By VINCE LOVERGINE
TopSports.news
Two Class 5A state tournament teams from last season battled it out on Tuesday night, with the Topeka West boys basketball picking up the United Kansas Conference win over Piper, 72-62, moving to 4-0 on the year.
Senior Malakyah Duncan led Topeka West with 19 points as the Chargers improved to 4-0 with a 72-62 UKC win over Piper. [File photo/TSN]
Even though his team got down early in the first quarter, West coach Christian Ulsaker liked how the Chargers didn’t waver.
“Showing the veteran leadership,'' Ulsaker said. "We've got a lot of seniors and juniors who have been battle tested throughout the years at Topeka West. They’re very good at handling pressure and understanding what they need to do to get the wins.''
Piper jumped out to a 5-0 lead and it took the Chargers until the 4:35 mark to score their first bucket of the game by senior Malakyah Duncan.
The Chargers would then go on a 10-2 run thanks to a Duncan-and-one and a triple from senior Gad Munganga to push the Topeka West lead to 12-7.
However, Piper would go into the second quarter with a 17-15 lead as Kamari Knott hit a three to re-take the lead.
In the second quarter, Piper led by five, 20-15, but Munganga wouldn’t go away, knocking down another three in the right corner pocket to get West within two at 23-21.
Senior Keimani Paul would then tie it off an offensive rebound with a mini floater off the baseline, forcing a Pirates timeout with 3:28 left in the half. Paul had 15 points on the night
Both teams would trade buckets until the end of the half until Ulsaker called a timeout with nine seconds left in the half to draw up an out of bounds play and it worked for none other than Munganga, who drilled another trey to close out the first half, with Topeka West leading 30-29. Munganga finished with 14 points.
That type of game, playing in transition, kicking it out for three’s if they’re there is something the Chargers want to continue to do.
“We’re a transition team,'' said Duncan, who had a team-high 19 points. "We've got to get out and run and that’s how we get our points early in the game. That’s our thing.''
Junior Prince Lassiter was a great presence down low for the Chargers, finishing with nine points. He would get an and-one opportunity and missed the free throw, but Topeka West grabbed the offensive board and Munganga would make it 36-31.
“Overall, they threw a lot at him (Prince),'' Ulsaker said. "A lot of smaller guards trying to front him, kind of frustrate him early. They did a good job of that, I don’t know if last year Prince would’ve stayed as calm as he did.
"That’s just a testament to his maturity and his upbringing. He’s doing a great job.”
Munganga pushed the West lead to nine, 44-35, giving the Chargers their biggest lead in the third. And after a Duncan bucket to close out the quarter, the Chargers led 50-44 going to the fourth.
West would extend its lead to 10 off a Paul layup as Piper called a timeout with 5:41 left. Piper would go on a mini 6-0 run, forcing turnovers with a halfcourt press to put its deficit to 56-52.
Paul stepped up big in the final minutes of the game. He was fouled on a layup but an intentional foul was called and, made one of two free throws and the Chargers got the ball back but didn’t capitalize on the opportunity for more points turning the ball over, leading 63-52.
Topeka West held on late with hitting key free throws and breaking that halfcourt press as Jasper Phillips put it in the history books with the dagger layup in the final ticks.
“I feel like we did good with adversity, dealing with it all four quarters for the first time this year,'' Duncan said. "Piper is a good team. We all played together, we stayed composed and knocked down our free throws at the end of the game.''
TOPEKA WEST BOYS 72, PIPER 62
Piper 17 12 15 18 – 62
Topeka West 15 15 20 22 – 72
Piper (3-2) – Taylor 3 0-0 7, Jackson 4 8-9 17, Vogel 4 0-0 11, Brooks 2 3-7 7, Crawford 2 1-1 5, Wade 1 0-0 3, Labat 3 0-0 8, Barnes 2 0-0 4. Totals 21 12-17 62.
Topeka West (4-0) -- Phillips 2 2-2 6, Munganga 5 0-0 14, Ware 0 1-2 1, Traylor 1 5-8 7, Duncan 7 4-5 19, Paul 5 5-6 15, Lassiter 3 3-6 9. Totals 23 20-29 72.
3-point goals – Piper 8 (Taylor, Jackson, Vogel 3, Wade, Labat 2) Topeka West 5 (Munganga 4, Duncan). Total fouls – Piper 25, Topeka West 19. Fouled out – Duncan. Technical fouls -- none.
