Topeka High sophomore Kiki Smith (23) slips past several Junction City defenders for a basket during Saturday's game. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TopSports.news]
Topeka High's girls basketball team isn't used to playing games in the middle of the afternoon, particularly on a Saturday.
But it was a focused Trojan team that showed up to host Centennial League foe Junction City and the result was 19 straight points to open the game on the way to a 92-34 rout.
"I think they were ready to go, they're tired of practicing,'' said Topeka High coach Hannah Alexander, whose Trojans were making their 2021 debut. "We're trying to make sure that we execute every possession in every game and make sure that we don't take anything for granted.
"That was the thing today. It doesn't matter who we're playing, where we're playing, what day it is, what time we're playing. We just need to go out and execute and I was very proud of how they handled themselves out there. I saw a lot of good things we've been working on in practice, so I was very proud of them.''
Topeka High, top-ranked in Class 6A by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Assocation, held Junction City scoreless over the first 3:40 and was already in control 33-4 by the end of the first quarter.
The Trojans, who improved to 4-0 overall and in the Centennial League with their 27th straight win, went on to lead 57-16 at the half and 84-26 through three quarters before a running clock was used throughout the fourth period.
Sophomore Kiki Smith scored 23 first-half points en route to a game-high 27-point effort while junior NiJaree Canady added 21 points and 12 rebounds and junior Tae Thomas 14 points as the Trojans shot 57.9 percent from the field (33 of 57) and 78.6 percent from the free throw line (22 of 28).
Eleven players scored for Topeka High, including several players who normally see action primarily at the junior varsity level.
"That's big, because we do have a big class graduating this year, so I think it's very crucial for them to get some minutes in, whether it be throughout the game or even at the end of games,'' Alexander said. "They've got to know that every varsity minute is a quality minute.''
Seniors Mellana Davis and Lucy Rivera combined for 23 points for Junction City, which fell to 1-4 overall and 0-3 in the league.
Topeka High will return to action Monday at Hayden.
TOPEKA HIGH GIRLS 92, JUNCTION CITY 34
Junction City 4 12 10 8 – 34
Topeka High 33 24 27 8 – 92
Junction City (1-4, 0-3) – Harris 0-2 0-0 0, M. Davis 6-15 2-4 14, Deguzman 0-1 0-0 0, Rivera 3 2-3 9, A. Davis 2-7 3-4 7, Robinson 0-2 0-0 0, O’Neal 1-3 0-0 2, Holloway 0-1 2-2 2, Nabus 0-0 0-0 0, Gold 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 12-43 9-13 34.
Topeka High (4-0, 4-0 – L. Smith 2-5 2-2 7, Thomas 6-9 1-1 14, K. Smith 10-15 6-6 27, Hendricks 2-6 2-2 6, Canady 8-11 5-8 21, A. Caryl 1-3 2-3 4, Z. Caryl 1-2 0-0 2, Shields 2-4 0-0 3, Wiley 0-1 0-0 0, Zimmerman 1-1 0-0 2, Fulton 0-1 0-0 0, Baird 0-0 2-4 2, Leesman 0-0 2-2 2. Totals 33-58, 22-28 92.
3-point goals – Junction City 1 (Rivera), Topeka High 4 (L. Smith, Thomas, K. Smith, Shields). Total fouls – Junction City 21, Topeka High 18. Fouled out – A. Davis.
