By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Topeka High may have fallen short to Centennial League foe Emporia 69-59 on Friday night, but the Trojans showed resilience, grit and poise in challenging situations, keeping the Trojans within striking distance of a victory.
For a youthful group like Topeka High, not folding under tight-game pressure has more meaning than what's on the stat sheet.
Topeka High junior Isaiah Lyons scored 21 points with five 3-pointers in the Trojans' 69-59 Centennial Leaue loss to Emporia Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Senior Mason Gomez scored 13 points with three 3-pointers in Topeka High's 69-59 loss to Emporia Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Emporia had substantial leads throughout the game, but Topeka High kept Emporia from getting comfortable.
"We're playing hard, and I think our guys would run through a brick wall for me,'' Topeka High coach Geo Lyons said. "Tonight there were times when we looked like one of the best teams out there and other times when our age showed. We have to find that balance.
"The guys are upset, and that's a good thing. They're not crying or anything, but they felt like they let one get away. We can build on that. Our JV (Junior Varsity) heads to a tournament this weekend, so the next couple practices are just varsity. It's the top 12 guys we have. We can grind it out and get prepared for another league contest."
That Centennial League contest will be against Washburn Rural (5-2, 2-0) on Tuesday at Topeka High.
Out of Topeka High's first seven opponents, only one school currently has a losing record. In fact, the teams that they've played throughout the first month of the season have a combined win-loss record of 33-14.
If Topeka High carries over its total team effort from Friday night into next week, G. Lyons and the Trojans are okay with what lies ahead.
Topeka High had superb scoring production from junior point guard Isaiah Lyons, who scored a team-high 21 points, including five 3-pointers.
Besides I. Lyons' five 3-point conversions, the team converted 11 total, with Mason Gomez and sophomore standout Da'Mykel Hales adding three treys apiece.
Lyons lit up the scoreboard with eight points in the first quarter, including two 3-pointes.
After that, the game was neck and neck, with Emporia trailing by one point at the conclusion of the opening quarter.
Topeka High opened up the second quarter with a 10-3 run. Leading the way was Hales, who had a nine-point quarter with three 3-point conversions.
Emporia punched right back and outscored the Trojans 21-9 for the remaining four minutes of play. The Spartans regained the lead with 2:20 to go in the second quarter thanks to the production of River Peters, who had 19 points in the half.
Emporia trailed by eight points but then led by eight going into the halftime break.
"The first half was great," G. Lyons said. "We were able to move the basketball; Isaiah knocked some shots down that stretched our lead a bit. (Emporia) made an adjustment. They're an older group, senior-led, but they do have some younger players that can play. For the seniors that have been in the league before that understand the varsity level of basketball found another gear to get to."
At the 4:41 mark of the third quarter, there was a loose ball at Emporia's side of the court. The Trojans didn't dive at the ball while it was bouncing around. G. Lyons was not pleased with Topeka High's toughness and effort, so he benched the starters for two minutes while the second group kept the game within seven points.
"That was just a teaching moment," G. Lyons said. "They needed to know that the effort they have to give needed to be more. They just had to give more effort. I always tell them that they got to better their best. Whatever their best was the day before or the play before, we have to be much better the next time. We were apprehensive when I took them out. I just wanted to let them know that nothing is given."
Within 37.1 seconds in the third quarter, I. Lyons gave Topeka High some life. The guard hit two 3-point shots from the right corner of the arc and then proceeded to get fouled with 0.6 seconds left and hit both of his free throws as Topeka High went from trailing by 13 with a minute left to only trail by five points to end the third quarter.
The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth contest until the last 2:21 of the game, where the Spartans would take advantage of Topeka High's missed shots. Emporia gained a seven-point lead with under a minute left, and Topeka High had no choice but to foul the Spartans.
EMPORIA BOYS 69, TOPEKA HIGH 59.
Emporia 13 24 16 16 – 69
Topeka High 14 19 15 11 – 59
Emporia (6-1, 1-0) – Leeds 2 0-2 4, King 4 5-6 14, Jackson 2 2-6 6, Rech 6 0-1 12, Seeley 0 0-0 0, Peters 8 4-6 23, Stewart 2 3-6 8, Hess 0 2-2 2. Totals – 24 16-29 69.
Topeka High (1-5, 0-1) – Lyons 7 2-2 21, Hales 4 0-0 11, Norman 0 0-0 0, Gomez 5 0-0 13, Thrasher 3 2-2 8, Votaw 3 0-0 6. Totals – 22 4-4 59.
3-point goals – Emporia 5 (Peters 3, Leeds, King), Topeka High 11 (Lyons 5, Gomez 3, Hales 3). Total fouls – Emporia 8, Topeka High 14. Technical fouls – none. Fouled out -- none.
