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No. 2-ranked West boys stay unbeaten with hard-earned 63-58 win over No. 7 T-Birds
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After reeling off four straight double-digit victories to open the 2025-2026 season, Topeka West boys basketball got its toughest test of the year Friday night at Shawnee Heights.
Junior Prince Lassiter led a balanced Topeka West attack with 15 points in Friday's 63-58 UKC win at Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
And Christian Ulsaker's No. 2-ranked (Class 5A) Chargers used a clutch fourth-quarter performance to pass that test, taking control down the stretch in a 63-58 United Kansas Conference victory over the seventh-ranked T-Birds, improving to 5-0 overall and 4-0 in the conference.
Topeka West trailed 36-32 at the half and the game was knotted 48-all at the start of the fourth quarter before the Chargers used a 5-0 run to take the lead and held off the T-Birds (2-3, 2-2) the rest of the way.
"We knew a (Ken) Darting-led team defensively is always going to be gritty and he had them ready for this game, so I'm glad our guys came out prepared,'' Ulsaker said. "It's one that we needed. We haven't really had that (battle) in the fourth, a little bit with Piper, but it was good to see us rise up in crunch time in the fourth quarter and come away with a win.''
The game was close throughout, with West's biggest lead of the night six points with 2:14 left while the T-Birds' biggest advantage was four points on four occasions.
Junior Prince Lassiter, the only underclassman in Topeka West's starting lineup, led a balanced Charger attack with 15 points while senior Keimani Paul added 14 points and seniors Malakyah Duncan and Jay'Veon Traylor 13 apiece.
"Overall, I just like to be a team player,'' Lassiter said. "Of course, anybody wants to score, but ultimately you've got to do what's best for your team. I'm glad I had the experience last year to play some varsity minutes because I'm definitely a lot more comfortable this year.''
"He brings that edge that our team needs,'' Ulsaker said of Lassiter. "And we have to feed off of that. Prince is huge that way.''
Freshman Quincy Dixon (22) scored a game-high 17 points in Shawnee Heights' 63-58 UKC loss to Topeka West Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Freshman Quincy Dixon led Shawnee Heights with a game-high 17 points, including three 3-pointers, while senior JaiMarion Cook had 16 points with four 3-pointers and junior Cam Ross added 10.
And although Friday's loss was Heights' third loss by five or fewer points, Darting was very pleased with his team's effort against a bigger, more physical Topeka West team.
"I feel great,'' Darting said. "Over our first five games I leave this one feeling way better about (his team) than any time this year. This game was the first time we've played Shawnee Heights defense.''
Highland Park girls end busy week with 68-52 Meadowlark loss to Bulldogs
By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
Highland Park girls basketball coach Rob Brown hopes his team uses the holiday break to regroup after three tough games in a four-day stretch sent them into the holiday with a 1-3 record.
Junior Zayah Kincaid led Highland Park with 17 points, including five 3-pointers, in the Scots' 68-52 loss to Wyandotte Friday night. [File photo/TSN]
The Scots lost a home 68-52 home Meadowlark Conference contest versus Wyandotte Friday that saw the Scots commit 28 fouls and send the Bulldogs to the foul stripe 48 times. Wyandotte sped the game up with a fullcourt press and attacked the basket with abandon on the offensive end.
Highland Park was in the fight after one period, trailing just 20-17. Senior sharpshooter Zayah Kincaid connected on threet 3-pointers in the period to keep the Scots close. But Wyandotte nudged the margin to nine points at halftime, then outscored the Scots 20-10 in the third period to open up the lead to 56-37.
The Scots went 12 days without playing a game, then found themselves in a tough stretch right before the break. They got their first win in a hard-fought 42-40 victory over Shawnee Mission West on Tuesday. But they fell to Topeka High on Thursday before hosting Wyandotte Friday.
“It’s been a long week,” Highland Park coach Rob Brown said. “So hopefully they can go into our break, clear their heads, get in the gym on their own, and hopefully find some heart and try to get back to it.”
