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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Tyler Nelson, one of the most experienced players for a young Washburn University men's basketball team, had to sit and watch as the Ichabods endured a tough early-season stretch.
The 6-foot-3 junior guard missed the first five games with a Jones fracture in his foot and played limited minutes in the Ichabods' next three games while working his way back into game shape.
Washburn junior guard Tyler Nelson (14) celebrates a big play for the Ichabods in a 76-51 win over Missouri Western along with teammate Connor Deffebaugh (10). [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn junior Tyler Nelson scored 19 points with seven rebounds, six assists and six steals in the Ichabods' 76-51 MIAA romp past Missouri Western on Dec. 17. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
And now that the former Kansas City-Rockhurst, Mo. standout is finally close to full strength, Nelson is determined to do everything he can to help Brett Ballard's Ichabods reverse their fortunes after a 4-6 start to the 2022-2023 campaign.
"It's always frustrating going down with an injury and not being able to play out and compete with the guys,'' Nelson said. "That's always frustrating but the guys lift me up. We have good practices, good workouts so that just builds up my confidence so when I come back I'm just ready to hoop.
"We're all ready to hoop and it's always enjoyable to play the game I love.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Ten different Ichabods scored in the first half as Washburn University, returning from its holiday break, jumped out to a double-digit advantage on the way to a 57-40 non-conference victory over Bethany College Thursday night at Lee Arena.
Junior Aubree Dewey scored 12 points and freshman Gabi Artis a career-high 11 to lead a balanced Ichabod attack as Washburn improved to 5-5 on the season.
Washburn coach Lora Westling talks to her team during Thursday's 57-40 non-conference win over Bethany at Lee Arena. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Macy Doebele (30) drives to the basket Thursday night against Bethany in Washburn's 57-40 non-conference win. Doebele scored eight points as the Ichabods improved to 5-5. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn, which had been off since Dec. 17, returned to practice on Tuesday to get ready for Thursday's game, which wrapped up the Ichabods' non-conference schedule.
"I thought there were some bright spots,'' Washburn coach Lora Westling said. "We had a chance to work on some things that we needed to work on and shake some rust off, but some of our old demons were still lurking around -- our aggressiveness on offense and lack there of and how we turned the ball over too often.
"We've just got to continue to work on those things but credit to Bethany. They're a quality team and really well-coached and it was nice to get out and play.''
After surrendering the first basket of the game four seconds into the contest, the Ichabods shot 50 percent (7 of 14) from the field in the opening quarter while holding the Swedes to just 23.1 percent (3 of 13) en route to opening up a 15-7 advantage.
Artis opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer to push Washburn's lead to double figures and the Ichabods led by as many as 15 points en route to a 30-20 advantage at the break.
The Ichabods maintained a double-digit lead for the entire second half and held the Swedes to just five points in the third quarter.
Washburn closed out the third quarter on an 8-2 run to take a 41-25 lead into the final stanza.
Washburn remained in control in the fourth quarter and tallied nine of the final 11 points to cap the 17-point victory.
The Ichabods finished the evening shooting 42.1 percent (24 of 57) from the floor and limited the Swedes to 27.1 percent shooting (13 of 48).
Washburn made 3 of 10 attempts from 3-point range, with Artis hitting all three treys, while Bethany made just 1 of 9 from deep.
The Ichabod bench contributed 30 of the 57 total points, led by Artis' 11 points.
R'Manie Pulling led the Swedes, who played the game as an exhibition, with 12 points.
Washburn will return to MIAA action on Saturday afternoon at Central Oklahoma, with the Ichabod women playing at 1:30 p.m., followed by the men's game at 3:30.
WASHBURN WOMEN 57, BETHANY 40
Bethany 7 13 5 15 -- 40
Washburn 15 15 11 16 -- 57
BETHANY (9-5)
Dunn 0-2 4-4 4, Unruh 0-2 3-4 3, Garrett 1-5 0-0 2, Weathers 2-6 1-1 5, Reiner 1-5 0-0 2, Pulling 5-15 2-3 12, Lopez 0-1 1-2 1, Green 0-2 1-2 1, Gleason 3-3 0-0 6, Becker 0-3 0-0 0, Noll 0-2 0-0 0, Aeschliman 1-2 1-2 4, Breshears 0-0 0-0 0, Toerber 0-0 0-0 0, McGuire 0-0 0-0 0, Ballard 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 13-48 13-18 40.
WASHBURN (5-5)
Chapman 3-5 0-1 6, Gamble 2-3 0-0 4, Dewey 5-11 2-4 12, Schieferecke 0-4 1-2 1, Figueroa 2-7 0-0 4, Nwidadah 1-2 1-4 3, Doebele 4-6 0-0 8, Artis 3-9 2-2 11, Davison 2-4 0-0 4, Cassaday 2-4 0-0 4, Newfarmer 0-0 0-0 0, Sanders 0-0 0-0 0, Broadie 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 24-57 6-13 57.
