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By KYLE MANTHE
Special to TopSports.news
It doesn't matter how it looked or how many points were scored, all that mattered to coach Jeff Skar and the Topeka West girls Tuesday night was that the Chargers won their third game in the last five with a 31-30 United Kansas Conference win over Lansing.
Topeka West junior Brooklyn Alexander scored a team-high eight points in the Chargers' 31-30 UKC win over Lansing Tuesday night. [File photo/TSN]
“I was proud of them, that’s kind of our personality, we have done that all season,” Skar said of the Chargers' gritty style of play. “I liked our energy most of the game and I liked our effort.”
In December the Chargers (4-10, 3-8) lost a 58-53 decision to the Lions (3-9, 2-8) on the road in overtime, which served as some extra motivation to avoid the same result in another close game.
“Our team personality is that we always battle back but we also let teams back in the game, we haven’t put teams away when we had the chance … I knew that they were going to make it a battle,” Skar said. “After losing in overtime to them the first time around I think our kids probably felt like we owed them a bit tonight.”
The Chargers scored only one point in the third quarter and trailed by four early in the fourth after leading by as many as 10 in the first half.
A 10-1 run in the fourth quarter served as the comeback and put the game away for Topeka West.
Most of the offense for the home team came in the first quarter, with four starters scoring buckets to put the Chargers up 12-7 after eight minutes.
“I think our energy helped us, we were getting some turnovers and attacking the basket,” Skar said.
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Seaman's boys were probably going to need to be clicking on all cylinders Tuesday night to knock off visiting Piper, one of the United Kansas Conference's hottest teams, and when Seaman lost one of its main cogs, senior Kaeden Bonner, to an injury less than four minutes into the game, it became apparent that it might be a long night for the Vikings.
Seaman freshman KaeVon Bonner (11) puts up a shot on the way to a game-high 21-point night in the Vikings' 73-60 UKC loss to Piper. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Seaman senior Aron Davis scored 18 points in Tuesday's 73-60 UKC loss to Piper. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
And although Seaman showed grit in cutting what had been a 22-point Pirate lead to seven late in the game, Piper never trailed en route to a 73-60 win.
Piper, which improved to 11-4 overall and 8-3 in the UKC, already led 10-4 when Bonner, a returning All-Shawnee County pick, crashed hard into the bleachers while trying to make a defensive play, suffering what appeared to be an injury to his left knee, and did not return to the game.
"He can attack and he can create for teammates and he makes the others better,'' Seaman coach Craig Cox said of Bonner. "Without him then we lose a really good ball handler, a really good slasher, a really good shooter so we just got really sped up. We couldn't find an answer.''
Piper quickly took control after Bonner left the game, opening up a 21-point advantage on the way to a 39-22 halftime lead and Seaman (7-6, 4-5) never threatened until late in the game.
Piper led by 18 (55-37) at the start of the fourth quarter but Seaman rallied behind some timely 3-pointers to claw all the way back to within seven (67-60) with 1:40 left before the Pirates scored the final six points.
"We gave ourselves a little bit of an opportuity there late, which I was proud of their effort,'' Cox said.
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
The top-ranked Seaman girls entered Tuesday's home United Kansas Conference contest against Piper still feeling the after-effects of three straight tough single-digit battles in last week's Glaciers Edge Tournament at Emporia.
Seaman junior Taylin Stallbaumer scored 15 points with three 3-pointers in Tuesday's 56-43 UKC win over Piper. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Sophomore Anna Becker scored 14 points in Tuesday's 56-43 Seaman UKC win over Piper. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
But after falling behind early and taking a tenuous six-point lead into the fourth quarter, the Vikings, coming off the Glaciers Edge tournament championship, got the job done, pulling away down the stretch for a 56-43 victory.
"We looked like a mentally and physically exhausted team at times tonight,'' Seaman coach Matt Tinsley said. "Defensively I think we were just tired. (Piper) played hard and they're a better team than they were when we played them early in the year (63-35 Viking win), but you're always happy with a win.
"Our talk after the game was, 'Let's get rested up, some kids are a little under the weather and we've got to get ready for a good game Friday against De Soto.' ''
The Vikings, who improved to 12-1 overall and 8-1 in the UKC, got off to an 8-1 lead out of the gate but the Pirates (10-5, 7-4) fought back to take an 11-10 lead at the end of the opening quarter and went up 15-10 with 6:48 left in the half before Seaman rallied to take a 27-20 lead into the locker room at the break.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The red-hot Washburn University men's basketball team will be looking for its sixth straight win and a regular-season sweep over Missouri Western when the Ichabods begin a three-game road trip at 7:30 p.m. Wednesay at Western.
Sophomore Andrew Orr is averaging a team-high 13.1 points per game for Washburn, which plays at Missouri Western Wednesday. [File photo/TSN]
The Ichabods are 10-9 overall and 7-6 in the MIAA after winning their fifth-straight game in a 66-56 decision over Northeastern State last Saturday at Lee Arena.
The Griffons (8-12, 4-10) lost their sixth game in a row last Saturday at Nebraska-Kearney, 85-75. WU won the first meeting between the two teams on Dec. 17 in Topeka, 76-51.
Washburn has won the last five in the series with the Griffons after losing the previous four in a row.
Seaman Andrew Orr leads the Ichabods in scoring at 13.1 points per game while averaging 13.6 ppg in MIAA contests. Orr has reached double figures in 13 of 19 games this season. He is third on the team in rebounds at 5.9 per game.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University's women's basketball kicks off a three-game road swing with a 5:30 p.m. Wednesday night MIAA game at Missouri Western on Wednesday.
Washburn won back-to-back games at home last week with victories over Rogers State and Northeastern State to improve to 9-10 overall and 5-8 in the MIAA.
Junior point guard Aubree Dewey leads Washburn in scoring, assists and minutes played entering Wednesday's MIAA game at Missouri Western. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Missouri Western (18-5, 12-3 MIAA) saw its 11-game win streak come to an end on Saturday with a 91-55 loss at Nebraska-Kearney.
The Griffons won the first matchup against WU earlier this season, taking a 57-44 decision on Dec. 17 at Lee Arena.
At the beginning of this week the Griffons are tied for third in the MIAA standings and the Ichabods are sitting in eighth.
Washburn is second in the league and ranks 20th in Division II for fewest points allowed per game, holding opponents to 56.2 points a game.
WU has limited opponents to 49 or fewer points in four games, including the Ichabods' 61-49 win over the RiverHawks last Saturday.
Junior point guard Aubree Dewey leads Washburn with 10.3 points, 3.7 assists and 32.5 minutes per game while also averaging 4.1 rebounds.