The Scots showed some firepower Friday in Kincaid, who hit five from behind the arc to finish with 17 points, and sophomore Kaia Hooper, who added three 3-pointers and tallied 11 total points. Senior Koralee Jones had nine points, and Miluv Cosey added seven.
“This is a new group, so we’re trying to figure each other out, trying to figure their new roles out,” Brown said. “It’s still early so hopefully we can get things figured out.”
Friday's prep BB roundup: Seaman girls improve to 4-1 with 45-34 road win at De Soto
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman's girls basketball pushed its winning streak to four games Friday night at De Soto, with the Vikings taking a 45-34 United Kansas Conference decision over the Wildcats.
Senior Maddie Gragg had 17 points, 11 rebounds and 8 steals in Seaman's 45-34 road UKC win at De Soto Friday night. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman, now 4-1 overall and in the UKC, trailed 11-5 at the end of the opening quarter but turned the game around with a 15-4 second quarter to take a 20-15 halftime advantage.
The Vikings, No. 8-ranked in Class 5A by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association, outscored De Soto 25-19 in the second half to stretch their final margin to double digits.
"The talk this week during practice was that we are treating this last game before break as a final exam, 'Show me what you have learned,' '' Seaman coach Matt Tinsley said. "We have a young team who battled and grew up tonight.
"It wasn't pretty by any means, but we are happy with a win going into the break. Now we have some time off to reflect and re-charge. It's still early in the season and our team is finding our identity. A lot of new faces, but these girls want to make a name for themselves.''
Seaman's defense pestered De Soto into 21.8-percent shooting from the field and a 2 of 27 showing from 3-point range while Seaman shot 41.7 percent from the floor.
Senior Maddie Gragg led Seaman with 17 points, 11 rebounds and eight steals while Cara Beaton added 13 points and Claire Puvogel grabbed nine rebounds.
"Maddie put us on her back again with another double-double,'' Tinsley said. "She's a senior who is locked in.''
The Vikings will return to action Jan. 7 at St. James Academy.
Seaman boys top Wildcats, 56-40
No. 3-ranked Seaman rolled to a 56-40 United Kansas Conference road win at De Soto Friday night, ending its pre-holiday slate with a 4-1 record overall and in the conference.
The Vikings will return to action Jan. 7 at St. James Academy.
Senior Simon Rowley (5) led Washburn Rural with 11 points in Friday's 60-25 road win over Barstow. [File photo/TSN]
Junior Blues boys take 60-25 road win at Barstow
Washburn Rural's boys improved to 4-2 on the season with their third straight win Friday night, taking a decisive 60-25 road decision at Kansas City-Barstow, Mo.
The Junior Blues led 25-6 at the end of the first quarter and put the game out of reach with a 39-10 halftime advantage before cruising the rest of the way.
Seniors Simon Rowley and John Hoytal scored 11 and 10 points, respectively, to lead the Junior Blues.
Washburn Rural will be back in action Jan. 3, traveling to Olathe West.
Rural girls end pre-holiday slate 4-1
Washburn Rural girls basketball improved to 4-1 Friday with a 55-27 road romp past KC-Barstow, Mo.
The Junior Blues, ranked No. 6 in 6A by the KBCA, will be off until Jan. 5 when they will host Olathe North.
Scot boys give Nate Wallace first win, 78-35 over Wyandotte
Nate Wallace picked up its first win as a head coach Friday night on the road, with Highland Park routing Kansas City-Wyandotte 78-35 in a Meadowlark Conference contest.
Highland Park improved to 1-3 with the victory and will return to action on Jan. 2 at home against USD 501 rival Topeka High.
Wildcat boys top Eagles to snap three-game skid
Hayden ended its pre-holiday slate with a 64-57 win over No. 2-ranked (Class 3A) Silver Lake Friday night at Rock Creek.
The Wildcats snapped a three-game losing streak with the win, improving to 3-4, while Silver Lake is 4-2.
Hayden will return to action Jan. 2 at city rival Shawnee Heights while Silver Lake was scheduled to face Goodland on Saturday.
