By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Battling sickness, Topeka West senior Zander Putthoff wasn't really much of a factor in Tuesday night's game against Shawnee Heights for about 31 minutes, 58 seconds.
But Putthoff arrived at the party just in time to give the Chargers a 57-55 non-league win over the T-Birds at Heights.
Putthoff grabbed a rebound off a West miss and was fouled with 1.7 seconds remaining and canned both free throws to push the Chargers past his former team.
"He wasn't at school (Monday), he was at home with a 102-degree temperature and he didn't come to school until 11 o'clock today, but he wanted to play this game,'' Topeka West coach Rick Bloomquist said of Putthoff. "He didn't play well, but he shot two good free throws, so I'll forgive him.''
Topeka West senior Zander Putthoff (24) hit two free throws with 1.7 seconds remaining, lifting the Chargers to a 57-55 win at Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Topeka West led by 11 points late in the opening quarter but 3-1 Shawnee Heights rallied to within a point (32-31) at the half and the T-Birds used a 17-8 third quarter to take a 48-40 lead into the fourth quarter.
This time it was Topeka West's turn to battle back, however, with the Chargers outscoring the T-Birds 17-7 in the fourth quarter to pull out the win and improve to 3-1 on the year.
West senior standout Elijah Brooks scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter before junior Sincere Austin scored to give the Chargers a 49-48 lead with 4:25 remaining.
After a pair of lead changes there were three ties before Shawnee Heights opened the door for West with a pair of missed free throws with 1:05 left.
After running the clock down, West missed its final shot but Putthoff was able to grab the rebound, was fouled, and swished both free throws.
![Topeka West senior Elijah Brooks (4) tries to drive past Shawnee Heights' Jeremyah Hendricks Tuesday night. Brooks scored 11 fourth-quarter points in West's 57-55 win. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]](/images/aa-images/Brooks.jpg)
Topeka West senior Elijah Brooks (4) tries to drive past Shawnee Heights' Jeremyah Hendricks Tuesday night. Brooks scored 11 fourth-quarter points in West's 57-55 win. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
After a slow start, Brooks scored 11 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Chargers, taking West on his back in the late going.
"A player like that is supposed to take a team on his back,'' Bloomquist said.
"We definitely had to create something,'' Brooks said. "We started attacking and coach Bloom told me to just go straight to the rim and that's what I did.''
Junior Xavier Alexander scored 14 points and junior Malachi Berg 11 for West.
"The positive thing about this game is that we won,'' Bloomquist said. "We found a way to win.
"As ugly as the game was, you've got to win those muddy games, you've got to win those ugly game and we won that game, so that's a good thing.''
Alexander scored all of his points in the first half, with four 3-pointers.
Brennon Dodge scored 18 points to tie for game-high scoring honors in Shawnee Heights' 57-55 loss to Topeka West Tuesday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Sophomore Brennon Dodge paced Shawnee Heights with 18 points, including three 3-pointers, while senior Carter Olson added 14 points and 11 rebounds and senior Nate Pewe had 10 points.
Shawnee Heights coach Ken Darting said his T-Birds let a win get away Tuesday after playing well for most of the night.
"We let it get it away, there's no ifs ands and buts about it,'' Darting said. "But now we've got to take this and move forward.
"We just weren't ready for this pressure. They played in the state finals last year, we haven't played in anyhing like this with something on the line.''
Tuesday's game ended Shawnee Heights' pre-holiday slate while Topeka West will travel to Manhattan on Friday.
TOPEKA WEST BOYS 57, SHAWNEE HEIGHTS 55
Topeka West 25 7 8 17 -- 57
Shawnee Heights 16 15 17 7 -- 55
Topeka West (3-1) -- Austin 3-8 0-0 8, Brooks 7-14 4-8 18, Alexander 6-14 0-0 14, Berg 5-9 1-2 11, Putthoff 0-2 2-2 2, Robinson 1-1 0-0 2, Foy 0-0 0-0 0, Reimer 0-0 0-0 0, Bearman 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 22-49 7-12 57.
Shawnee Heights (3-1) -- Pewe 4-6 1-2 10, Sanders 1-1 0-0 2, Dodge 7-14 1-3 18, Olson 4-8 6-8 14, Kendrick 2-9 1-3 5, Ginter 0-2 0-0 0, Sanchez 0-0 0-0 0, Holly 0-0 0-0 0, Moore 0-0 0-0 0, Malcom 3-3 0-0 6. Totals 21-43 9-16 55.
3-point goals -- Topeka West 6 (Alexander 4, Austin 2), Shawnee Heights 4 (Dodge 3, Pewe). Total fouls -- Topeka West 15, Shawnee Heights 18. Fouled out -- none.
