By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Winning a league championship is always nice, and Topeka West senior standout Trevion Alexander admitted that the Centennial League title West wrapped up Saturday with a 68-40 home romp past Topeka High was extra nice for the Chargers.
"It feels good, knowing that Topeka West never had one and this is the first one,'' said Alexander, who scored 16 points as the Chargers improved to 16-2 overall and 13-1 in the league with their 10th straight victory. "Coach (Rick Bloomquist) always says it's good to be the first one.''
After shooting 57 percent in Friday's 60-46 win at Emporia, Topeka West struggled through a spotty offensive performance against Topeka High, shooting just 36 percent from the field.
But the Chargers controlled the game defensively, forcing 24 Topeka High turnovers.
"We just had to play different in the third quarter, knowing that two of their best players (Jalen Smith and Isiah Esquibel) were in foul trouble,'' Alexander said. "They were going to put in some younger guys, so we went at them.''
West led by just an 11-8 count after the first quarter, but opened up a 28-17 halftime advantage and put the Trojans away with a 27-9 third quarter, opening up a commanding 55-26 lead. The Chargers also led by 29 in the fourth to close out the win.
Topeka West's Trevion Alexander fights for a basket against Topeka High (Photo by Rex Wolf / TSN)Alexander and fellow senior Marque Wilkerson tied for game-high scoring honors with 16 apiece while junior Zander Putthoff added 12 points on 4 3-pointers.
BJ Canady, a 6-foot-5 freshman, scored 13 points and grabbed 8 rebounds for Topeka High (3-15, 3-12), but Smith and Esquibel both picked up their third fouls in the second quarter and their fourth personals in the third while combining for just 11 points in the game.
Senior Antonio Walker backed Canady with 10 points for Topeka High, including a pair of 3-pointers.
With Saturday's win the Chargers eliminated Highland Park from league title contention. The Scots, who handed West its only league loss earlier in the season, will visit West Tuesday night.
The Scots,12-5 and in the midst of a 9-game winning streak, will be playing West for the third time this season, with the Chargers beating Hi Park in the Topeka Invitational Tournament.
TOPEKA WEST BOYS 68, TOPEKA HIGH 40
Topeka HIgh 8 9 9 14 -- 40
Topeka West 11 17 27 13 -- 68
Topeka High (3-15 3-12) -- Esquibel 2-5 0-0 4, Smith 3-13 1-5 7, McMillon 1-8 0-0 2, Leesman 2-4 0-0 4, Canady 5-6 3-6 13, Phillips 0-3 0-0 0, Walker 4-5 0-0 10, Kincade 0-1 0-0 0, Cameron 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-45 4-11 40.
Topeka West (16-2, 13-1) -- Wilkerson 7-14 2-5 16, Brooks 3-13 1-2 7, Austin 2-7 0-0 6, T. Alexander 5-13 4-5 16, Putthoff 4-9 0-0 12, Lira 0-0 0-0 0, Peterson 0-2 0-0 0, X. Alexander 2-6 1-2 7, Lowery 2-4 0-0 4, Mehrens 0-2 0-0 0, Berg 0-0 0-0 0, Cooper 0-0 0-0 0, Reimer 0-0 0-0 0, Bearman 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-70 8-14 68.
3-point goals -- Topeka High 2 (Walker 2), Topeka West 10 (Putthoff 4, Austin 2, T. Alexander 2, X Alexander 2). Total fouls -- Topeka High 14, Topeka West 9. Fouled out -- none. Technical foul -- Smith.
