By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
Having wrapped up the Centennial League title last Friday, the Washburn Rural boys are now within one game of an undefeated run through the league. They overcame a slow start to roll over Topeka High 72-42 Tuesday. They now stand 15-4 overall and 9-0 in the league.
Senior Kaden Ballard (2) scored 13 points with three 3-pointers in Tuesday's 72-42 road win at Topeka High. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Junior Blues trailed for much of the first period. An 18-3 second period helped them gain a 32-15 lead. From that point, they played deep into their bench and saw 11 different players score.
“Defensively we were much more disruptive in the second quarter,” said Junior Blues coach Alex Hutchins. “In the first quarter we just kind of showed up on the defensive end. After that first quarter, we did a little better job of being impactful and disruptive.
“We’re not a very big team, so we have to play a certain way to be successful and it requires a lot of effort and it requires a lot of unselfishness.”
One game remains – Friday at Manhattan – between the Junior Blues and an undefeated record against the Centennial League field.
“We felt like (winning the league) was something we were capable of,” Hutchins said. “We won the league two years ago, and then last year we had a lot of injuries and illnesses, and we felt like we kind of just started behind the eight ball but finished strong.”
Washburn Rural senior guard Kaden Ballard said the team stays focused on the task at hand.
“I think our goals are step by step, so winning the league is first,” Ballard said. “We have a chance to go undefeated in the league, which, I don’t know the last time somebody’s done that. Then obviously winning sub-state is something I haven’t done yet. And making it to state is our big goal.
“But I’m enjoying every step, taking in every moment, like the last time playing in the Dungeon, stuff like that.”
One thing Ballard can enjoy is sharing the court with his brother, freshman Brooks Ballard. The younger Ballard came off the bench to hit 5-8 attempts Tuesday. Each brother hit three 3-pointers apiece, and each finished with 13 points.
The older Ballard said he was glad his coach pulled his younger brother out of the game before he could surpass him.
“We didn’t want him to get a big head by getting more than me,” Kaden Ballard said. “We joke around, but it’s really fun. Going into this year, I don’t know that I expected (his brother to play this much on the varsity team). But sharing the court with him is really special. It’s fun to be out there at the same time.”
Senior Amare Jones scored 10 points in Washburn Rural's 72-42 win at Topeka High. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Senior Amare Jones scored 10 points for the Junior Blues, and Simon Rowley added nine.
Topeka High junior Jalen Aldridge scored 13 points for Topeka High in Tuesday's 72-42 loss to Washburn Rural. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Trojans were led by Jalen Aldridge with 13 points. Topeka High finished the regular season with a record of 1-19, 1-9 in the league.
Hutchins said the first quarter against Topeka High provided a reminder to his team as the postseason nears.
“We’re going one game at a time. We want to make a run in the postseason as does every team,” Hutchins said. “But we know we’re going to play a good team (in the first round of sub-state). And as you saw tonight, we can be a very average team if we’re not on it and turned up all the way. The biggest thing is just focusing on us and making sure that we’re playing at the highest level every quarter, every minute, every possession.”
WASHBURN RURAL BOYS 72, TOPEKA HIGH 42
Washburn Rural 14 18 21 19 -- 72
Topeka High 12 3 16 11 -- 42
Washburn Rural (15-4, 9-0) – Jones 4-9 2-3 10, Leonard 2-3 1-1 5, K. Ballard 5-7 0-0 13, Rowley 3-10 3-4 9, Jo. Hoytal 3-5 0-2 6, B. Ballard 5-8 0-0 13, Chooncharoen 2-6 0-0 5, Schwinn 0-1 4-4 4, Wright 0-0 2-2 2, O’Connor 1-5 0-0 3, Schmidt 0-1 0-0 0, Ja. Hoytal 1-2 0-0 2. Totals: 26-55 12-16 72.
Topeka High (1-19, 1-9) – Guest 3-8 0-0 7, Dingle 0-7 0-0 0, McFadden 1-5 0-0 2, Aldridge 2-10 7-8 13, McComas 3-9 1-2 , Campbell 1-1 0-0 3, Redmond 0-2 2-2 2, Carter 1-4 0-0 2, Mallory 1-2 0-0 2, Trotter 0-2 0-0 0, Villegas 1-1 0-1 2, Caddell 0-0 2-3 2, Arnold 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 13-51 12-16 42.
3-point goals – Washburn Rural 8 (K. Ballard 3, B. Ballard 3, Chooncharoen, O’Connor), Topeka High 4 (Aldridge 2, Guest, Campbell). Total fouls – Washburn Rural 11, Topeka High 16. Fouled out – None. Technical fouls – None.
