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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 1-ranked Washburn University men's basketball returns to the road on Saturday to face Missouri Western in a 3:30 p.m. in St. Joseph, Mo.
The Ichabods moved to 18-0 overall and 9-0 in the MIAA after rallying from a 3-point halftime deficit at Northwest Missouri to win 80-69 on Wednesday.
Senior Andrew Orr and the Washburn Ichabods will be looking for their 19th straight win Saturday in a road matchup with Missouri Western. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Missouri Western is 13-6 overall and 5-4 in MIAA play after an 81-62 win over Central Missouri on Wednesday, with the Griffons winning their second straight contest.
The Ichabods won the first meeting this season with the Griffons 92-74 in Topeka.
Washburn is off to its best start to begin at season at 18-0 since starting the 2003-04 season 16-0 en route to the MIAA regular- season championship.
The Ichabod record for the most wins to start the season is 19 coming in the 1992-93 season. WU is one of two undefeated teams remaining in the NCAA Division II ranks, joining No. 2 Daemen (14-0).
Senior Andrew Orr became the 28th member of the Ichabod 1,000 point club earlier this season and now has 1,143 career points, sitting 17th all-time. Next on the chart is Jemi Johnson with 1,215 career points from 1992-95. Orr will be playing in his 100th career game on Saturday.
Senior Michael Keegan has 922 career points in 114 career games as an Ichabod and he has moved into a tie for fifth all-time at Washburn in career blocks with 94, tying Bobby Chipman who had 94 from 2009-13. Keegan is also fifth all-time in steals with 144.
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By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
The Topeka High boys’ bid for their first win of the season slipped just out of their grasp Thursday night in the Topeka Invitational Tournament on the Trojans’ home floor. Topeka High took Olathe East to overtime before falling, 77-70.
Junior Elisha Guest tied for team-high honors with 20 points in Topeka High's 77-70 overtime Topeka Invitational loss to Olathe East Thursday night. [Photo by
Junior Jalen Aldridge scored 20 points for Topeka High in Thursday's 77-70 Topeka Invitational overtime loss to Olathe East. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
After leading 12-10 after one period, the Trojans fell into a 36-25 hole at the intermission. But the home team chipped away at the deficit, eventually tying the score at 59-59 near the end of regulation on a bucket by freshman Mar’Saun Redmond. The Trojans held at the defensive end and had chances to win the game in regulation but came up short.
In the extra period, the Hawks converted nine free throws to pull away. They were led by Carter Gooding’s 27 points.
Topeka High coach Geo Lyons wasn’t about to be content with a near miss.
“I told the guys when we got down to the locker room that every fan, every parent is going to tell them, you know, we played great…their record is better than ours…they’re bigger than us, and all that stuff,” Lyons said. “But I told them, 'It’s not a moral victory. You guys were supposed to win a basketball game.’ And they really feel like they were supposed to win. They feel like they let one get away today.”
The Trojans were led with 20 points each from juniors Elisha Guest and Jalen Aldridge. Coming off the bench to hit big shots and ignite the defense was Redmond.
“That’s a lot of moxy from a young man,” Lyons said of Redmond. “He acts and walks like he’s supposed to belong. He’s beyond his years already.”
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By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
The Topeka West Chargers cruised by Lansing 76-56 Thursday in the first round of the Topeka Invitational Tournament at Topeka High.
The Chargers improved to 6-2 on the season with their fourth straight win and will face Olathe East in the tournament semifinals at 8 p.m. Friday.
Sophomore Prince Lassiter came off the bench to score 16 points in Topeka West's 76-56 first-round Topeka Invitational win over Lansing Thursday. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Chargers were able to play their reserves a significant number of minutes, resting their starters and creating a very balanced statistical line. Ten players scored for Topeka West, with four breaking double figures.
Charger coach Christian Ulsaker was pleased to rotate so many players in the opening-round game.
“It’s good for our coaching staff, because we are evaluating throughout the entire year, and it’s hard sometimes in practice to evaluate because you’re going against the same guys over and over,” Ulsaker said. “So, getting 11 guys on the court is very beneficial for the program.”
Playing big schools from around the state will help the Chargers, currently ranked seventh in Class 5A by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association, prepare for bigger challenges ahead.
“This is going to get us ready for sub-state, for sure,” Ulsaker said. “Three games in three days. No shot clock. We’ve played with a shot clock all year and now we don’t have a shot clock. This is really getting us ready for postseason play.”
