By VINCE LOVERGINE
TopSports.news
Ron Slaymaker, one of the best basketball coaches in Kansas history, will turn 89 in December, but you wouldn’t know it when you attend a practice or game. Slaymaker is still having fun with it.
Topeka High junior Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton is a returning All-Shawnee County Top 10 pick for the Trojans, who posted a 14-8 record last season. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Topeka High senior Keimara Marshall is back for her fourth season as the Trojans' point guard, earning All-Shawnee County Top 10 recognition last season. [File photo/TSN]
In Year 2 with the Trojans and his 12th overall coaching girls basketball, Slaymaker will have four of his starters back after a 14-win season last year. That came after Slaymaker was told his team would be lucky to win seven at most.
“We’ll be expected to win more this year, no question about it,” Slaymaker said. “Now, we just have to meet expectations.”
The one starter Topeka High graduated was Jo'Mhara Benning, who Slaymaker said was a great presence down low and a rebound warrior and they have to replace that.
“I think we have four or five girls that are knocking at the door to be able to replace her,'' Slaymaker said. "Not replace what she did, but replace her with a good player.''
“We are very quick and you have to take advantage of what you are. I think we can be even quicker than what we were last year.”
Slaymaker said when he came to Topeka High there were two things he wanted to accomplish -- play defense and run a lot. Slaymaker saw those changes over the course of the season and knew the girls had it in them.
He said during this year's practice window, the Trojans are starting with that attitude and he hopes they’ll take advantage of that early.
Hailey Caryl made an immediate impact for Topeka High last season as a freshman, earning All-Shawnee County Second 10 recognition. [File photo/TSN]
Senior Keimara Marshall and junior Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton were both All-Shawnee County Top 10 picks last season while sophomore Hailey Caryl was a Second 10 pick.
Caryl and Rayton said Slaymaker is always upbeat, giving them high-fives and keeping the energy at a high level. Slaymaker laughed when TopSports.News asked him about that.
“I’m a little more grouchy this year in our one week of practice, but I’m glad they feel that way,'' he said. "If I don’t have energy, then I need to get out of here. I still have passion for what I’m doing and that’s energy and if that’s passed along to them that’s good.”
Caryl and Rayton are excited about the up-tempo pace they’ll play with and the speed they bring. The competitive nature the team brings is a trait that they like, too.
“Last year we had a lot of deflections,'' Rayton said. "Slay loves defense, quick hands. He drills that into our heads.”
“We need to push for more rebounding and take advantage of the fast break that Slay likes us to do,” Caryl said.
Slaymaker said he’s focusing on making practice better to play better. Last year, he said they played well but didn’t practice well so they’re trying to turn that around, and believe with that, they could be a really good basketball team.
Slaymaker said they’ve turned around the recent down years and had more girls turn out for tryouts -- 27 to be exact, compared to 16 last season.
“That’s the culture everybody seeks, you can’t always get it easily but you have to have some success along the way and maybe girls basketball at Topeka High will be right up there again,” Slaymaker said.
