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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Topeka High boys basketball coach Geo Lyons didn't get the performance he was looking for from his Trojans in Thursday's Topeka Invitational first-round game against Wichita Northwest at Hayden.
Topeka High coach Geo Lyons looks on during Thursday's 60-34 loss to state-ranked Wichita Northwest in the Topeka Invitational. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Senior Dai'Quan Groves scored 12 points to lead Topeka High in Thursday's 60-34 loss to Wichita Northwest. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
But after taking a 60-34 loss to the Grizzlies, Lyons was ready to turn the page and focus on trying to bounce back in the final two games of the tournament on Friday and Saturday.
"That was the message in the locker room right now,'' Lyons said. "Going into the tournament you want to go 3-0 and if you can't go 3-0 you definitely want to win your last two.
"We're telling the boys right now fifth place is better than fourth place, better than second place. Even though second place is 2-1. Even though fourth place finishes above you they actually go 1-2 and second place finishes with a loss and you don't want to end with a loss so we we need to salvage it right now and really try and go 2-1 the rest of the way.''
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
After winning three of its first four games, Topeka West's boys basketball game has encountered some tough sledding, losing three of its past four games, including a 49-47 heartbreaker to Shawnee Mission North on Thursday in the opening round of the Topeka Invitational Tournament at Hayden.
Junior Jalen Foy (22) led Topeka West with 15 points in Thursday's 49-47 loss to Shawnee Mission North in the first round of the Topeka Invitational. [File photo/TSN]
And while he still has high hopes for his young Chargers, veteran Topeka West coach Rick Bloomquist admits it's been a tough stretch to deal with.
"We're struggling right now, ever since the De Soto game (a 76-30 loss), which I'm going to be frank when I tell you the De Soto game was probably the most embarrassing night I've spent on the bench,'' Bloomquist said. "I've never spent a night like that on the bench and I don't want to do it again.
"It's not just the fact that I was embarrassed, I felt like a fool. I felt like we're not accomplishing anything here and it's frustrating. We have things that we have to fix and it's not physical, it's mental. It's a mental situation and I'm trying my damndest to fix it. It's still early, but we're not playing well at all. We have no chemistry, we have no unity, we have no resilience. We just shut down way too easy.''
But Bloomquist still believes his team has time to reverse its fortunes in the second half of the season
"We're going to keep working at it because I like my team,'' Bloomquist said. "I really like them and we show signs of brilliance. Unfortunately, we don't see that very much.''
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By KEVIN HASKIN
TopSports.news
Musings at the mid-month:
• Isiah Pacheco. Hand it. Pitch it. Screen it. Wheel it. Kansas City, please. Try any of those options inside the 10-yard line.
• Do it for four downs if you must. In compacted goal-to-go space, coupled with wideouts limited by separation anxiety, Pacheco is your dude.
• Everyone marvels at how hard he runs. He could walk in spike-less golf shoes and still make greenskeepers shutter.
• No trickery needed near the goal line, Andy, except for a dash of misdirection. Pacheco should find the end zone.
• Please, try that. Rob Harrison Butker from becoming Super Bowl MVP.
• Remember when red zone confidence seemed limitless?
• The Chiefs would ring around their rosy huddle.
• Or, steal Rose Bowl relics coach Reid unearthed from grainy film reels.
• Compare that to today when they seem content to find a good angle for Butker to chip from.
• Even Travis Kelce sputters and backfires like a junkyard Maauto.
• Wait a second. Super Bowl? Yes, I raise that possibility, largely because of the impressive work of a young KC defense.
• Is George Karlaftis coming into his own? Is L’Jarius Sneed sufficiently miffed over being overlooked for honors? Is Chris Jones capable of thwarting opponents with his menacing presence?
• If so, Steve Spagnuolo’s schemes could be the solution to the Chiefs’ scoring issues.
• Or, the de-icer for Andy Reid’s mustache.
• Granted, it’s one thing to maul the frozen fish of Miami into submission.
• It’s another thing to stiffen defensively throughout the postseason.
• However, I think most of us would take Patrick Mahomes over the remainder of the many talented AFC quarterbacks.
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Highland Park and Lawrence ended the 2023 Topeka Invitational Tournament facing off against each other in the championship game and opened the 2024 version of 62nd annual event on Thursday in a first-round rematch.
And like it did in the '23 final, Highland Park got the best of its Class 6A foe, rolling to Friday's semifinals with a 75-44 romp past the Lions at the Bueltel Activity Center.
Junior Ja'Corey Robinson recorded game-high totals of 21 points and 13 rebounds in Highland Park's 75-44 Topeka Invitational win over Lawrence at Hayden. [File photo/TSN]
"I knew better than to overlook them, and it was also, too, just trying to sell the mindset to our kids that we can't overlook anybody,'' Highland Park coach Mike Williams said. "I think we're pretty good. I think we've got a chance to be really good, but we're not there yet and we've got to make sure that we approach the game the right way.
