News

Ichabod men set to kick off MIAA schedule against Fort Hays State

Details: Created: Tuesday, 30 November 2021 16:39

By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news

Washburn University's men's basketball team, picked second in both MIAA preseason polls, will open its conference season Wednesday night, hosting unbeaten Fort Hays State at Lee Arena (7:30 p.m. tipoff).

The Ichabods are 3-3 on the season after wrapping up their non-conference schedule with a 79-69 win over Benedictine College last Saturday.

Fort Hays State is 4-0 on the season with wins over Arkansas Tech, Southwestern Oklahoma State, Central Christian and Manhattan Christian.

The Ichabods hold a 98-70 series advantage over the Tigers and have won the last six in a row.

Washburn is 23-9 in MIAA openers and 4-0 in conference openers under coach Brett Ballard.

Junior guard Jalen Lewis leads Washburn with a 15.8 scoring average entering Wednesday's MIAA opener against Fort Hays State at Lee Arena. [File photograph]

Junior guard Jalen Lewis leads Washburn with a 15.8-point scoring average and in minutes played at 30.5 per game, while freshman Michael Keegan is averaging 11.3 points and 4.2 rebounds and recorded career-highs of 17 points and eight rebounds against Benedictine.

Connor Deffebaugh also scored a career-high 17 points against the Ravens and had six rebounds and three assists.

Washburn has played all but two minutes this season without All-America guard Tyler Geiman (ankle), but Geiman could be back in the near future. WU has also been without post Jonny Clausing and guard Tyler Nelson.

Geiman ranks ninth on Washburn's career scoring list with 1,394 in 116 career games while Lewis is No. 4 in made 3-pointers with 210.

Fort Hays State is coming off an 83-34 victory over Manhattan Christian.

All-MIAA returner Jared Vitzum averages 11.3 points and 11 rebounds for Fort Hays State while Kaleb Hammeke averages 10.8 points and Nyjee Wright 10.3.

Washburn will also be at home Saturday, hosting Nebraska-Kearney.

Four county basketball teams earn KBCA state rankings

Details: Created: Tuesday, 30 November 2021 16:39

By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news

Four Shawnee County high school basketball teams have earned spots in the first Kansas Baskeball Coaches Association state rankings of the season.

Washburn Rural's girls, the 2019 state champion, begin the 2021-2022 season ranked No. 2 in Class 6A behind defending state champion Shawnee Mission Northwest, while Topeka High, last year's runner-up is ranked eighth. Topeka High has advanced to the 6A semifinals the past three seasons, with a pair runner-up finishes in '19 and '21.

Brooklyn DeLeye and the Washburn Rural girls will begin the 2021-22 basketball season ranked No. 2 in Class 6A. [File photo/TSN]

Junior Kiki Smith is a top returner for Topeka High's girls, who are ranked No. 8 in Class 6A by the KBCA. [File photo/TSN]

Silver Lake, which advanced to the state tournament a year ago, is No. 5 in the 3A girls rankings.

Ty Henry (middle) and Seaman are ranked No. 8 in Class 5A to open the 2021-2022 season by the KBCA. [File photo/TSN]

Seaman, which is coming off a 13-9 season, holds down the No. 8 spot in the 5A boys rankings.

KANSAS BASKETBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION STATE RANKINGS

GIRLS

Class 6A

1. Shawnee Mission Northwest; 2. Washburn Rural; 3. Olathe North; 4. Shawnee Mission West; 5. Blue Valley North; 6. Derby; 7. Dodge City; 8. Topeka High; 9. Wichita Heights; 10. Olathe Northwest.

Class 5A

1. St. Thomas Aquinas; 2. Andover Central; 3. Salina Central; 4. Lansing; 5. Maize; 6. Bishop Carroll; 7. St. James Academy; 8. Maize South; 9. Kapaun Mt. Carmel; 10 Emporia.

Class 4A

1. Bishop Miege; 2. McPherson; 3. Labette County; 4. Andale; 5. Louisburg; 6. Paola; 7. Clearwater; 8. Wellington; 9. Eudora; 10. Wamego.

Class 3A

1. Hugoton; 2. Cheney; 3. Nickerson; 4. Goodland; 5. Silver Lake; 6. Phillipsburg; 7. TMP-Marian; 8. Hesston; 9. Eureka; 10. Haven.

Class 2A

1. Sterling; 2. St. Mary's Colgan; 3. Garden Plain; 4. Valley Heights; 5. Smith Center; 6. Hillsboro; 7. Trego Community; 8. Wabaunsee; 9. Atchison County; 10. Moundridge.

Class 1A-Division I

1. Little River; 2. Burlingame; 3. St. John-Hudson; 4. Spearville; 5. Pretty Prairie; 6. Centralia; 7. South Central; 8. Doniphan West; 9. Victoria; 10. Osborne.

Class 1A-Division II

1. Central Plains; 2. Hanover; 3. Lebo; 4. Golden Plains; 5. Hutchinson Central Christian; 6. Dighton 7. Wheatland-Grinnell; 8. St. John's-Beloit; 9. Bucklin; 10. Attica.

BOYS

Class 6A

1. Free State; 2. Shawnee Mission Northwest; 3. Wichita Heights; 4. Blue Valley Northwest; 5. Blue Valley West; 6. Blue Valley North; 7. Derby; 8. Lawrence; 9. Olathe South; 10. Blue Valley.

Class 5A

1. Maize; 2. Basehor-Linwood; 3. Bishop Carroll; 4. Andover; 5. Blue Valley Southwest; 6. Kapaun Mt. Carmel; 7. Hays 8. Seaman; 9. Maize South; 10. St. James Academy.

Class 4A

1. Bishop Miege; 2 Louisburg; 3. Tonganoxie; 4. Rose Hill; 5. McPherson; 6. Abilene; 7. Buhler; 8. Wamego; 9. Parsons; 10. Holton.

Class 3A

1. Hesston; 2. Galena; 3. TMP-Marian; 4. Royal Valley; 5. Wichita Collegiate; 6. Nemaha Central; 7. Hugoton; 8. Cheney; 9. Wichita Trinity; 10. Haven.

Class 2A

1. Hillsboro; 2. St. Mary's; 3. Wabaunsee; 4. Lyndon; 5. Inman; 6. Valley Falls; 7. Ellinwood; 8. Jefferson County North; 9. Erie; 10. Trego Community.

Class 1A-Division I

1. Olpe; 2. South Gray; 3. Troy; 4. Little River; 5. Meade; 6. Centralia; 7. Wichita Classical School; 8. Solomon; 9. Frankfort; 10. Osborne.

Class 1A-Division II

1. Hanover; 2. Northern Valley; 3. Wheatland-Grinnell; 4. Pawnee Heights; 5. Axtell; 6. Elyria Christian; 7. Waverly; 8. Logan-Palco; 9. Attica; 10. South Barber.