By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
In 16 games this season, the No. 3-ranked (Class 5A) Highland Park boys have shown the ability to score in a variety of ways.
But if the Scots shoot the ball from 3-point range like they did Monday night, they're going to be even harder to beat than they have been over a 15-1 start.
Four Highland Park players combined to can 15 3s on the night as the Scots rolled to a 95-22 Meadowlark Conference victory over Kansas City-Harmon at Topeka West.
"If we can do that we're going to be really hard to beat,'' Highland Park coach Mike Williams said. "And when you have so many guys that have the ability to take shots and make shots it opens up so many other things.''
Senior Amari Taylor scored a game-high 24 points with four 3s while junior Mikey Williams hit five treys in a 17-point night, senior
Tamir Anderson had 11 points with three 3s and junior Tay Bradley had nine points on three 3s.
Junior Ja'Corey Robinson did his damage against Harmon closer to the hoop, finishing with 17 points, as 10 of the 12 Scots that saw action cracked the scoring column.
"We've just got to stay focused,'' Mike Williams said. "It was a win that wasn't too hard to come by tonight but we've just got to keep working towards trying to put things together and get better as a team.''
Highland Park, which won its ninth straight game while improving to 8-0 in the conference, roared out to a 19-2 lead out of the gate and took a 29-6 lead on a Taylor three-point play late in the first quarter before taking a 29-8 advantage into the second stanza.
The Scots then hit the Hawks with a 36-5 second quarter to open up a huge 65-13 halftime advantage.
Taylor scored all 24 of his points in the opening half before Taylor and the rest of the Hi Park starters played sparingly in the second half.
Highland Park will be right back in action Tuesday night, hosting No. 2-ranked (4A) Atchison at Topeka West.
Atchison is 15-1 overall and 7-1 in the Meadowlark, with its lone loss a 65-48 decision against Highland Park.
HIGHLAND PARK BOYS 95, KC-HARMON 22
KC-Harmon 8 5 6 3 -- 22
Highland Park 29 36 13 17 -- 95
KC-Harmon (1-15, 0-8) -- Arrington-Coty 1-3 0-0 2, A. Chirambo 3-11 0-0 6, Rivera 1-5 0-0 2, Williams 4-9 0-0 9, Sidibe 0-4 0-0 0, Gazadikwe 1-2 1-2 3, Whitmore 0-0 0-0 0, M. Chirambo 0-0 0-0 0, Lobo-Finez 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 10-34 1-2 22.
Highland Park (15-1, 8-0)-- Taylor 9-11 2-2 24, Wilson 0-1 0-0 0, Williams 6-9 0-0 17, Robinson 8-11 1-1 17, Anderson 4-7 0-0 11, Thrasher 1-3 0-0 2, Bradley 3-4 0-0 9, Cameron 3-4 1-1 7, Kingcannon 2-4 0-0 4, Howell 0-0 0-0 0, Kelley 1-4 0-0 2, Thomas 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 38-62 4-4 95.
3-point goals -- KC-Harmon 1 (Williams), Highland Park 15 (Williams 5, Taylor 4, Anderson 3, Bradley 3). Total fouls -- KC-Harmon 7, Highland Park 3. Fouled out -- none. Technical foul -- none.