By JUSTIN BURKHARDT
TopSports.news
Hayden senior Connor Hanika led the way with a 25-point night Tuesday as the Hayden boys picked up their first Centennial League win of the season with a 72-56 home romp past Topeka High.
Senior Connor Hanika scored a game-high 26 points in Tuesday's 72-56 Hayden win over Topeka High. [File photo/TSN]
Tuesday's game would be a good one early as both teams would attack early and often with a combined 37 points being scored in the first quarter, while producing the only four lead changes in the game.
Hanika would have himself a night after announcing he would continue his athletic career at Central Missouri University to play tight end for the Mules' football team.
Hanika hit 10 of 15 shots from the field and five of seven attempts from the free throw line. He was 6 of 7 from the field at halftime.
“That was deliberate,'' Hayden coach Dwayne Anthony said. "I mean, he had to go do the work, but Connor explained to the team he needs more touches, We can run the offense through Connor.
He has a very high basketball IQ. I’m not surprised at all. And I'm thankful that he responded to the call like the leader he is.”
“The biggest thing we've talked about this week is staying together and being a family, and that's what we were tonight,'' Hanika said. "And then my teammates found me and they did a really good job. I got in a groove, my teammates found me, and I just started going and it was fun.”
The Wildcats would take a 39-27 halftime lead and come out of the locker room and go on a 9-0 run before the Trojans would find the basket.
By that point the Trojans were down twenty points, 50-30.
The Trojans would then go on a 13-0 run of their own to get back in the hunt. Led by senior Bryson McComas, who would score 8 of his team-high 18 on that run to end the third quarter.
“Calm down -- that's usually my message to them,'' Anthony said. "My guys were just competing for a state title in football, you know. So sometimes changing gears is a little different for us. But they're doing it. And sometimes it's being calm and not just letting the pace control them. Controlling the pace is just something that we're learning how to do. Everybody goes on runs.''
The Wildcats would out-score the Trojans 20-13 in the fourth quarter to take the 16-point win.
The Wildcats will travel to Manhattan Friday to face the 8-1 and Class 6A No. 8-ranked Indians.
“Oh man, it's like all our games we are the small guys in a big league, but we accept the challenge and it's one game at a time,'' Anthony said. "My guys are tough.”
The Trojans will travel to Junction City on Friday.
HAYDEN 72, TOPEKA HIGH 56
Topeka High 17 10 16 13 -- 56
Hayden 20 19 13 20 -- 72
Topeka High (4-5 0-2) -- McComas 7-20 6-7 18, Guest 5-14 3-3 15, Aldridge 3-4 1-4 5, Ross 1-4 2-2 4, McFadden 1-1 0-0 2, Redmond 2-2 0-2, Villegas 1-1 1-2 4, Carter 1-2 0-0 2, Luarks 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 20-50 15-20 56.
Hayden (4-7 1-2) — Hanika 10-15 5-7 25, Kidd 5-7 1-2 11, Becker 5-8 0-0 10, Compton 3-10 2-2 10, Mitchell 2-5 5-9 9, Wolff 2-3 0-0, Tourtillot 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 28-52 13-20 72.
3-point goals -- Topeka High 3 (Guest 2, Villegas), Hayden 3 (Compton 2, Tourtillot). Total fouls -- Topeka High 17, Hayden 19. Fouled out -- Mitchell.
