- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
For a Washburn University men's basketball team with national title aspirations, there's still plenty of work to be done.
But Saturday was a day of celebration as the Ichabods claimed their 11th regular-season MIAA championship with a 90-60 Senior Day win over Rogers State on Saturday afternoon in Lee Arena while also becoming the seventh team in NCAA Division II history to reach the 1,700-win plateau.
Washburn coach Brett Ballard hoists the MIAA championship trophy during Saturday's post-game title celebration after Washburn's 90-60 win over Rogers State. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn celebrates late in Saturday's 90-60 win over Rogers State. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
"This is a surreal feeling,'' senior Michael Keegan said. "To win (the title) here, it's something special to cut down your own nets. When there's a lot riding on the line, this team comes together more than ever. We know what's at stake for us, especially this game and going forward so especially when we fight adversity that's when we tend to bind together even more.''
Washburn senior Andrew Orr cuts down the net after Saturday's 90-60 MIAA title-clinching win over Rogers State. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
"This is amazing,'' said senior Andrew Orr. "There's been a lot of ups and downs so it kind of feels like all these losses we had beforehand it feels like we really did learn something from those losses and it was bound to happen. We do the right things.''
After honoring seniors Jacob Hanna, Keegan, Orr and Jake Schadegg, Washburn, which improved to 24-2 overall and 15-2 in the MIAA, needed only 28 seconds to take a lead they would not give up as a jumper by Hanna in the paint and a 3-pointer by Schadegg put Washburn up 5-0 out of the gate.
After a bucket by the Hillcats (20-9, 11-6), a layup by Orr followed by 3-pointers by Jack Bachelor and Brayden Shorter pushed the Ichabods to an 11-point lead, forcing a Rogers State timeout.
Coming out of the timeout, the Hillcats used a 10-0 run to cut Washburn's lead to one, but Washburn responded with a 9-0 run to go back up by 10 before the Ichabods went into the break with a 14-point margin (44-30).
- Details
BY ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
A strong second-half rally wasn’t enough for Topeka West as United Kansas Conference foe De Soto secured the boys win on Saturday, 60-55.
Senior Jalen Foy led Topeka West with 18 points in Saturday's 60-55 UKC loss to De Soto. [File photo/TSN]
The Chargers were seeking a regular-season sweep over De Soto with the win, but the Wildcats were able to hold off Topeka West when the final buzzer sounded. Saturday’s contest was opposite from the Dec. 6 match when Topeka West defeated De Soto, 66-44.
Topeka West was presented with an early challenge by De Soto senior Pierce Krehbiel. Krehbiel drained a series of tough shots that allowed the Wildcats to stay in front for nearly the entire opening quarter. Krehbiel scored 11 points in the first quarter, including a few threes. Wildcat senior Jayden Lang added 6 points. The duo combined for 17 out of De Soto’s 19 first quarter points.
“De Soto is very well coached,” Topeka West coach Christian Ulsaker said. “They’re a well-oiled machine in terms of their circle offense. They’re very hard to defend and they have guys taking good shots. It was kind of surprising because usually (Lang) or (Max Johnson) are kind of the two motors on that team. But that’s what makes a team a team. (Krehbiel) can really shoot it. We lost (Krehbiel) one too many times. When a kid like that gets confidence, it’s tough to stop them.”
The Chargers kept up with De Soto’s rapid-fire first-quarter scoring. While nobody stole the show with their scoring, Topeka West’s starting five each had their opportunities to score. Senior Jalen Foy and junior Malakyah Duncan combined for a consistent 4-4 shooting and scored 9 out of the team’s 13 first-quarter points.
Topeka West needed defensive stops in the second quarter to slow down Krehbiel and Lang.
The Chargers were able to limit De Soto’s distance shooting in the second quarter. Topeka West played more physically resulting in the Wildcats taking tougher shots, which is exactly what Ulsaker wanted.
“The defense is good to see,” Ulsaker said. “We will have stretches where we play phenomenal defense with communicating, good help side, switching when needed … Then we will have stretches where we might not do one of those three things and that’s all it takes when you play man-to-man defense. If you don’t do one of those key things, then a shooter gets open and it makes it tough on you.”
Topeka West’s defense held De Soto to 12 points in the second quarter while the offense scored 11. Topeka West trailed De Soto, 31-24, at the break.
While the defense looked stronger in the second quarter, the Chargers needed an offensive spark and they got it in the third quarter by making some key adjustments in the locker room.
For the first time in the game, Topeka West was pushing the tempo on the offensive side of the ball. Most of Topeka West’s points were earned inside the paint. Foy had a team-high 7 points in the third quarter, while senior Javian Chambers added 5.
“We needed to push the tempo,” Ulsaker said. “We needed to get out in transition more. After pushing the tempo, we needed to get in the half-court and continue to attack off the dribble and find open guys when they are there. I feel like our guys did a good job of doing that, but we need to do better.”
- Details
By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
With two league games remaining on the schedule, the Highland Park girls secured their third consecutive Meadowlark Conference title by beating Atchison 50-42 Saturday at Highland Park.
Sophomore Pearmella Carter scored 15 of her 18 points in the second half in Highland Park's 50-42 Meadowlark Conference win over Atchison. [File photo/TSN]
Highland Park improved to 14-4 on the season, 10-0 in the conference.
