By CHARLES SPURLOCK
Special to TopSports.news
The Seaman Vikings, ranked eighth in Class 5A, began the final week of the regular season by facing the Leavenworth Pioneers in a United Kansas Conference battle on Tuesday night.
Seaman junior KaeVon Bonner led Seaman with 26 points and seven 3-pointers in Tuesday's 76-38 UKC win over Leavenworth. [File photo/TSN]
The Vikings relied on a hot shooting night and a tough defense that forced 20 turnovers to defeat the Pioneers, 76-38.
The first four minutes of the contest was back-and-forth with the teams tied at 5. Over the next minute, juniors KaeVon Bonner and Landon Wiltz hit 3-pointers to give the Vikings an 11-5 lead with three minutes left in the quarter, causing the Pioneers to take a timeout. Bonner hit two more 3-point shots to finish the quarter and the Vikings led 19-10.
Bonner continued his hot shooting in the second quarter, finishing 6-6 from behind the 3-point arc and leading the Vikings with 21 points in the half. Wiltz and fellow junior Cameron Brian scored 6 points and 5 points, respectively, in the quarter.
But the highlight of the quarter and quite possibly the game, came with one second remaining in the first half. Following a Leavenworth turnover, Seaman coach Craig Cox inserted Bonner back into the game, who had gone to the bench after picking up his second foul late in the first half. Senior Bryer Finley threw a three-quarter court pass to Bonner, who spun and banked in a 3-pointer at the buzzer, giving the Vikings a 44-28 lead at the half.
The second half saw the Vikings continue their hot shooting, going 14-21 for 67%, including an outstanding 8-9 in the final quarter. The offensive domination ended with the Vikings coming out with the victory, 76-38.
The Vikings were led by four in double figures. Bonner totaled 26 points, going 7-7 from three. He was followed by Finley with 14, Wiltz with 11 and Cameron Brian 10. Senior Dalton Smith led the Vikings with 5 rebounds.
The Pioneers were led by junior Jaishaun Carter, who tallied 15 points.
Seaman will be back in action on Wednesday night with a home contest with the United Kansas Conference leading Piper Pirates. Seaman will then close out the regular season on the road Friday against Shawnee Heights.
Seaman Boys 76, Leavenworth 38
Leavenworth 10 18 9 1 38
Seaman 19 25 13 19 76
Leavenworth (2-17, 2-13) -- Cheatham 4-9 5-8 14, Carter 3-5 0-0 8, Thomas 8-17 0-0 22, Clark 4-6 0-1 9, RedCloud 4-6 2-3 10, Gianalva 0-1 0-0 0, Tolbert 0-4 0-2 0, McFadden 0-1 0-0 0, Brantley 2-5 0-0 4, Alonzo 2-3 0-2 4, Gadwood 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 14-41 6-16 38.
Seaman (13-5, 10-4) -- Finley 6-13 1-1 14, Bonner 8-10 3-3 26, Toyne 1-3 0-0 2, Wiltz 4-8 1-1 11, Smith 2-5 0-0 4, Zuniga 1-2 0-0 2, McConnaughey 2-2 1-2 5, Brian 4-5 1-2 10, Scholes 0-0 0-0 0, Becker 1-1 0-0 2, Esser 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 29-50 7-9 76.
3 point goals -- Leavenworth 4 (Carter 2, Clark 2), Seaman 11 (Bonner 7, Wiltz 2, Finley, Brian). Total Fouls -- Leavenworth 14, Seaman 13. Fouled out -- none. Technicals -- none.
