By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
What’s more stressful than facing a team twice? Facing a team three times for a chance to keep a season alive.
Coach Bob Wells talks to his Shawnee Heights team during Tuesday's 38-35 Class 5A sub-state win over De Soto. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
For the Shawnee Heights girls’ basketball team, defending its home court against United Kansas Conference foe De Soto required an extra dose of blood pressure medication.
Luckily for Shawnee Heights, it could hold on tight in the fourth quarter at the Birdcage, ending De Soto’s season with a 38-35 victory Tuesday in the semifinal round of Class 5A sub-state play.
“They know us, and we know them, which makes the situation even tougher,” Shawnee Heights coach Bob Wells said. “I thought (De Soto) played well against us and against the tiniest of adjustments that we made. They were doing everything that they could do not to let some of our kids be successful. That’s what good coaches do, and they have one.
“It took for us to make the plays down in the end. For us, being able to get into our trapping situations really helped us because we were able to get some turnovers out of it. That was huge for us.”
Shawnee Heights had split the season series before its win on Tuesday night.
The Thunderbirds dropped the season opener to De Soto, losing by four, but avenged its loss with a nine-point victory on Jan. 12.
Both of the previous contests were in the rearview, and the only thing that mattered to Shawnee Heights was getting the job done on Tuesday night, so they could keep its state tournament hopes alive.
De Soto opened up the contest with a 7-2 run. However, after the opening Wildcat run, Shawnee Heights slowed De Soto’s ball movement down and closed the quarter with a 10-7 advantage.
The Wildcats were paced by sophomore guard Makenzie Farmer. Farmer racked up eight of De Soto’s 14 first-quarter points. Farmer was a difficult task to guard early.
Shawnee Heights played a solid defensive second quarter. The Thunderbirds contained De Soto to eight points on three of 12 shooting, and the Wildcats struggled to get shots off.
“We learned our freshman year, walking onto the court, that defense brings the energy,” senior guard Taylor Rottinghaus said. “We have gone by that motto since I’ve been here and even before that. The defense helped us individually and as a team tonight.”
Rottinghaus provided most of the offensive production for Shawnee Heights in the second quarter. The senior collected six points on three of three shooting. In addition to the scoring, Rottinghaus shared the ball generously.
Before Tuesday night, Rottinghaus had been out for a week due to a knee injury suffered against Seaman. Although Rottinghaus wasn’t 100 percent, the senior played like she was fully healthy.
“I feel like being back on the court helps me thrive and get some confidence back,” Rottinghaus said. “My best friends on the court gave me energy. The knee was feeling better this week, but I didn’t even think about it once I got on the court. I am just so excited that we got the win tonight.”
It wasn’t the crispest offensive half by either team. Shawnee Heights shot eight of 21, while De Soto shot eight of 22 from the field. Each team turned the ball over seven times as well.
The game wasn’t in anybody’s favor going into the halftime break, with De Soto holding a slim 22-21 lead.
Shawnee Heights got its first lead of the contest at 5:36 in the third quarter after a Riley Showalter 3-point bomb gave the Thunderbirds a 26-24 lead.
De Soto and Shawnee Heights would slug it out for the remainder of the quarter. However, the Wildcats would get a bucket at the end of the third period giving them a 29-28 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
To begin the final quarter, De Soto had no fouls, while Shawnee Heights had four. That was beneficial for the Wildcats. Wells had that De Soto goose egg on the foul column on his mind.
“I was thinking about it just a bit when I looked up at (the scoreboard) and realized that they were playing man (defense),” Wells said. “They were playing tough defense against us. That’s just the game of basketball sometimes.”
De Soto extended its lead to 34-30 after holding the ball for nearly a minute, and Addison Tower hitting a mid-range floater.
“De Soto is such a good and skilled team,” Doby said. “They know my moves personally. They know our tendencies really well. We struggled offensively because they knew us so well. It comes down to who wants it more, and I think later we showed we wanted it more.”
Shawnee Heights got to the charity stripe a pair of times after De Soto extended its lead to 34-30. The Thunderbirds went two of four at the line; De Soto would hold a 34-32 lead with 1:46 to go.
De Soto traveled with 1:36 to go. Kaydence Torrez scored on the other end to tie the game 34-34. Torrez’s bucket was enormous in the tight situation. Torrez flipped the game upside down with a shot underneath the basket.
“When Emari was driving, I expected her to go for the layup, but she dished me the ball, and I was not expecting it at all,” Torrez said. “I was very surprised that I caught her pass. Then, when the ball hit the top of the backboard and fell in, I was shocked. When I made it, I felt so much emotion inside of me.
"Everything was in slow motion. After the ball went in, I froze. I stared at everyone and realized we still had a game to play. We still had to go win; we were only tied. I was excited for everyone because I knew that shot kept us in the game."
De Soto turned the ball over on the other end, and the Thunderbird faithful erupted. Doby would nail a running shot with 49.2 to give the Thunderbirds a much-needed 36-34 lead.
With 28.6 to go in the game, Quinn Carpenter went to the free throw line. Carpenter made a shot and missed a shot. De Soto would only trail by a point.
Doby stole the ball with 12.7 seconds left, immediately got fouled, and was sent to the free throw line, only leading 36-35. However, Doby would miss a free throw in the and-one situation.
Doby would earn a steal at the other end of the court, immediately sending her back to the line with 6.9 seconds left. However, Doby hit both of her free throws and gave Shawnee Heights a 38-35 lead with almost no time left.
“I was thinking about this game all day,” Doby said. “Some of my shots didn’t fall, and some things didn’t go right, but I went out there and worked hard. I have been dreaming about games like this forever. We finally made it, and I feel like this next step will be great for the team. We have so much love from the community; I am excited.”
De Soto couldn’t get its final 3-point shot down, and Shawnee Heights escaped with a 38-35 victory over a highly familiar opponent.
“We have to carry over the confidence and the energy,” Wells said. “I think the big thing this time of year is to survive and advance. Tonight some things happened for us, and we were able to survive and advance. It’s going to be the same thing going to Highland Park. Highland Park has played solid all year long.”
Shawnee Heights will take on Highland Park on Friday night at Highland Park. The winner of that sub-state game will move on to the Class 5A state tournament.
“It feels like doors are opening for us,” Doby said. “I am so excited, the team is so excited, and I know we will be ready for Highland Park on Friday.”
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS GIRLS 38, DE SOTO 35
De Soto 14 8 7 6 – 35
Shawnee Heights 12 9 7 10 – 38
De Soto (13-8) – Ad. Tower 4-7 1-2 12, Farmer 5-11 0-0 11, Carpenter 0-2 1-2 1, Conley 3-6 2-4 8, O’Brien 0-0 0-0 0, Am. Tower 1-6 0-0 3, Carson 0-3 0-0 0. Totals – 13-36 4-8 35.
Shawnee Heights (15-6) – Rottinghaus 5-7 0-1 10, Showalter 2-3 1-2 6, Doby 4-9 5-7 13, Canady 2-9 1-2 4, Fleischer 1-1 0-0 2, Swift 0-1 0-0 0, Rantz 0-3 0-0 1, Torrez 1-1 0-1 2. Totals – 15-34 7-13 38.
3-point goals – Shawnee Heights 1 (Showalter), De Soto 5 (Ad. Tower 3, Farmer, Am. Tower). Total fouls – Shawnee Heights 14, De Soto 17. Fouled out – De Soto: O’Brien. Technical fouls – none.
