By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
LANSING at SEAMAN
Seaman senior Aron Davis is coming off a summer knee injury but is being counted on to be one of the top players in Shawnee County for the Vikings, the defending Class 5A state champions. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman senior Kaeden Bonner averaged 13.4 points and hit 64 3-pointers last season as the Vikings captured the school's first Class 5A boys state title. [File photo/TSN]
The reigning Class 5A state champions kick off the 2022-2023 season with their first United Kansas Conference game against Lansing (7:30 p.m.). Craig Cox's Vikings won their final 11 games last season to finish 18-7 and dominated the 5A state tournament. Returning from that team are senior standouts Kaeden Bonner and Aron Davis, who played a big role in the Vikings' run to the school's first boys state title . Bonner received TSN Top 10 All-Shawnee County and second-team All-Centennial League recognition last season as well as All-5A honorable mention from the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association. Bonner averaged 13.4 points, 2.6 assists and 2.0 steals, shooting 63 percent on 2-point field goal attempts and 45 percent from 3-point range while hitting a city-high 64 3-pointers. Davis came on strong late last season for the Vikings, earning All-Shawnee County Second 10 recognition and averaging 5.7 points and 1.6 blocked shots while shooting 65 percent from 2-point field goal range.
DE SOTO at SHAWNEE HEIGHTS
Junior Brennon Dodge is in his third varsity season for Shawnee Heights, averaging 14 points with 47 3-pointers last season. [File photo/TSN]
Shawnee Heights had a breakout 14-8 season a year ago and opens its United Kansas Conference schedule (7:30 p.m.) against a De Soto team that advanced to the Class 5A state championship game last season, dropping a 66-47 decision to Seaman to finish off a 20-5 campaign. Shawnee Heights is still a relatively young team, but returns several experienced players. Junior Brennon Dodge, who has played a big role for Ken Darting's T-Birds since his freshman season, earned Second 10 All-Shawnee County honors and second-team All-United Kansas Conference recognition last season. Dodge averaged 14 points his sophomore season to go with 2.0 assists and 1.9 steals per game while hitting 47 3-pointers on the season.
TOPEKA WEST at BASEHOR-LINWOOD
Topeka West senior point guard Sincere Austin helped the Chargers reach the Class 5A state tournament for the second straight year last season. [File photo/TSN]
Coming off back-to-back Class 5A state tournament berths, Topeka West will open its first United Kansas Conference season against Basehor-Linwood, which has been a perennial Class 5A and UKC contender. Topeka West begins the season ranked No. 10 in the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association 5A state rankings while Basehor-Linwood is ranked No. 10. Topeka West will have to replace Mr. Kansas Basketball Elijah Brooks, who is now playing at Division I North Dakota, but returns senior starters Sincere Austin, Xavier Alexander and Malachi Berg to build this year's team around. Alexander helped the Chargers post a 21-2 record last season, receiving TSN All-Shawnee County and All-Centennial League honorable mention after averaging 10.7 points, 3.8 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals while hitting 47 3-pointers and shooting 66 percent from 2-point range. Austin earned TSN All-Shawnee County Top 10 and All-Centennial League second-team recognition as a junior after averaging 10.6 points, 3.1 assists and 2.2 steals and hitting 32 3-pointers while Berg earned All-Centennial League and TSN All-Shawnee County honorable mention, averaging 6.0 rebounds and shooting 60 percent from 2-point field goal range.
CAIR PARAVEL LATIN vs. BURLINGAME
At Burlingame tournament
Cair Paravel tipped off the Trey Brown era with an exciting 53-47 overtime win over No. 8-ranked Waverly (Class 1A-Division II) in Thursday's season-opener in the Burlingame tournament, Brown's first game as a head coach. Sophomore Jase Pavlik had a big night for the Lions, scoring 19 points with four 3-pointers and scoring six points in overtime. Cair Paravel also got eight points from junior Ty Gossard, seven from junior Evan Will and six apiece from Ben Roeder and Cameron Brian. The Lions will ace a tough test in Friday's 7:30 p.m. contest against the tournament host Bearcats, who are fifth-ranked in Class 1A-Division I. Cair Paravel will also be in action at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Burlingame, facing Northeast Kanas Homeschool.
JEFFERSON WEST at SILVER LAKE
Silver Lake will be at home to open its 2022-2023 season, with the Eagles aiming to improve on last season's 7-14 record. Senior Troy Heiman is a top returner for Johnny Roberts' team, earning All-Mid-East League first-team recognition as well as TopSports.news and All-Class 3A honorable mention. Other experienced returners for Silver Lake include seniors Dylan VandeVelde, Braxton McDaniel and Ian Stithem and juniors Tanner Martin and Spencer Johnson. Both Heiman and Martin are coming off big football seasons this fall, earning TSN All-Shawnee County recognition.
ROSSVILLE at ATCHISON
Brandon McDonnell, a former Topeka West assistant, will make his coaching debut for Rossville. A top returner for the Bulldawgs is senior Kade Perine. Perine was a unanimous All-Mid-East League first-team pick last season while also earning TSN All-Shawnee County Second 10 recognition for the Bulldawgs.
