By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
The Topeka High girls, with almost all new players from last season, were taught some rough lessons by Manhattan Tuesday night, losing at home, 56-29.
Freshman Ahsieryrhuajh Rayton led Topeka High with 11 points in Tuesday's Centennial League loss to Manhattan. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Indians applied withering full-court pressure to the young Trojans from the jump, harassing them into turnovers and rushed shots. Manhattan capitalized with transition buckets and layups.
Topeka High fell quickly behind 18-6 in the first period, and that lead widened to 36-13 by halftime.
“Watching film, I think I (prepared the team) that, ‘That pressure’s going to be there. We’ve got to be ready for it,’ ” said Topeka High coach Brittney Redmond. “I don’t think we responded. I think it took us maybe a quarter to respond to that pressure. But by then, we’d already dug a hole for ourselves.”
All seven players who got in the game for Topeka High are either freshmen or sophomores.
The Trojans were led by freshman Ahsieryrhuajh Rayton with 11 points and sophomore Keimara Marshall with seven
“We’re young and we’re still learning. We have a lot we need to learn,” Redmond said. “I don’t think we played our best game. And that’s OK. You’re going to have games like that. I think we’re still trying to figure each other out. I’m trying to figure them out. We have a lot of questions that we’re leaving unanswered.”
The Indians, who had six players score at least six points, were led by Kat Ball who tallied 10 points, all in the first half.
The lopsided defeat won’t dim the enthusiasm Redmond feels for this team, which will play its final game before the holiday break Friday against Bonner Springs.
“Youth is good. We talk a lot about how we’re so young and what our potential is,” Redmond said. “I see that potential, and that is really exciting to know that we might not be there yet, but we’re going to reach that potential.”
MANHATTAN GIRLS 56, TOPEKA HIGH 29
Manhattan 18 18 16 4 -- 56
Topeka High 6 7 9 7 -- 29
Manhattan (5-1, 1-0) – Larson 4-7 0-0 9, Ball 4-9 0-2 10, Peabody 3-7 0-0 6, Doering 3-8 0-0 7, Parcell 4-7 1-3 9, Ruliffison 4-6 0-0 9, Hilgers 1-4 0-0 2, Dodds 1-1 0-0 2, Jimenez 0-1 0-0 0, Hall 0-1 0-2 0, Busch 0-2 0-0 0, Henry 0-0 0-0 0, Kaus 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 24-54 1-7 56.
Topeka High (1-4, 0-1) – Kincaide 0-0 0-0 0, Triplett 1-5 3-6 5, Marshall 3-5 1-6 7, Rayton 3-12 3-4 11, Gotru 3-5 0-0 6, May 0-0 0-0 0, Clanton 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 10-28 7-16 29.
3-point goals – Manhattan 5 (Ball 2, Larson 1, Doering 1, Ruliffson 1), Topeka High 2 (Rayton 2). Total fouls – Manhattan 14, Topeka High 6. Fouled out – None. Technical fouls – None.
