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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Unversity men's basketball coach Brett Ballard isn't ready to say that his Ichabods have turned the corner.
But Saturday's 70-69 home MIAA win over Rogers State at Lee Arena, was certainly a step in that direction.
Surviving a last-secord shot by the Hillcats, the Ichabods won two straight games for the first time this season while climbing over the .500 mark overall (6-5) and in the MIAA (3-2).
"We're getting closer,'' Ballard said. "We've found a way to win some close games here recently, which is good, and we know we're going to be in more of these so hopefully we can learn from that experience.
"We're getting there. There's still some things that are just not quite right and I don't think we've played anywhere close to our ceiling yet. I'm glad we won, but we're still leaving a lot on the table.''
Jalen Lewis, putting up a shot against Rogers State, paced Washburn with 22 points in Saturday's 70-69 MIAA win over Rogers State. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University's women's basketball team gave itself an early Christmas present on Saturday, a 79-62 MIAA victory over Rogers State at Lee Arena.
Playing its final game before taking a 10-day holiday break, the Ichabods won back to back games for the first time all season while setting a high-water mark for points scored in a game as well as margin of victory.
"We're starting to get a little confidence, a little rhythm, a little rotation down and some kids getting their heads up to play,'' Washburn coach Ron McHenry said. "I'd love to play the next couple of days, but we're not going to be able to do that.
"It's a tough game so just to get a couple of wins and a little confidence, I can tell from practice to practice that we've got a little confidence in us, a little swagger and that mean's a huge deal. We were missing that, but you can't get it when you're losing games.''
Washburn senior Hunter Bentley (right), being congratulated by Emma Chapman, led the Ichabods with 15 points in Saturday's 79-62 MIAA win over Rogers State. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
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By KEVIN HASKIN
TopSports.news
Musings at the mid-month:
- Admit it, we have all wondered if Patrick Mahomes is trending downward this season.
- As hard as it is when clinging to the edge of your recliner, we should all remember it’s possible to sit back and watch Mahomes raise his game.
- That comeback in LA on Thursday was yet another spectacle.
- Granted, the pass he misfired wide and into the dirt on the Chargers 1-yard line really had us cranky.
- (Psst, Andy, how about using that Michael Burton guy again?)
- But Mahomes atoned, and then some, as three straight 75-yard touchdown drives produced an overtime win.
- Somewhere, Phillip Rivers was loving retirement.
- And Chiefs fans sensed another Super Bowl coming into focus.
- Slinging the football to two clutch pass-catchers helps.
- So did defensive breakdowns and point-chasing blunders by the Chargers.
- But my, do not count out Patrick Mahomes. Nor Travis Kelce. Nor Tyreek Hill.
- On a night when Burton (who?) scored the Chiefs’ only first-half touchdown, that potential division-clinching win over Los Angeles turned downright eventful.
- Not sorry to offend Hollywood by linking the word “dirt” to opulent So-Fi Stadium.
- Is playing in such a posh palace worth leaving San Diego, the city identified with your franchise?
- Guess so. The Chargers are the football equivalence of the Clippers.If you had to move, why not, oh, San Antonio? Think that city might embrace an NFL franchise?
- I can’t remember, do Texans like football?
- (Insert KU beat Texas zinger here.)
- My beef with Joe Buck has been more about the frequency we watch and listen to him rather than his delivery.
- That changed with his chilly night in LA comment while injured Charger Donald Parham got carted off the field.
- No fans in the stands last year made it easy for me to click Mute.
- Crowd noise changes that.
- It’s what makes any of our sports the best reality series on TV.
- And no, the button doesn’t read, Mute. Just a reminder, old grumps love words over symbols.
- Keep thinking Kansas achieved little by renewing the Missouri rivalry … except for slapping the Tigers out of their basketball slumber.
- Not that KU won’t administer more border beatdowns, but the rivalry was more balanced on Twitter than on-court.
- At halftime, I found other things to do.
- I will never understand the joy in an SEC chant if it’s pretty much all you got.
