By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's boys basketball team bounced back from a disappointing loss with its best offensive performance of the season Friday night, taking control early in a 67-48 Centennial League romp past Topeka High at Rural.
Washburn Rural, which improved to 10-5 overall and 9-3 in the league, had scored just 47 points in a 9-point loss to Seaman in its previous game, but eclipsed that total in the third quarter en route to opening up a commanding 59-28 advantage. A running clock was used throughout the fourth quarter due to the 30-point rule.
"We just have to come together as a group and I think today was a step to it,'' Rural senior Jack Hutchinson said. "We just have to keep playing better. We have four more (regular-season) games left and we play (Topeka) West on Monday, which will be a big one for us, and just keep rolling through sub-state.''
Washburn Rural's Jack Hutchinson (15) handles the ball as Topeka High's Jalen Smith defends. Hutchinson had 23 points and 7 3-pointers in Rural's 67-48 win while Smith scored a game-high 29 points with 4 3s. [Photo by Doug Walker]
Hutchinson and fellow senior Joe Berry combined for a total of 47 points to key Rural's rout Friday night, with Hutchinson finishing with 23 points, just 1 point behind Berry's 24-point night.
Hutchinson hit his first 7 3-point attempts of the night and his first eight shots overall before finally missing.
"It just felt good off the hand,'' Hutchinson said.
Berry, meanwhile, scored both inside and outside against the Trojans, banking in a 3-pointer on his final shot to edge Hutchinson for game-high honors.
Joe Berry led Washburn Rural with 24 points in Friday's 67-48 win over Topeka High. [Photo by Doug Walker]
Washburn Rural opened up a 21-8 first-quarter lead and led 38-15 at halftime.
Senior Jalen Smith had a big night for Topeka High (2-14, 2-11), scoring a game-high 29 points with 4 3-pointers and a 9 of 10 performance at the free throw line. Freshman BJ Canady added 8 points for the Trojans.
Washburn Rural will be at home against league-leading Topeka West on Monday, with the Junior Blues hosting the Chargers in a girls-boys twinbill.
Topeka High will host Seaman on Tuesday.
WASHBURN RURAL BOYS 67, TOPEKA HIGH 48
Topeka High 8 7 13 20 -- 48
Washburn Rural 21 17 21 8 -- 67
Topeka High (2-14, 2-11) -- Smith 8-13 9-10 29, McMillon 1-1 0-0 3, Walker 0-2 0-0 0, Leesman 3-5 0-1 6, Canady 4-10 0-0 8, Phillips 1-1 0-0 2, Kincade 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-32 9-11 48.
Washburn Rural (10-5, 9-3) -- Bachelor 1-3 0-0 2, Williams 1-4 2-2 5, Berry 10-12 3-4 24, Hutchinson 8-9 0-0 23, Patterson 1-4 0-0 2, Brady 1-5 1-2 3, Howard 1-2 0-0 2, Kidd 2-4 0-0 6, Bunck 0-0 0-0 0, Morrow 0-0 0-0 0, Hanks 0-0 0-0 0, Conklin 0-0 0-0 0, Wech 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-45 6-8 67.
3-point goals -- Topeka High 5 (Smith 4, McMillon), Washburn Rural 11 (Hutchinson 7, Kidd 2, Williams, Berry). Total fouls -- Topeka High 7, Washburn Rural 8. Fouled out -- none.
