By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
It wasn't always pretty, particularly at the free throw line, but Topeka West's boys basketball team achieved the only objective Charger coach Rick Bloomquist really cared about Wednesday night, giving itself a chance at a third straight Class 5A state tournament berth with a 61-51 sub-state semifinal win over Arkansas City at West.
Senior Xavier Alexander, with Topeka West coach Rick Bloomquist during a break in the action, scored 19 points Wednesday night as the Chargers took a home 61-51 Class 5A sub-state semifinal win over Arkansas City. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
West connected on only 24 of 48 free throw attempts in a game that turned into a foulfest in the fourth quarter, and let Arkansas City get a little closer than Bloomquist would have preferred after the Chargers opened up a 15-point lead late in the third quarter.
But Bloomquist also saw plenty of things he liked, particularly out of his youngsters, as Topeka West improved to 14-7 on the season and earned a berth in Saturday's sub-state championship game at 20-1 Hutchinson.
"We found a way to win, which is good this time of year,'' Bloomquist said. "It was a little sloppy in parts, but then we were really good in parts.
"We were more good than we were bad.''
After trailing a couple of times early, West took a 10-9 lead at the end of the opening quarter on a hoop from sophomore Ja'Vian Chambers and the Chargers outscored the 10-11 Bulldogs 10-3 in the second quarter to take a 20-12 lead into the locker room at the half.
West continued to pull away in the third quarter, taking a 36-21 lead on an Xavier Alexander 3-pointer and holding a 38-26 advantage to start the fourth quarter.
The Chargers had trouble at the free throw line in the fourth quarter that, along with some 3-point makes, allowed Ark City to get within six midway through the fourth but West weathered the storm.
Alexander, a senior, led Topeka West with 19 points, including three 3-pointers, while Chambers added 14 points.
Senior Malachi Berg, returning from a three-game absence, scored eight points and grabbed 10 rebounds while freshman Keimani Paul scored nine points and went a perfect seven of seven at the free throw line.
"With Malachi coming back into the mix again we had to kind of find some chemistry with him in there, and we did,'' Bloomquist said. "We made some young mistakes but I'm really proud of the kids under the circumstances with the entire situation. They're playing their hearts out.''
Senior Trevor Pierce led Ark City with 19 points while senior Gabe Welch added 14 points.
West will be in an underdog role at Hutchinson, which posted a 53-37 win over Salina Central Wednesday night, but Bloomquist said his team welcomes the challenge.
"We're going to play, we're going to make the best of it,'' Bloomquist said. "I've been beaten by underdogs many times in the last 46 years, so I know it can be done.''
TOPEKA WEST BOYS 61, ARKANSAS CITY 51
Arkansas City 9 3 14 25 -- 51
Topeka West 10 10 18 23 -- 61
Arkansas City (10-11) -- Welch 5-13 1-3 14, Frazier 1-3 0-0 3, Clark 2-5 3-3 8, Brantley 0-3 0-0 0, T. Pierce 8-15 2-9 19, J. Pierce 2-4 2-2 7, Abrams 0-0 0-0 0, Harper 0-1 0-0 0, Stanley 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-44 8-17 51.
Topeka West (14-7) -- Paul 1-2 7-7 9, Duncan 1-4 1-8 3, Alexander 5-15 6-10 19, Chambers 5-7 4-6 14, Noonoo 2-3 2-3 6, Berg 3-8 2-10 8, Jones 0-2 2-4 2, Reimer 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-41 24-48 61.
3-point goals -- Arkansas City 7 (Welch 3, Pierce, Frazier, Clark, Pierce), Topeka West 3 (Alexander 3). Total fouls -- Arkansas City 31, Topeka West 16. Fouled out – Frazier, Clark, Brantley. Technical fouls -- Clark.
