By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The No. 9-seeded Seaman boys basketball team made the long trip to Hays pay off with its biggest win of the season Friday night, with the Vikings rolling to a 61-44 victory over the Indians, the No. 1 West seed.
Seaman led 27-12 at halftime and never let Hays (20-2) closer than 14 in the second half, snapping Hays’ 18-game win streak while posting their eighth straight victory.
Senior Mateo Hyman (right) drives to the basket in Friday's 61-44 victory over No. 1 West seed Hays in a Class 5A sub-state final. [Submitted]
"Being able to hold them down to 12 points the first half was just phenomenal,'' Seaman coach Craig Cox said. “We knew they were going to score in the second half. It was just about keeping them at arm’s length so they didn’t get too much momentum.
“They had a couple spurts where the energy picked up and it got loud in here and you’re thinking, ‘Uh oh, this could turn in a hurry.’ It’s hard to go in halftime up 15, especially when they’ve only got 12, and maintain that. Our guys get all the credit for their defensive effort all night.”
The Vikings, who improved to 15-7, advanced to next week's Class 5A state tournament at Emporia's White Auditorium and will play a first-round game on Wednesday.
Seaman had three double-figure scorers on the night, with seniors Mateo Hyman and Ty Henry both scoring 15 points and junior Kaeden Bonner adding 12. Senior Gavin Wilhelm just missed double figures, scoring nine points on three 3-pointers.
Seaman junior Aron Davis, taking a shot in Friday's sub-state final, helped key the Vikings' outstanding defensive effort in Friday's 61-44 road win at Hays in a Class 5A sub-state final. [Submitted]
Defensivly, junior Aron Davis led a strong effort against Hays 6-foot-6 post player Jace Linenberger, who was held to 11 points while averaging just under 20 points on the season.
“(Linenberger) is such a difficult player to guard,'' Cox said. "Nobody can do it by themselves. Aron Davis did a great job on him, getting around and fronting him, but the backside help was the key.''
Hyman gave Seaman a big boost offensively against the Indians.
“He’s so quick and he’s so skilled at finishing those shots around the basket,” Cox said. “Hays did a great job of taking away most of our 3-point shooting, and that’s where Hyman can also help us, kicking it out to Bonner and Wilhelm, because they can both really shoot.
“He’s a great player and does a great job of getting into the paint.”
Seaman, which posted back-to-back road sub-state upsets at Maize South and Hays, will find out who it draws in next Wednesday's first-round state game after all sub-states are completed, but Cox knows the Vikings will be the underdog again.
“We know because of our regular season record that we are going to face a top seed,'' Cox said. "We can’t worry about that. We’re just happy to get the opportunity to go to Emporia and just go play and have some fun and see what happens.”
BISHOP MIEGE GIRLS 67, HAYDEN 31 -- Hayden saw its season come to a close in Friday night's Class 4A girls sub-state championship game, with the Wildcats dropping a 67-31 decision at perennial state champion Bishop Miege.
The Wildcats ended their season 11-11 while Miege, the defending 4A state champion, improved to 20-2.
Hayden seniors Macy Smith and Carly Stuke led the Wildcats, finishing with 10 and eight points.
DE SOTO BOYS 50, SHAWNEE HEIGHTS 37 --
Shawnee Heights' breakout season ended with Friday's 50-37 road loss against United Kansas Conference foe De Soto in a Class 5A sub-state final
Friday's loss ended Heights' season at 14-8, with the T-Birds more than doubling their win total from a six-win 2020-2021 season. Three of Shawnee Heights' losses came against De Soto, which advanced to next week's 5A state tournament at Emporia.
Shawnee Heights was forced to fight back from behind after the Wildcats opened up a 13-3 first-quarter advantage.
The T-Birds cut their deficit to six points at the half and were still within eight at the start of the fourth quarter before De Soto pulled away down the stretch.
Shawnee Heights did not have a player in double figures, with sophomore Brennon Dodge leading the T-Birds with eight points and senior Nate Pewe adding seven.