“For us, the number one goal is always to win the league,” said Highland Park assistant coach Chris Giardina, who has been on the Scots’ staff for four years. “When you can win the league three years in a row, it’s a good building block for the program. But now we need to move past that. With this group, we’re preparing for something bigger.”
Giardina praised several of the teams around the league who he felt were making improvements.
“Now that they’ve seen us a few times, they are really starting to bring their A-game against us. Like we’re the hunted now,” Giardina said. “I like that. I would rather be in those types of games than winning by tons. We don’t get anything out of that.”
Playing for the third time in three days, the Scots were slow out of the gate Saturday, falling behind 10-7 in the first period. That’s when sophomore Zayah Kincade got hot, hitting for eight points in a four-minute stretch to jump-start the Highland Park offense.
Kincade helped make up for low output from sophomore Pearmella Carter, who had to cope with a box-and-one defense designed to shut her down. Carter attempted just one field goal and scored just three points in the first half. She did go to the line seven times in the game, knocking down 10 of 14 free throws. She accounted for 18 points by the game’s end.
“I think we’ve seen a box-and-one three or four times from league teams now,” Highland Park head coach Rob Brown said. “They’re trying to figure out how to beat us.”
Kincade’s 12 points were essential to the win. She said she likes her role coming off the bench to provide defensive energy, shooting and ball handling.
“I seem to work better with certain people than others, so (Coach Brown) puts me in those positions,” Kincade said. “I think I’m very good on defense. My shooting can be kind of 50/50 sometimes, but I like when I can help the team. It feels good that when I went in today, things kind of came up.”
The Scots will host J.C. Harmon on Tuesday, followed by KC-Washington on Friday to close the regular season.
HIGHLAND PARK GIRLS 50, ATCHISON 42
Atchison 10 10 10 12 -- 42
Highland Park 7 16 15 12 -- 50
Atchison (15-5, 5-5) – Housh 1-4 2-2 4, Downing 10-22 1-2 21, Herrera 2-11 1-2 5, Boldridge 0-1 0-0 0, Stoves 1-6 0-0 3, Burge 2-6 1-7 5, Banks 0-1 0-0 0, Tate 2-4 0-2 4. Totals: 18-55 5-15 42.
Highland Park (14-4, 10-0) – Broils 1-6 1-4 3, Hartz 2-8 2-6 5, Jones 1-4 0-0 2, Sanders 1-7 0-2 2, Carter 4-5 10-14 18, Kincaide 4-15 2-4 12, Grace 2-6 1-2 6, Cosey 0-1 0-0 0, Atkins 1-2 0-0 2. Totals: 16-54 15-29 50.
3-point goals – Atchison 1 (Stoves 1), Highland Park 3 (Kincaide 2, Grace 1). Total fouls – Atchison 21, Highland Park 15. Fouled out – Boldridge. Technical fouls – None.
- Details
By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
If the visiting Atchison Phoenix thought they were in the game after one period at Highland Park on Saturday, they were quickly disabused of that notion.
After sitting out the first quarter senior Ja'Corey Robinson scored 25 points in Highland Park's 63-35 Saturday win over Atchison. [File photo/TSN]
Highland Park coach Mike Williams sent a message to his team by holding regular starters Jacorey Robinson and Isaiah Kelley out for the entire first period. The Scots clung to a 15-12 lead when those seniors entered the game.
Whatever hope Atchison had of winning the game was removed at that point. The Scots went on a 17-0 run. Highland Park held Atchison to just four points in the second period and four more in the third period.
Highland Park pulled away to win 63-35, gaining their 10th win in the Meadowlark Conference against zero defeats, and running their season record to 18-0.
“We just wanted to address some things,” Williams said. “The guys responded really well. I’ve got the boys' trust. They know that when I ruffle some feathers, it’s easy to reel them back in because they know who I am.”
Robinson took over the game, hitting six shots – most of them dunks – in the second period. He finished the game hitting 11-16 shots for 25 points.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural boys basketball wrapped up the Centennial League championship with Friday's 55-42 home win over Hayden, but there was zero celebrating.
Junior Simon Rowley led Washburn Rural with 17 points in Friday's 55-42 Centennial League win over Hayden. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
That will come later.
Washburn Rural, which improved to 14-4 overall and a perfect 8-0 in the league, has Centennial road games at Topeka High on Tuesday and Manhattan on Friday and Junior Blues coach Alex Hutchins wants his team concentrating on that and nothing else.
"We've still got two more league games and we'll talk about it after that,'' Hutchins said of the title. "All we're worried about is the next two league games.''
Hayden (10-8, 4-5) scored the first basket of Friday's game, but that was the Wildcats' only lead of the night as the Junior Blues opened up a 16-10 first-quarter advantage and led 32-24 at the half.
The seventh-ranked (Class 4A) Wildcats stayed within striking distance throughout the third stanza, but got no closer than six in the quarter and trailed by nine points (40-31) at the start of the fourth.
Washburn Rural scored the first two buckets of the final quarter, going in front 44-31 on a Kaden Ballard hoop with 6:01 remaining, and put the game away with a Draden Chooncharoen 3-pointer at the 3:07 mark that gave the Junior Blues a 49-35 advantage.
Hayden got no closer than nine the rest of the way while Rural led by 15 late.
Senior Kaden Ballard scored 13 points in Friday's 55-42 Centennial League win over Hayden. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Junior Simon Rowley led the Junior Blues with a game-high 17 points while Ballard, a senior, added 13 points and junior John Hoytal 10.
