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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights boys basketball coach Ken Darting felt like the T-Birds played their worst game of the season in an early-season 13-point loss at Topeka West.
But Darting and the T-Birds got the sour taste out of their mouths in a big way in Tuesday's rematch, with Shawnee Heights rolling to a 67-48 home United Kansas Conference victory over the No. 8-ranked (Class 5A) Chargers.
Shawnee Heights' Jaret Sanchez (23) puts up a shot over Topeka West's Malachi Berg in Tuesday's 67-48 T-Bird win at Heights. Sanchez scored a game-high 20 points while Berg led West with 14 points. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Brennon Dodge (11) scored 18 points in Shawnee Heights' 67-48 UKC win over Topeka West Tuesday night at Heights. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
"We didn't do anything,'' Darting said of the earlier loss to West. "I watch that tape and I can't hardly watch it to get through it. We missed shots, layups, free throws, everything and they kicked our butts with the press the first time.''
But Darting, whose T-Birds have now won 11 of their last 13 games, had a feeling that his team was ready for a much better performance the second time around against West.
"I definitely had an inkling,'' Darting said. "We're getting good, and when we start making back cuts and shooting layups and we can score a little bit, we're going to be good because (West) is a great offensive team and they got 48 points. This team is not mentally tough consistently yet, so you always have a little reservation, but you know this kind of game is in them.''
There were two ties and five lead changes in the first quarter, but junior Brennon Dodge ended the first-quarter scoring with a bucket to put the T-Birds up 17-16 and Heights never trailed again.
Shawnee Heights, which improved to 12-4 overall and 9-3 in the UKC, used a 12-0 run to open up a commanding 36-21 advantage before West sophomore Ja'Vian Chambers canned a 3-pointer to cut the Chargers' halftime deficit to 12 points.
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Things didn't get off to a great start for Shawnee Heights' girls in Tuesday night's United Kansas Conference matchup with city rival Topeka West.
The T-Birds not only trailed 10-9 at the end of the first quarter but lost senior standout Taylor Rottinghaus to an injury midway through the opening stanza.
Senior Emari Doby scored 13 points in Shawnee Heights' 43-26 UKC win over Topeka West Tuesday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Junior Breezy Canady (24) tied for game-high scoring honors with 13 points in Shawnee Heights' 43-26 UKC win over Topeka West. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
But things quickly improved for Heights on both fronts, with the T-Birds going on to claim a decisive 43-26 victory over the Chargers at Shawnee Heights.
About four minutes into Tuesday's contest Rottinghaus went down with an ankle injury and didn't not return for the remainder of the first half, while Heights trailed by a point at the start of the second quarter after West senior Jazmyn Ford converted a three-point play to end the first-quarter scoring.
Things turned for the T-Birds in a hurry, however, with Shawnee Heights pitching a 16-0 second-quarter shutout to take a commanding 25-10 halftime advantage and Rottinghaus coming out of the training room to start the second half.
"I had no idea that was the running total in the second half until we got into halftime,'' Shawnee Heights coach Bob Wells said of the 16-0 run. "What I told them during that timeout was, 'When you get adversity, people have got to step up,' and I thought some of our kids came off the bench and really did some good things.
"Some of the guards came in and kind of lit a fire and we had some of the bigs come in and did a good job. I thought Kaydence Torrez and Rachel Swift did a good job rebounding and defending their bigs and making it tough on them.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University's basketball teams will be aiming to bounce back from two straight losses when the Ichabods close out a three-game road trip with MIAA tilts at Newman on Wednesday in Wichita.
The women's game is set for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff, followed by the men's game at 7:30.
Washburn junior Aubree Dewey leads the Ichabods in scoring, assists and minutes played entering Wednesday's game at Newman. [File photo/TSN]
Sophomore Andrew Orr is averaging a team-high 13.9 points per game for Washburn, which plays at Newman Wednesday. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn's women are comig off a tough 76-75 overtime loss at Northwest Missouri last Saturday while the Ichabod men dropped a 79-53 decision to the No. 4-ranked Bearcats.
The WU women, 9-12 overall, 5-10 in the MIAA, will be facing a Newman team (6-15, 3-13) that is mired in a seven-game losing streak.
Washburn has won three games in a row against Newman, including a 47-30 win in the last meeting on Jan. 26, 2022. Wednesday's game will be the only regular-season matchup between the the Ichabods and Jets this year.
The Ichabods are currently ninth in the MIAA women's standings while the Jets are 12th.
Washburn is third in the league in fewest points allowed per game, holding opponents to 57.7 points per game.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Highland Park's boys and Seaman's girls continue to hold on to the No. 1 spot in the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Class 5A state rankings, while the Topeka High and Silver Lake girls both made moves in the rankings.
Seaman's girls remain No. 1 in the KBCA Class 5A state rankings for the third straight week. [File photo/TSN]
Senior Bo Aldridge and the Highland Park boys remain No. 1 in the KBCA 5A boys rankings for the fifth straight week. [File photo/TSN]
The undefeated Scots held the top spot in the 5A boys rankings for the fifth straight week while Seaman's girls are No. 1 for the third straight week.
Topeka High's girls climbed to No. 4 in 6A while Silver Lake's girls moved up three spots to No. 3 in 3A.
Washburn Rural's girls fell to No. 6 in 6A while Hayden's girls are No. 8 in 4A .
Washburn Rural's boys returned to the 6A rankings at No. 10 while Topeka West moved up a spot to No. 8 in the 5A boys rankings.
KANSAS BASKETBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION STATE RANKINGS
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'By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
TOPEKA WEST (12-3, 9-2) at SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (11-4, 8-3)
Senior Malachi Berg is coming off a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds in Topeka West's 85-56 UKC win over KC-Turner last Friday. [File photo/TSN]
Sophomore Jaret Sanchez led Shawnee Heights with 18 points in last Friday's 69-32 UKC win over Leavenworth. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Topeka West and Shawnee Heights have both already clinched winning seasons and are looking to strengthen their Class 5A sub-state seedings. Topeka West is coming off an 85-56 United Kansas Conference win over Kansas City-Turner while Shawnee Heights rolled to a 69-32 home UKC win over Leavenworth last Friday. Sophomore Jaret Sanchez led Shawnee Heights with 18 points against Leavenworth while junior Brennon Dodge added 14 points and senior Q Stovall 13. Senior Malachi Berg had 17 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and four steals against Turner while Xavier Alexander led the Chargers with 24 points and three 3-pointers, while Sincere Austin and Mason Jones had 11 points apiece. Topeka West took a 64-51 home win over the T-Birds early in the season.
Senior Joe Otting led Hayden with 14 points in last Friday's 51-48 Centennial League win over Manhattan. [File photo/TSN]
EMPORIA (10-5, 3-2) at HAYDEN (7-6, 2-3)
Hayden posted a 51-48 home Centennial League win over Manhattan last Friday while Emporia let a 14-point lead get away in a 50-42 league loss to Washburn Rural. Senior Joe Otting led Hayden with 14 points against Manhattan while senior Jake Muller added nine points. Emporia and Hayden will be squaring off for the third time this season, with the Spartans taking 57-53 and 59-52 wins in the first two meetings.
MANHATTAN (8-7, 2-3) at TOPEKA HIGH (3-12, 0-5)
Manhattan dropped a 51-48 Centennial League decision at Hayden last Friday while Topeka High is coming off a 52-46 loss to league co-leader Junction City. Manhattan beat Topeka High, 56-46, earlier in the season.