Junior Malakyah Duncan (12) scored 10 points in Topeka West's 76-56 Topeka Invitational win over Lansing Thursday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Starters Kamoni Ford tallied 11 points and Malakyah Duncan and Javian Chambers added 10 apiece. But the leading scorer for the Chargers was reserve big man Prince Lassiter, who came off the bench to score 16. A big-bodied post, Lassiter may develop into a different weapon for the Chargers.
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By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
The Highland Park boys got an unexpected challenge in the opener of the 64th annual Topeka Invitational Tournament, held at Topeka High School. The Scots had to hold off upset-minded Shawnee Mission North Thursday, 62-50.
Senior Isaiah Kelley (4) puts in 2 of his 10 points in Thursday's 62-50 Topeka Invitational win over SM North. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Shawnee Mission North entered the game with a 1-7 record and looked to be out-matched against the Scots, the top-ranked team in Class 5A according to the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association. But the Bison closed to within four points of the undefeated Scots 42-38 as the third period expired.
The Scots responded with a 10-0 run to open the fourth period and protected their undefeated record.
As with every game, Highland Park coach Mike Williams was focused on peaking in March.
“Playing Thursday, Friday, Saturday night, you’re playing with less rest, less prep, playing on a quick turnaround. That’s huge for us,” Williams said. “We’re trying to find ways to mimic scenarios that are like the state tournament.”
Highland Park players who have experienced the state tournament appreciate the opportunity to face teams outside of their league, and outside of the Topeka area.
“This helps prepare us to play better teams in the future,” said senior Isaiah Kelley. “Last year we played (a lot of) bad teams, so we kind of let our effort down at times. This tournament kind of helps us play in close game situations like we’ll see at state.”
Based on the records of the two teams, viewers might have expected the kind of blowout the Scots often produce. But Kelley said the Scots’ high-flying, high-scoring style can be misleading.
“Some people might not know that we’re a good fundamental team,” Kelley said. “They might think we play kind of fancy, throw lobs and all that stuff. But that’s not what we do. We can play the right way.”
Senior Mikey Williams (5) scored a game-high 23 points in Thursday's 62-50 Highland Park win over SM North. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Senior Ja'Corey Robinson scored 20 points in Thursday's 62-50 Highland Park win over SM North. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Kelley scored 10 points in support of the Scots’ usual leading scorers. Mikey Williams tossed in 23 points and Jacorey Robinson added 20.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University women's basketball shot 84.6 percent and scored 25 points in the first quarter and held on the rest of the way for a 71-60 MIAA road win over Northwest Missouri State on Wednesday night.
Junior Yibari Nwidadah scored a game-high 25 points in Wednesday's 71-60 MIAA road win at Northwest Missouri. [File photo/TSN]
Junior Gabi Giovannetti scored 14 points and went 8 of 9 at the free throw line in WU's 71-60 win over Northwest Missouri. [File photo/TSN]
Wednesday's win was Washburn's third straight, dating back to a 66-61 overtime loss to the Bearcats on Jan. 11 in Lee Arena.
After the first two points of the game went to the Bearcats (9-10 overall, 2-7 MIAA) the Ichabod (11-8, 5-4) offense began to churn, pushing the lead to double digits after a Yibari Nwidadah basket that made it 17-6.
They continued on what would be a 10-0 run after Gabi Giovannetti got a layup to go to make the score 21-6 at the 2:36 mark in the quarter.
Amaya Davison ended the opening frame with a driving basket to give Washburn a 25-10 advantage.
Northwest Missouri was able to chip away at the lead at the free throw line to start the second quarter. They shot 6-7 from the line in the 10-minute period and brought the deficit back to single digits after a make at the line.
The Ichabods continued shooting efficiently, going 6-13 in the quarter. On the other end the Bearcats were able to hang around because of extra opportunities, grabbing seven offensive boards in the first half.
The Washburn lead got as low as six before Nia McKenzie made it 41-33 heading to the break with a last second basket.
Washburn was able to boost its lead to 13 at the 3:25 mark of the third quarter after layups from Nwidadah and Madelyn Amekporfor.
The Ichabods again shot 50.0 percent in the quarter, and after a 5-2 push by the Bearcats in the final two minutes, led by 10 going into the fourth.
