By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Junior Ketraleus Aldridge hit a follow shot with two seconds remaining to give undefeated Highland Park a 71-69 home Centennial League win over Seaman Tuesday night.
With the victory Highland Park improved to 4-0 on the season while Seaman fell to 2-2.
Seaman trailed by 18 points before getting within 10 in the third quarter. Seaman cut its deficit to nine at the 5:20 mark of the fourth and pulled within two on a Ty Henry dunk with three minutes remaining.
Seaman took the lead with 2:40 left after a Dreighton Griess steal and there were ties at 67 and 69 with 31 seconds remaining.
After a Juan'Tario Roberts basket tied the game for the final time, Seaman held for the last shot and had two chances, but came up empty.
Highland Park pushed the ball downcourt and after Tre Richardson missed a contested layup, Aldridge, who had 17 points, converted the stickback for the game-winner.
Roberts led Highland Park with 22 points while Henry scored 23 points to lead Seaman.
Highland Park led 19-14 at the end of the first quarter and was in command 43-27 at the half and 60-43 at the start of the fourth quarter.
Highland Park will close out the 2021 portion of its schedule at Topeka High Friday night in a girls/boys Centennial League doubleheader while Seaman will host Washburn Rural in a twinbill.
SEAMAN GIRLS 65, HIGHLAND PARK 30 -- Freshman Anna Becker scored 17 points and Maegan Mills had 12 points off the bench as Seaman improved to 3-1 with a 65-30 romp past winless Highland Park.
Seaman fored 29 Highland Park turnovers in the wire to wire victory.
Senior Aisya Taylor led Highland Park with 11 points while freshman Amelia Ramsey added nine points for the Scots.
Seaman opened up a 17-7 first-quarter advantage and took a 40-16 lead to the locker room at the half.
The Vikings increased their cushion to 61-23 after three quarters and a running clock was used the rest of the way.
TOPEKA HIGH GIRLS 38, EMPORIA 36 -- Topeka High survived an Emporia rally to improve to 4-0 with a 38-36 Centennial League victory in a battle of state-ranked teams.
The Trojans, No. 6-ranked in Class 6A, led 14-6 at the end of the opening quarter, but 2-2 Emporia, No. 6 in 5A, fought back to tie the game at the half, 20-20.
Topeka High built its lead back to as many as nine points in the second half and led 29-24 at the end of the third quarter, but Emporia got as close as one down the stretch.
Junior Kiki Smith led Topeka High with 14 points while senior Tae Thomas added eight points and junior Faith Shields seven.
Garcie Gilpin and Rebecca Snyder scored 13 points apiece for Emporia.
TOPEKA HIGH BOYS 45, EMPORIA 42 -- Topeka High trailed for most of Tuesday night's game before rallying for its first victory of the season, a 45-42 Centennial League road win over Emporia.
Emporia led by as many as seven points but the Trojans (1-4, 1-3) rallied to take a 43-42 lead late in the game and went up by the final margin on two Germane Mays free throws with six seconds remaining. The 0-4 Spartans missed a deseration attempt which would have sent the game to overtime.
Senior Matt Flenoy paced Topeka High with 14 points while sophomore BJ Canady added 10 points.
Freshman River Peters scored a game-high 18 points for Emporia, including four 3-pointers.
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