By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After jumping out to a commanding 16-point lead early in the second quarter, Shawnee Heights' boys promptly let Seaman right back in the hunt Friday night.
But after allowing the Vikings get within a single point with 4:45 left in the third quarter, the T-Birds outscored Seaman 32-19 the rest of the way to pull away for the 65-51 United Kansas Conference win over the defending Class 5A state champs at Heights.
Shawnee Heights senior Q Stovall scored 21 points in the T-Birds' 65-51 UKC win over Seaman Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
"There's a natural tendency for 99 percent of teenagers, and some Division I players, to say, 'OK, we're in control, now I can get mine,' '' Shawnee Heights coach Ken Darting said. "So two guys take two bad shots and they hit two 3s. We should be shooting nothing but perfect shots -- we not make them, but we're going to get them -- and then we're going to be 20 ahead at half and the game's over.
"Instead we're going to take two bad ones and they hit two 3s and now we're in a fight. But we recovered and we need people to pressure us, because then we hit layups.''
Shawnee Heights, which improved to 6-2 with its fifth straight victory (all in the UKC), jumped out to 17-4 first-quarter lead over the Vikings (3-4, 3-4) and took a 22-6 lead early in the second quarter on a 3-pointer from sophomore Jaret Sanchez.
Heights was still in front by 15 points (29-14) with 2:25 left in the second quarter but Seaman ended the half with a 9-0 run to get back in the game, trailing 29-23 at halftime.
Seaman outscored Heights 9-4 at the start of the third quarter to get within 33-32 but the T-Birds fought off the Vikings to lead 46-40 at the start of the fourth quarter and held a 19-11 scoring advantage over the final eight minutes to earn the double-digit victory.
Senior Q Stovall scored 21 points to lead three double-figure scorers for Shawnee Heights, with junior Brennon Dodge and sophomore Jaret Sanchez adding 14 points apiece.
"I just wanted to find the openings and move around,'' Stovall said. "Don't stay still is what coach Darting always says.''
Senior Aron Davis scored 26 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, both game-highs, in Seaman's 65-51 UKC loss at Shawnee Heights Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Aron Davis had a monster night for Seaman, finishing with game-high totals of 26 points and 14 rebounds, but the 6-foot-5 senior was the only Viking with more than eight points.
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS BOYS 65, SEAMAN 51
Seaman 4 19 17 11 -- 51
Shawnee Heights 17 12 17 19 -- 65
Seaman (3-4, 3-4) -- KaeVon Bonner 2-5 0-0 4, Kaedon Bonner 2-12 4-4 8, Chapman 0-2 0-0 0, Unruh 3-8 0-0 8, Davis 11-21 3-4 26, Parsel 0-0 0-0 0, Freeman 1-3 0-0 2, B. Finley 1-1 0-0 3, H. Finley 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-52 7-8 51.
Shawnee Heights (6-2, 6-2) -- Dodge 6-13 1-2 14, Kendrick 3-6 1-4 8, J. Sanchez 5-8 2-3 14, Pomeroy 1-2 0-0 2, Stovall 10-15 1-2 21, Holly 2-2 0-0 4, Moore 0-1 0-0 0, D. Sanchez 0-1 0-0 0, Malcom 0-0 2-2 2 . Totals 27-50 7-13 65.
3-point goals -- Seaman 4 (Unruh 2, Davis, B. Finley), Shawnee Heights 4 (J. Sanchez 2, Dodge, Kendrick). Total fouls -- Seaman 14, Shawnee Heights 15. Fouled out – none. Technical fouls -- none.
