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Coming off a tough overtime loss to top-ranked Topeka High, No. 3-ranked Washburn Rural's girls basketball team had stretches Monday night against Topeka West where it wasn’t clicking on all cylinders.
But the outcome was never in doubt after the Junior Blues ran off the first 14 points of the game and Rural outscored the Chargers 35-17 in the second half, forcing a running clock late in the game en route to improving to 14-2 overall and 11-2 in the Centennial League.
Brooklyn DeLeye
Washburn Rural took a 14-0 lead at the 1:42 mark of the opening quarter on back-to-back 3-pointers from junior Katelynn Brogan and Emma Kruger, but Topeka West cut its deficit to 16-6 at the end of the quarter on a 3-pointer from junior Whitley Benson.
The Junior Blues increased their advantage to 20 points (28-8) on two Krueger free throws with 1:33 left in the half, but the Chargers (2-13, 1-11) cut Rural’s lead to 30-17 at the half and to 10 on a Zoe Clark 3-pointer to open the second half.
Topeka West was still within 11 (32-21) after a Siani Sanchez free throw, but the Junior Blues scored 16 unanswered points for a 48-21 lead late in the third and Rural forced a running clock when Alysa Ladson hit 2 free throws with 1:54 remaining for a 63-32 lead.
Junior Brooklyn DeLeye scored a game-high 19 points for Washburn Rural, while Krueger added 16.
Clark, a freshman, scored 8 points to lead Topeka West, including a pair of 3-pointers.
WASHBURN RURAL GIRLS 65, TOPEKA WEST 34
Topeka West 6 11 6 11 -- 34
Washburn Rural 16 14 18 17 -- 65
Topeka West (2-13, 1-11) -- S. Triplett 2 0-0 6, Sanchez 1 4-6 6, Benson 1 0-0 3, Clark 2 2-2 8, Ford 1 0-2 2, Jones 1 0-0 2, Anthony 2 0-0 5, Duncan 0 0-0 0, Davis 1 0-0 2, Henderson 0 0-2 0, N. Triplett 0 0-0 0, Bearman 0 0-0 0. Totals 11 6-12 34.
Washburn Rural (14-2 11-2) -- Bagshaw 1 2-2 5, Lutz 2 0-0 6, Krueger 4 7-7 16, Ingram 3 0-1 6, DeLeye 6 6-9 19, Canfield 1 1-2 3, Hurtig 0 1-2 1, Brogan 2 0-0 5, Whitmore 0 0-0 0, Ladson 0 2-2 2, Carlgren 0 0-0 0, Schuler 1 0-0 2. Totals 20 19-25 65.
3-point goals — Topeka West 6 (S. Triplett 2, Clark 2, Benson, Anthony), Washburn Rural 6 (Lutz 2, Bagshaw, Krueger, DeLeye, Brogan). Total fouls -- Topeka West 18, Washburn Rural 12. Fouled out -- none.
