p.m. Friday semifinal at Kansas Wesleyan University to face the winner of the first-round game between Andover (8-1) and Abilene (1-8). Andover is coached by former Topeka High coach Hannah Alexander.
Seaman senior Aron Davis scored 26 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in last Friday's 65-51 loss at Shawnee Heights. [File photo/TSN]
SEAMAN BOYS (3-4) vs. WICHITA HEIGHTS (8-1)
Valley Center January Jam
Thursday's 4:30 p.m. first-round game in the January Jam will pit defending Class 5A state champion Seaman against defending 6A state champion Wichita Heights. Seaman is coming off a 65-51 United Kansas Conference loss at Shawnee Heights but the Vikings have won two of their last three games after a 1-3 start. Senior Aron Davis recorded game-high totals of 26 points and 14 rebounds against Shawnee Heights. Third-ranked Wichita Heights has won five straight games since a 39-38 loss to Washburn Rural. The Falcons are coming off a 51-36 win over No. 2-ranked (5A) Kapaun Mt. Carmel on Tuesday night.
Washburn Rural senior Jack Bachelor and the 10th-ranked Junior Blues will compete in the Pittsburg tournament Thursday through Saturday. [File photo/TSN]
WASHBURN RURAL BOYS (6-3) vs. JOPLIN, MO. (8-5)
Pittsburg Bill Hanson Invitational
Washburn Rural will face Joplin, Mo. in a 7 p.m. first-round game in the Bill Hanson Invitational at Pittsburg. The Junior Blues, ranked No. 10 in Class 6A by the KBCA, are coming off a heartbreaking 60-58 home Centennial League loss to Manhattan last Friday. Senior Jack Bachelor led Washburn Rural with 15 points against Manhattan while sophomores Kaden Ballard and Amare Jones added 12 and 11 points, respectively. Joplin is also coming off a tough loss, dropping a 65-63 overtime decision to Republic on Friday. The Washburn Rural-Joplin winner will advance to a 7 p.m. semifinal on Friday to face the winner of the first-round game between Blue Valley Northwest and Webster Groves, Mo.
Shawnee Heights senior Q Stovall scored 21 points in the T-Birds' 65-51 UKC win over Seaman Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS BOYS (6-2) vs. GRANDVIEW, MO. (6-3)
Shawnee Mission West Viking Classic
Shawnee Heights will take on Grandview, Mo. in a 4:30 p.m. first-round game of the Viking Classic. Shawnee Heights stretched its winning streak to five straight games with a 65-51 home United Kansas Conference win over Seaman last Friday as senior Q Stovall led the T-Birds with 21 points while junior Brennon Dodge and sophomore Jaret Sanchez added 14 points apiece. Grandview is coming off a 42-35 loss to Kansas City-Center last Friday. The Shawnee Heights-Center winner will advance to a 6 p.m. tournament semifinal on Friday to face the first-round winner between Olathe West and Kansas City-Wyandotte.
CAIR PARAVEL LATIN GIRLS (3-6) vs. McLOUTH (0-10)
McLouth Invitational
Cair Paravel Latin will face McLouth in a 5:10 p.m. consolation game in the McLouth Invitational. The Lions are coming off a 53-14 first-round tournament loss to Pleasant Ridge while McLouth remained winless with a 55-19 loss to Riverside. The Cair Paravel-McLouth winner will play for fifth place in the tournament at 11:30 a.m. Saturday while the loser of Thursday's game will play for seventh place at 10 a.m. Saturday.
ROSSVILLE BOYS (4-6) vs. PERRY-LECOMPTON (7-3)
Rossville will open play in the seven-school Valley Falls Invitational with a 7 p.m. game against Perry-Lecompton. The Kaws have already played a tournament game, topping tournament host Valley Falls 63-43 on Tuesday. Rossville is coming off a 58-45 loss to St. Marys last Friday. Jack Donovan scored 12 points and Tayson Horak 10 for the Bullawgs. Rossille will play Valley Falls at 7:30 p.m. Friday before the tournament goes to bracket play on Saturday.
TOPEKA WEST GIRLS (1-8, 1-7) at LEAVENWORTH (2-8, 2-5)
Topeka West will be playing its second United Kansas Conference game in three days. The Chargers are coming off a 54-34 home UKC loss to Basehor-Linwood on Tuesday, with the Bobcats taking control in the second after after leading by just a point at halftime. Senior Jazmyn Ford led the Chargers with 12 points. Leavenworth is coming off a 44-24 UKC loss to De Soto last Friday.