"So we're still scouting them, we're still going over stuff. We knew (Zaxton) King was a really, really good player and we knew they did a good job finding him and getting him the ball so he could get his shots up.''
Highland Park, which improved to 5-0, will play a 5:30 p.m. semifinal against Shawnee Mission North on Friday, with the Bison advancing with a 49-47 win over Topeka West.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EDITOR'S NOTE: There are likely to be changes to tournament schedules early in the week due to inclement weather. TopSports.news will attempt to update the schedules as changes are announced.
BOYS
Monday
CAIR PARAVEL LATIN vs. McLOUTH
At McLouth Invitational
Cair Paravel Latin (4-3) was scheduled to play a 5 p.m. first-round game against tournament host McLouth on Monday, weather permitting The Lions have been idle since a 68-52 win over Maranatha Academy. The Cair Paravel-McLouth winner will advance to a 5 p.m. semifinal on Thursday to face the winner of the first-round game between Horton and Riverside. The first-round losers will play consolation games on Thursday. All place games will be played on Saturday, beginning with the seventh-place game at 10 a.m. and ending with the championship game at 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday
SILVER LAKE vs. OTTAWA
At Burlington Invitational
Silver Lake (5-2) is scheduled to open its bid in the Burlington Invitational with an 8:15 p.m. first-round game against Ottawa. The Eagles are coming off a 53-38 win over Riley County. The Silver Lake-Ottawa winner will advance to a Friday semifinal (time to be announced) to take on the first-round winner between Sabetha and Labette County. Consolation games will be played on Friday (times to be announced). All place games will be played on Saturday, starting with the seventh-place game at 1:35 p.m. and culminating in the championship game at 4:45 p.m.
Wednesday
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS vs. SHAWNEE MISSION WEST
At Shawnee Mission West Invitational
Shawnee Heights (5-2) will put its five-game winning streak on the line in a 7 p.m. first-round game against tournament host Shawnee
Shawnee Heights junior Jaret Sanchez has helped the T-Birds post five straight wins, including a 54-51 UKC win at Seaman on Friday. [File photo/TSN]
Mission West (0-6) in the Shawnee Mission West Invitational. The T-Birds are coming off a 54-51 United Kansas Conference road win at Seaman last Friday. Junior Jaret Sanchez scored 15 points and senior Brennon Dodge 14 in Heights' win over Seaman. Shawnee Heights will play a second-round game against Ozark, Mo. at 7 p.m. on Thursday and will play a place game on Saturday (times to be announced).
Rossville sophomore Jack Donovan scored 20 points last Thursday night as the Bulldawgs rolled to a 75-43 win over Valley Heights. [File photo/TSN]
ROSSVILLE vs. OSKALOOSA
At Oskaloosa Invitational
The 4-4 Bulldawgs will face off against tournment host Oskaloosa in a 7:45 p.m. first-round game that was postponed from Tuesday. The Rossville-Oskaloosa winner will move on to a 6 p.m. semifinal game on Friday to face the winner of the first-round game between Jefferson County North and St. Mary's Academy. Consolation games between the first-round losers will also be played on Friday. The tournament championship game is set for 4:30 p.m. Saturday, following the other place games, which will start at 12 p.m.
Thursday
HIGHLAND PARK vs. LAWRENCE
At Topeka Invitational Tournament at Hayden
As it worked out, the 2024 Topeka Invitational Tournament will begin with the same matchup that ended the '23 event, matching last year's tournament champion Highland Park against runnerup Lawrence in Thursday's 2 p.m. first-round game. Highland Park, No. 3-ranked in Class 5A by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association, is 4-0 on the season after an 111-43 Meadowlark Conference win
Highland Park junior Ja'Corey Robinson slams down a dunk in Thursday's 111-43 Meadowlark Conference rout over KC-Sumner. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
over Kansas City-Turner while Lawrence is 1-7. Junior Ja'Corey Robinson scored 31 points with 12 rebounds and six dunks for the Scots against Sumner. With a win Thursday Highland Park will advance to Friday's 5:30 p.m. semifinal to face the winner of the first-round game between Shawnee Mission North and Topeka West. The consolation games will also be played on Friday. The Topeka Invitational championship game is scheduled for Saturday at 2:45 p.m., following the other place games.
SHAWNEE MISSION NORTH vs. TOPEKA WEST
At Topeka Invitational Tournament at Hayden
Topeka West, 4-3 on the season, will square off against Shawnee Mission North (2-6) in a 3:45 p.m. first-round game on Thursday. The Chargers will be looking to advance to a 5:30 p.m. semifinal game on Friday to meet the winner of the Highland Park-Lawrence tournament opener. Topeka West has been off since a 76-30 loss to De Soto on Jan. 5. Topeka West fell in the semifinals to Lawrence in the 2023 Topeka Invitational while Highland Park claimed the tournament title. The consolation games will also be played on Friday. The Topeka Invitational championship game is scheduled for Saturday at 2:45 p.m., following the other place games.
