By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
The Topeka High boys basketball team returned from its holiday break to a rude welcome from defending Class 6A champion Blue Valley Northwest. The Trojans followed that up with missed practices and rescheduled games due to weather and a disappointing loss at Washburn Rural.
Junior Da'Mykel Hales scored 16 points in Topeka High's 63-49 win over Hayden Friday night, the Trojans' first win of 2024. [File photo/TSN]
Friday, the Trojans capped a special Topeka High Sports Hall of Honor celebration with a 63-49 win over Hayden, their first victory of 2024.
“I was a little nervous knowing this was our first hall of fame induction,” Trojan coach Geo Lyons said. “I knew the crowd would be a packed house. A couple of state championship teams were honored tonight. We didn’t want to let them down.”
The Trojans used a 10-0 run to build a 21-11 first quarter lead. The Wildcats closed the gap in the second period, but Topeka High responded with a 19-4 third period to lock up their fourth win and first in the Centennial League.
“Tonight, we jumped out with a great first quarter,” Lyons said. “The game settled, and they punched us back in the second quarter. But we showed a lot of resiliency in the third quarter. If you hold a team to four points, that’s playing defense right there. We want to try to get two single-digit quarters every game. If you can do that, you’re in a great place to win.”
Leading the Trojans was junior Da’Mykel Hales, who hit 5-11 shots and all six of his three throw attempts to finish with 16 points.
“It’s easy when you’ve got teammates around you who want you to succeed,” Hales said. “We knew we had to get this one. We want to build off this win. I think we’re going to go on and do better the rest of the season just by the way we have been practicing and working.”
Isaiah Lyons added 12 points and Jayden Norman had 10 for Topeka High.
Connor Hanika led Hayden with 10 points. Cooper Colboch scored nine.
A halftime ceremony introduced to the crowd each member of the inaugural class of the Topeka High Sports Hall of Honor. Included in the recognitions was the legacy of the Topeka Ramblers, an all-Black team that represented the school when its sports teams were not integrated.
Lyons and the coaching staff wore Topeka Ramblers sweatshirts while all the players wore Rambler warmups.
“I wanted to make sure that the kids understand, we are a part of Topeka High history. There’s guys who came before you who laid that foundation,” Lyons said. “We talk all the time about, at Topeka High, you’re playing for more than just yourself. It’s for everybody that’s hung a banner here. For everybody that’s put in their blood sweat and tears. You’re playing for those guys every time you take the floor.”
TOPEKA HIGH BOYS 63, HAYDEN 49
Hayden 11 15 4 19 -- 49
Topeka High 21 9 19 14 -- 63
Hayden (4-4, 0-4) – Colboch 2-10 4-4 9, Charvat 1-2 2-6 4, Mitchell 3-10 0-1 6, Becker 1-8 4-8 6, Grace 0-3 0-0 0, Hanika 3-6 4-7 10, Deister 3-4 0-0 7, Kuta 3-7 0-0 7. Totals: 16-50 14-26 49.
Topeka High (4-5, 1-2) – Lyons 3-8 4-6 12, Freeman 3-7 0-0 7, Hales 5-11 6-6 16, Villegas 2-10 3-3 7, Norman 5-10 0-0 10, Groves 1-2 0-0 2, Brown 3-4 0-0 7, Woods 1-2 0-0 2. Totals: 23-54 13-15 63.
3-point goals – Hayden 3 (Colbach 1, Deister 1, Kuta 1), Topeka High 4 (Lyons 2, Freeman 1, Brown 1). Total fouls – Hayden 21, Topeka High 20. Fouled out – Freeman. Technical fouls – Freeman.
