By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Three Highland Park players had double-digit scoring nights and the Scots’ complete team play allowed them to cruise to an 82-62 season-opening victory over Bonner Springs Tuesday night at Hi Park.
Even though No. 3-ranked Highland Park earned a 20-point victory, they weren’t delighted with how the night went.
Highland Park senior Bo Aldridge led the way with 19 points in the Scots' 82-62 season-opening win over Bonner Springs. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
While the team was grinning from ear to ear with a win, the happiness immediately turned into focus when they went to the locker room after its victory. The Scots’ are locked in on achieving their goals by picturing the state championship trophy in their arms.
While a 2022 state tournament loss halted the Scots’ state championship hopes and aspirations last year, this squad has created a significant target on their backs.
“That’s a space we are trying to understand and navigate,” Highland Park coach Mike Williams said. “It’s tough for guys who haven’t necessarily been the hunted to understand what it’s like to fully have that target on your back as we do now. As a team, we are learning what it’s like to be the hunted.
"We have to bring it every single day. Opponents look forward to those matchups against us. Teams will want to take our high ranking away and take us off. It doesn’t matter who we play, we are Highland Park, and I expect teams to give us their best shot.”
It will be expected that Highland Park will get everyone’s best shot for the entirety of the 2022-2023 campaign. It was no different for the Scots’ in their home opener on Tuesday night against a Bonner Springs team which came in undefeated.
“Winning varsity games at the 5A level is hard,” Williams said. “We were able to come out with a 20-point victory on opening night, and we haven’t done that in five years, so that feels good. Our program is moving in the right direction, and I am glad we see that right in front of us.”
Highland Park got a big boost from three of its stars on Tuesday as Bo Aldridge, Jahmir Kingcannon and Tre Richardson combined for 52 of its 82 total points scored against the Braves.
Aldridge led the trio with 19 points.
“I wouldn’t have been able to do what I did tonight without my teammates,” Aldridge said. “We played good, but we have a lot of stuff we have to clean up. When we want to hang up a banner, we have to do better and pick up on the stuff we need to work on. It’s not just our young guys that need more work, it’s our seniors and starting five. We have a goal of winning a state championship this year. We need to get better.”
Highland Park looked like they were in mid-season form right from the tip. It took Kingcannon no time to open the game with a 3-pointer.
Bonner Springs didn’t back down from the challenge of defending a high-flying Highland Park offense. The Braves' defense and offense played pretty well in the first quarter, only trailing by two by the end of the quarter.
Highland Park’s offense would go on to explode in the second quarter due to points off of turnovers, defense inside the paint and throwing it up numerous times to Aldridge for dunks.
In the Scots’ 27-point second quarter, every Highland Park player got a piece of the pie. The Braves were shell-shocked by Aldridge’s athleticism in the paint, Kingcannon’s pull-up game, Quentin Adams's passing and Richardson’s willingness to make the impossible plays look easy.
Highland Park had a 16-point lead, 11 blocks, seven steals and five dunks at the half against a Bonner Springs team which had come into the contest with a two-game win streak.
Like the first quarter, the third quarter was a back-and-forth affair. Again, the Braves had a massive quarter from guards Kalen Streit and Cameron Doss. Streit and Doss each had 35 combined points when it was all said and done, but they made the most noise in the third quarter. Streit and Doss combined for 13 out of the 15 points scored in the quarter.
Aldridge, Richardson and Jacorey Robinson also had big quarters. keeping Highland Park’s sizeable lead safe heading into the fourth quarter.
With the starting five of Highland Park jumping out to a 10-2 run, the night was seemingly over, and it was apparent that Highland Park would win comfortably in its home opener. That would end up being the case.
In a game where they never trailed, the Scots would win 82-62 in front of its home faithful.
Highland Park (1-0) will host Southeast Kansas City, Mo. next Tuesday night.
HIGHLAND PARK BOYS 82, BONNER SPRINGS 62
Bonner Springs (2-1) – 14 14 15 19 – 62
Highland Park (1-0) – 17 27 18 20 – 82
Bonner Springs (2-1) – Doss 7 4-5 18, Streit 7 1-1 17, Cruse 5 4-4 15, Graham 3 1-2 7, Hooke 1 1-2 3, Maslak 1 0-0 2.
Highland Park (1-0) – Aldridge 9 0-0 19, Kingcannon 5 5-5 18, Richardson 7 1-2 15, Robinson 4 0-2 8, Adams 1 5-5 7, Taylor 2 0-0 4, Drew-Gregory 2 0-0 4, Williams 1 0-0 3, Wilson 1 0-0 2, McMillon 1 0-0 2.
3-point goals – Highland Park 5 (Kingcannon 3, Aldridge, Williams), Bonner Springs 4 (Streit 2, Doss, Cruse). Total fouls – Highland Park 16, Bonner Springs 14. Fouled out – none.
