By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
EMPORIA -- An outstanding third quarter, coupled with late-game poise and clutch free throw shooting added up to a Class 5A title shot for Seaman girls.
Seaman's bench celebrates the Vikings' 49-45 Class 5A state semifinal win over Andover Friday in Emporia. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Seaman's players exchange hugs after Friday's 49-45 Class 5A semifinal win over Andover. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Seaman, which improved to 22-2 on the season, used a 23-7 third quarter to take a double-digit lead and survived a furious rally from top seed and previously-unbeaten Andover to take a 49-45 semifinal victory Friday at White Auditorium.
"We're a veteran group, we're a composed group,'' Seaman coach Matt Tinsley said. "It's kind of like the game got tighter and, 'Hey, we'll step up and hit our free throws,' and that's what we did.''
The Vikings will face Maize South at 6:15 p.m. Saturday, with Seaman looking for its first girls state championship since 1991. Maize South (23-1) advanced with a 55-47 win over Emporia.
"My quote in the locker room before the game was, 'We didn't come this far just to come this far.' '' Tinsley said. "We know we're going to have a tough team to play tomorrow, but hey, this is great. This is the ultimate high school experience and we're just enjoying every minute of it.''
Andover, which fell to 23-1, overcame an early 6-2 deficit to go in front 14-9 at the end of the first quarter and the Trojans were still up by five at halftime, 22-17.
Seaman junior Jaida Stallbaumer scored a game-high 16 points, including 13 in the third quarter, in the Vikings' 49-45 state semifinal win over Andover. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
But the complexion of the game changed drastically in the third quarter, with Seaman going to a zone defense with great success and Viking junior Jaida Stallbaumer lighting up the scoreboard with 13 points in the quarter as Seaman outscored the Trojans 23-7 to lead by as many as 13 points and take a 40-29 lead into the fourth.
"How about that third quarter by Jaida Stallbaumer?'' Tinsley said. "It's been somebody different all year and that's what makes this team special. They recognize when someone has the hot hand and that's a true team right there. The girls feed off each other and we wanted this game. I told the girls, 'This is a big girl game,' and they played a big girl game in the second half.''
Jaida Stallbaumer said she couldn't remember ever getting a roll like she did in the third quarter.
"No, but momemtum takes you so it is what it is I guess,'' Jaida Stallbaumer said. "I couldn't have done it without my teammates. They kept finding me.''
Andover, coached by former Topeka High coach Hannah Alexander, were far from done, however, putting together a 15-3 run at the end of the third and start of the fourth quarter to claw within a point (43-42) with 2:27 remaining.
Seaman didn't flinch though, closing out the victory with four straight free throws from senior Taylin Stallbaumer over the final 37.2 seconds and two game-clenching charities from junior Anna Becker with 7.4 seconds left on the clock after Andover freshman Bella Bouddhara had connected on a 3-pointer with nine seconds left on the clock.
Seaman senior Taylin Stallbaumer scored 14 points and hit four free throws in the final 37.2 seconds in the Vikings' 49-45 Class 5A semifinal win over Andover. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Seaman junior Anna Becker (23) hit two game-clenching free throws with 7.4 seconds left in the Vikings' 49-45 Class 5A state semifinal win over Andove. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
"That's been our go-to this year is just keeping our composure and keeping ourselves calm,'' Taylin Stallbaumer said. "They're going to get their points, we're going to get ours and we want to keep the ball in our best free throw shooters' hands and we did. We finished with free throws.''
Jaida Stallbaumer led all scorers with 16 points while Taylin Stallbaumer added 14 points.
"I'm proud of her,'' Taylin Stallbaumer said of little sister Jaida. "She was going on a run and we needed to keep feeding her the ball. Yesterday she kind of went off, too. We've been counting on her these last couple of days and she's pulled through, so I'm really proud of her.''
Becker finished with eight points while junior Ava Esser pulled down 10 rebounds for the Vikings.
After losing to St. James Academy in the first round of the 2023 state tournament, Jaida Stallbaumer said it's a thrill to make it to the championship game.
"It's a feeling I've never felt personally,'' she said. "I know volleyball's felt it before (the 2023 5A state title), but it feels amazing.''
Senior Brooke Walker led Andover with 12 points while Bouddhara had nine points on three 3-pointers and junior Aliyah Green scored eights points and grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds.
SEAMAN GIRLS 49, ANDOVER 45
Seaman 9 8 23 9 -- 49
Andover 14 8 7 16 -- 45
Seaman (22-2) -- J. Stallbaumer 6-8 2-4 16, T. Stallbaumer 3-9 7-7 14, Becker 2-11 3-7 8, Gragg 0-9 4-4 4, Esser 1-6 2-2 4, E. Stallbaumer 1-1 0-0 3, Wilhelm 0-1 0-0 0, Moulden 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 13-45 18-24 41.
Andover (23-1) -- Bouddhara 3-8 0-0 9, Walker 6-15 0-0 12, Evans 1-4 0-0 2, Green 3-8 2-5 8, Shetlar 2-10 0-0 4, Sullivan 2-6 3-3 8, Christensen 0-1 2-2 2. Totals 17-52 7-10 45.
3-point shots -- Seaman 5-11 (J. Stallbaumer 2-3, T. Stallbaumer 1-4, Becker 1-2, E. Stallbaumer 1-1, Gragg 0-1), Andover 4-15 (Bouddhara 3-4, Sullivan 1-2, Walker 0-2, Evans 0-2, Green 0-1, Shetlar 0-4). Total fouls -- Seaman 11, Andover 17. Fouled out -- none. Technical fouls -- none.
