By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Tuesday wasn't one of Shawnee Heights' best offensive performances, but it was plenty good enough for the No. 6-ranked (Class 5A) T-Birds to post their 16th win in their last 17 games and ninth straight in a 69-55 home United Kansas Conference win over Seaman.
Junior Jaret Sanchez led Shawnee Heights with 18 points in Tuesday's 69-55 home UKC win over Seaman. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Senior Brennon Dodge (11) scored 17 points in Tuesday's 69-55 Shawnee Heights UKC win over Seaman. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
"We're kind of fun to watch when it's our best, but we still scored 69 points and missed how many layups?'' Heights coach Ken Darting said. "We were in the 80s if we just made layups and I don't think anybody shot it great.
"But that's been us all year, we've won in all ways. We've won in the 40s and 50s and we've won 90-30.''
Seaman, which played Heights within three points in the first meeting of the season between the two city rivals, gave the T-Birds another battle Tuesday despite being short-handed, with the Vikings within five points early in the fourth quarter before Heights pulled away late.
Shawnee Heights, which improved to 16-3 overall and 13-2 in the UKC, led by just a point (15-14) at the end of the opening quarter before rallying late in the half to lead by 10 and take a 34-25 advantage to the break at the half.
Seaman, which hit nine 3-pointers on the night, outscored Heights 14-12 in the third quarter to stay within striking distance and scored the first bucket of the fourth quarter before Shawnee Heights took control down the stretch, leading by as many as 17 points.
Junior Jaret Sanchez came off the bench to lead all scorers with 18 points while senior Brennon Dodge had 17 points and junior Deacon Pomeroy posted a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Senior Justin Phillips led Seaman (8-11, 6-9) with 15 points while senior Holden Finley had 14 points with three 3-pointers and sophomore Landon Wiltz scored 11 points with three 3s.
"I don't know who's more talented than them (shooting the ball) top to bottom,'' Darting said of the Vikings. "Their freshmen shoot 3s, their JV shoots 3s and then Finley's going downhill, he's getting in there.''
Seaman played without injured sophomore standout Kae Von Bonner and have played most of the season without injured junior Bryer Finley.
Seaman will be at home Thursday for a UKC matchup with Kansas City-Turner while Shawnee Heights will host KC-Piper on Friday.
The T-Birds will have the opportunity to earn a share of the conference title with a win over the Pirates.
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS BOYS 69, SEAMAN 55
Seaman 14 11 14 16 -- 55
Shawnee Heights 15 19 12 23 -- 69
Seaman (8-11, 6-9) -- Finley 5-11 1-2 14, Wiltz 4-8 0-0 11, Phillips 6-9 1-2 15, Chapman 2-7 2-2 6, Unruh 0-3 0-0 0, Zuniga 1-2 0-0 3, Cochran 2-7 2-2 6, Evans 0-0 0-0 0, Smith 0-0 0-0 0, Brewer 1-4 4-4 6. Totals 19-44 8-10 55.
Shawnee Heights (16-3, 13-2) -- Pomeroy 5-8 3-4 14, D. Sanchez 1-6 0-0 3, Dodge 6-11 3-3 17, Holly 1-3 1-2 3, Moore 0-1 0-2 0, J. Sanchez 5-10 7-8 18, Cook 1-2 0-0 3, Lee 1-2 0-0 2, Ross 0-2 0-0 0, Emmot 3-8 1-1 9. Totals 23-53 15-20 69.
3-point goals -- Seaman 9 (H. Finley 3, Wiltz 3, Phillips 2, Zuniga), Shawnee Heights 8 (Emmot 2, Dodge 2, Cook, Pomeroy, D. Sanchez, J. Sanchez). Total fouls -- Seaman 18, Shawnee Heights 12. Fouled out -- Chapman. Technical foul -- none.
