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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
With the game hanging by a thread, Hayden guard Norma Greco hit two final free throws with minimal time remaining in the fourth quarter to help the Wilcats upset Class 5A No. 7-ranked Shawnee Heights, 35-31, Friday night at Heights.
Although Greco missed the previous free throws in the the extremely tight game, the sophomore settled down and won the game for the Lady Wildcats.
Hayden coach Carvel Reynoldson talks to his team during Friday night's 35-31 non-league road win at Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
Greco's composure and calm demeanor didn't shock Hayden coach Carvel Reynoldson.
"Norma is a really good free throw shooter," Reynoldson said. "When she missed those two, I think she was just jacked up a bit. When she went back to the line, I had total confidence because we do lots of free throws at practice. She's always 21 out of 25 or 23 out of 25 with her free throws.
"With her missing those two earlier, I was glad she was able to get a second chance."
You could classify Hayden's win over Shawnee Heights as an upset, but Hayden is putting the pieces to its puzzle together.
A team lacking veterans desperately needed a victory such as the one on the road against the Lady Thunderbirds on Friday night.
"That was a big win because we played a great team," Reynoldson said. "(Shawnee Heights) is ranked seventh in 5A, and I think they may be better than that. They got so much talent, quickness and athleticism. I thought our young guards handled the pressure really well. I'm really proud of them for that."
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Even though top-ranked Highland Park had rolled to seven straight victories to open the 2022-2023 season, the Scots entered Friday night's Topeka Invitational Tournament semifinal against Wichita Southeast feeling like there were still more than a few doubters.
After seven straight routs, between 19 and 62 points, Friday night was expected to be Highland Park's first real test, but it was anything but, with the Scots rolling to Saturday's tournament championship game with an 86-48 romp past the Golden Buffaloes.
Highland Park senior Bo Aldridge slams home one of his eight dunks in Friday's 86-48 Topeka Invitational Tournament win over Wichita Southeast. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Highland Park celebrates on the bench towards the end of Friday's 86-48 win over Wichita Southeast. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Highland Park, which will meet Lawrence in Saturday's championship game at Topeka West, jumped out to a 21-13 lead at the end of the first quarter and led 43-26 at the half and 68-41 after three quarters before forcing a running clock early in the final stanza.
Hi Park coach Mike Williams said he's heard the naysers and said Friday was a chance to make a statement against a Class 6A opponent with a proud tradition, including the Topeka Invitational title in 2021.
"I've heard all of that,'' Willliams said. "I'm a Topeka guy. I'm like 10 toes down in the town so we hear all of that and we've heard it all year, heard we didn't play nobody. We hear that all the time and we heard that this was going to be a close game.
"We take pride in hearing those things and then making sure that we bring it every single day to prepare ourselves for these moments. Did I doubt what I saw the guys do out there? No. Now there may be some people in the community that did but I hope after tonight they understand that we are for real.''
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Of course, Rick Bloomquist never likes to lose, but two things that happened at the end of Friday night's 45-43 loss to Lawrence in the semifinals of the Topeka Invitational Tournament left the veteran Topeka West coach livid.
Senior Malachi Berg scored 15 points to tie for team-high honors in Topeka West's 45-43 Topeka Invitational Tournament semifinal loss to Lawrence at West. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Topeka West senior Xavier Alexander scored 15 points Friday night in the Chargers' 45-43 Topeka Invitational Tournament semifinal loss to Lawrence. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
With the game tied at 43 in the final seconds and West on defense, the Chargers had the Lions trapped for several seconds but the pleas for a five-second call from the West bench went unheeded and Lawrence star Zaxton King eventually broke away to score the game-winning basket on a driving layup with about two seconds remaining.
West managed to get a desperation 3-point attempt from Sincere Austin but the shot bounced off as time ran out, giving the eighth-ranked (Class 6A) Lions a spot in Saturday's 1:45 p.m. championship game against Highland Park while sixth-ranked (5A) West will play Wichita Southeast for third place at 12 p.m.
"Those are college officials,'' Bloomquist said of the five-second no call. "I mean they offficiate college basketball and I know we made some mistakes and got behind and so on and so forth, but that doesn't matter. You call the game the way it's supposed to be called and we had not just a five-second call, but an eight to 10-second call that wasn't called and that made a difference in the last-second shot. Let the (game) go to overtime and do the right thing.
"Sure, there's things we've got to fix and things I'm disappointed in. I told the kids, 'We'll use this to jumpstart you for the playoffs.' We've still got a lot to play for and we can't let this identify our season, but boy you talk about frustration when you have a game of this caliber and you can't get officials to make the simple, fundamental call.
"If we lose in overtime, I'm fine, I'm OK. I mean I'm not fine, but I'll handle that. That's my fault, that's my kids' fault. If we miss a free thow that costs us a game, that's our fault. But to have a game lost because of a fundamental officials' call is really hurtful.''
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
After giving up 76 points in Thursday night's one-point overtime loss to Wichita Southeast, Hayden got a lot stingier on the defensive end in Friday's Topeka Invitational Tournament consolation contest, giving up just 33 points over the first three quarters and 45 for the game in a 55-45 win.
"We played defense,'' Hayden coach Dwayne Paul said. "I think you guys have been covering me long enough to know I don't care how many points we score. I want to hold teams under 45 points and that's always our goal.
"When we don't get that I'm not very happy, win, lose or draw.''
Hayden senior star Joe Otting scored 27 points Friday as the Wildcats took a 55-45 win over Shawnee Mission North in the Topeka Invitational Tournament. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Getting a monster 27-point night from senior Joe Otting, who has 55 points in his two tournament games, Hayden evened its record at 5-5 while advancing to Satiurday's 1:45 p.m. fifth-place game to take on citty rival Topeka High.
After the game was tied at 12 at the end of the first quarter Hayden opened up a 30-22 halftime advantage and stretched its lead to 45-33 at the start of the fourth quarter.
Paul was able to use 13 players in the game, with seven Wildcats cracking the scoring column.
And there was no doubt who the star of the game was, with Notre Dame football signee Otting dominating the contest.
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"9By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Coming off a tough overtime loss to No. 10-ranked Lawrence late Friday night, Topeka High had to go back to work about 17 hours later.
And High coach Geo Lyons was thrilled to see his team do just that, with the Trojans rolling to a 63-37 Friday consolation win over Lansing to kick off Day 2 of the Topeka Invitational Tournament at Topeka West.
Topeka High coach Geo Lyons talks to his Trojans during Friday's 63-37 Topeka Invitational Tournament win over Lansing. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The Trojans, who played without junior standout Isaiah Lyons (back injury), jumped on top of Lansing 5-0 at the start of the game and went wire to wire for their second win of the season.
"A lot of emotion went into last night's game, so I really wondered how we would respond in such a quick turnaround, less than 24 hours,'' G. Lyons said. "Also, a guy that's kind of been our motor (I. Lyons) down this game, too, you wondered who would step up in big roles today and our guys really stepped up to the plate.''