- As Joe Buck might say, we’ll talk about that more with our next guests, Texas and Oklahoma.
- Happy for Brent Venables. While the conference transition will be challenging, the man is a fierce competitor.
- First saw it when he played football in Salina (preps), Garden City (juco) and at K-State.
- Two college players I put squarely in that uber-competitive circle these days are Deuce Vaughn and Christian Braun.
- Their names actually don’t rhyme, except when a TV analyst flunks his KU basketball homework.
- K-State’s acquisition (can we call it that, please, with unrestricted free agency in college sports) of Adrian Martinez makes for a potentially strong backfield combo alongside Vaughn.
- With Nebraska, though, Martinez seemed to find ways to lose games. That bothers me.
- Reducing mistakes is not only a task for Martinez but a leadership opportunity for Chris Klieman and his new OC.
- Vaughn must help with that and add even more leadership qualities to his dynamic skills.
- Is K-State really a developmental program when Klieman and his staff can’t seem to develop a quarterback they recruit?
- Braun has become a player I enjoy watching off the ball because he does so many things to demand the ball.
- He took exception to being called a spot-up shooter. Power to him. He is fun to watch and provides the combustion vital to a postseason run.
- Mentioned Michael Burton earlier and can’t help but think of the Lord working in mysterious ways.
- Lost a dear friend, Mike Burton, recently. Mike ran the American Legion baseball program in Silver Lake for more than 40 years and was a stranger to no one.
- Loved his stories, and the golf outings he’d set up to play with him and Jim Golden. Great man.
- Same for Rene Poort, who I always knew would call a game fair and fast as someone who officiated until his recent passing at 77.
- And then there’s Tom Price, who could strike a conversation with anyone and helped me regain my love for baseball. Bless you and miss you, Tomcat.
- Finally, to my brother-in-law Scott, who taught me to shoot, cast and appreciate everything outdoors.
- Death can sure make life hard. Yet, we find comfort, joy and peace in what so many have meant to us.
- Merry Christmas.
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Senior Elijah Brooks reached the 1,000-point scoring mark for his career in Topeka West's 78-65 Centennial League road win at Manhattan Friday night.
Topeka West reached the 1,000-point mark for career scoring in the Chargers' 78-65 win at Manhattan Friday night. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Topeka West improved to 4-1 on the season with Friday's victory after surviving a third-quarter Manhattan rally.
The Chargers led 48-34 at halftime, but Manhattan got back in the hunt with a 22-14 third-quarter surge.
Topeka West put Manhattan away with a 16-9 fourth quarter.
MANHATTAN GIRLS 69, TOPEKA WEST 52 -- Manhattan kept Topeka West winless on the season at 0-5 while improving to 2-3 with Friday's home 69-52 Centennial League victory.
HAYDEN GIRLS 42, JUNCTION CITY 16 -- Hayden improved to 3-1 on the season with Friday's home Centennial League win over Junction City.
Macy Smith
Senior Macy Smith scored 14 points to lead the way as the Wildcats put the Blue Jays away early on.
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Highland Park took care of business on the road Friday night, improving to 5-0 with a 62-50 Centennial League win over rival Topeka High.
Senior Juan'Tario Roberts scored a game-high 23 points and reached the 1,000-point mark for his career as the Scots continued their early-season roll.
Highland Park gathers around senior Juan'Tario Roberts (middle with ball) after the Scots' 62-50 win over Topeka High Friday night. Roberts scored 23 points to eclipse the 1,000-point scoring mark for his career. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
“Obviously, it was a rivalry game,'' Highland Park coach Michael Williams said. "The game was going to be uglier than we wanted it to be. The game could’ve gone either way. With the win, our guys held it down, together. We had to stay in the zone and keep our guys packed in, which they did a good job of that.
"It took us about a quarter and a half to figure the game out. That’s the good thing about this group. Throughout the first five games, they’ve endured a lot, didn’t point fingers, we never backed down, we never shut down, and we are able to figure things out on the fly.''