3-point shots – Bethany 1-9 (Aeschliman 1-1, Pulling 0-3, Unruh 0-2, Noll 0-2, Green 0-1), Washburn 3-10 (Artis 3-6, Figueroa 0-2, Davison 0-2). Rebounds – Bethany 31 (Unruh 5, Lopez 5), Washburn 43 (Figueroa 8, Artis 7). Assists – Bethany 8 (Dunn 2, Pulling 2), Washburn 9 (Gamble 2, Figueroa 2, Cassaday 2). Turnovers – Bethany 18, Washburn 17. Total fouls – Bethany 17, Washburn 20. Fouled out – Green. Technical fouls – none.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Darting Basketball Academy held its second annual Community Give Back Shoe Drive Camp Wednesday at Topeka Collegiate School, raising more than 50 pairs of new basketball shoes to be distributed to local children.
Kerry Darting instructs campers during Wednesday's DBA Community Give Back Shoe Drive Camp at Topeka Collegiate School. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The Darting Basketball Camp raised more than 50 pairs of new basketball shoes for local children in Wednesday's Community Give Back camp. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Former local high school standouts and city coaches served as instructors for Wednesday's camp, which included 51 boys and girls participants who all donated a new pair of sneakers to be distributed by the Topeka non-profit group Sole Reason.
"Everybody brought a pair and we even had some families that didn't have a kid here who brought in a pair of shoes,'' DBA's Kerry Darting said. "We're probably about 60, 70 pairs of shoes, which is really good.
"(Sole Reason) is going to come pick them up and they distribute them throuhout the Topeka schools.''
Darting said DBA plans to continue to making the Community Give Back Shoe Drive Camp an annual event.
"The kids have fun and they're able to help the community so it's a really good thing over the holidays to do for the community,'' Darting said.
If interested in donating a pair of sneakers, email Kerry Darting at
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University women's basketball team will play its final non-conference game of the 2022-23 regular season on Thursday, hosting Bethany College in a 7 p.m. non-conference game at Lee Arena.
The Ichabodw, 4-5 on the season, last played on Dec. 17, dropping a 57-44 home MIAA decision to Missouri Western.
Washburn's women's basketball team will play its final non-conference game of the 2022-2023 season Thursday night against Bethany. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Bethany is 9-5 this season and has won its last three official games. The Swedes played an exhibition at MIAA member Fort Hays State on Dec. 19, losing to the Tigers, 80-46.
Thursday's contest will mark exactly one year since Washburn and Bethany last played each other when the Ichabods came away with a 71-50 home win. Thursday's game will count as an exhibition for Bethany.
Washburn is averaging 53.6 points per game and has a 36.9 field goal percentage. The Ichabods are third in the MIAA and ninth in all of Division II in fewest points allowed per game, holding opponents to just 53.8 points per game.
Through nine games, Washburn's defense has not allowed more than 64 points in a game and has held two opponents to 45 or fewer points.
Junior point guard Aubree Dewey has started all nine games for the Ichabods, averaging 10.9 points per game and ranks seventh in the MIAA with 3.4 assists per game.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
With the start of a new year just five days away, it's natural to get excited about what the future may hold.
But while looking forward to 2023, it’s also important that we don't forget those we lost in 2022, including seven men and women who had a lasting impact on sports, some in the Topeka area and others on a national scale.
Former Shawnee Heights state championship basketball coach Bob Bodenheimer, Kansas City Chiefs legendary quarterback Len Dawson, University of Kansas legend and NFL star John Hadl, former Washburn University men's basketball standout David Johnson, former Kansas State quarterback and Wildcat assistant coach Matt Miller, Topeka native and women's sports torchbearer Billie Jean Moore and highly-successful former Rossville football coach Hal Taliaferro all passed away in 2022.
Miller passed away at the age of 49 just eight days into 2022 while Bodenheimer passed away on May 7 at the age of 86, the 87-year-old Dawson passed on Aug. 24, the 54-year-old Johnson passed on Sept. 17, Hadl passed on Nov. 30 at 82 years old, Moore passed on Dec. 14 at 79 and Taliaferro passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 27.
Here’s a brief look at the legacy the six left:
Bob Bodenheimer
BOB BODENHEIMER
Bodenheimer coached Shawnee Heights' boys basketball team to back-to-back Class 5A state championships in 1988 and 1989.
Bodenheimer's '87-88 T-Bird team posted an 18-6 record and his '88-'89 title team went 18-5. Shawnee Heights beat Campus in the '88 state championship game and McPherson in the '89 title game.
Bodenheiemer's T-Birds captured the Centennial League championship in 1988, were the co-league champs in '89, '91 and '92 and won the league title outright again in '93.
He was born December 30, 1935, in Osage City and graduated from Osage City High School, attended the College of Emporia and received his master’s degree in mathematics from Kansas State.
Bodenheimer began his career in education at Garnett and had stints at Landon Middle School, Jardine Middle School, Highland Park High and Shawnee Heights, retiring in 2004.
In addition to his coaching success at Heights, Bodenheimer was an assistant coach for Highland Park teams that won two Class 4A state basketball championships and in 1976 captured the only Grand State championship in Kansas history.
Len Dawson
LEN DAWSON
The NFL Hall of Fame quarterback led the Chiefs to a pair of Super Bowls, including their first Super Bowl title.
Dawson played for the Chiefs from 1962 through '75, playing until he was 40 years old, and also put together a long and successful broadcast career in television and radio.
