By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Highland Park boys basketball coach Michael Williams isn't quite ready to say his Scots are all the way back after an inconsistent start to the 2020-21 season, but Williams knows that Friday night's 57-54 home overtime win over previously-unbeaten Topeka West was a big step in the right direction.
"Obviously we want wins, we don't want losses, but the biggest thing we want more than anything is to just play Highland Park basketball and just to be ourselves, just to look like ourselves out there on both sides of the ball,'' said Williams, whose Scots improved to 3-3 overall and in the Centennial League.
"I feel like it's coming and all we're looking for is fight.''
CJ Powell
Highland Park trailed 14-5 at the end of the first quarter and 27-22 at the half before using a 15-5 third quarter to take a 37-32 advantage into the fourth quarter.
The Scots went on to lead by 7 points in the fourth quarter, but Topeka West (6-1, 6-1) roared back to force overtime when senior Marque Wilkerson scored with 2.5 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 51.
Highland Park and West were tied one more time at 53 before Scot senior Mukhajhae Daniels came up with two big hoops, including one with 12 seconds remaining to give Hi Park its final margin.
West had one last chance to force a second overtime, but the Chargers missed two 3-point attempts as time ran out.
Highland Park, which was playing without junior standout Juan'Tario Roberts due to COVID-19 protocol, got a huge 26-point game from 6-foot-7 senior CJ Powell, who turned by far his best performance of the season.
"He's a man, but we've got to get him to use it and tonight he did that,'' Williams said. "And it's not only getting him to use it, but also getting our guards more mindful of getting our eyes there and getting him that ball.''
Friday was also a coming out party for sophomore Jahmir Kingcannon, who came off the bench to can 5 3-pointers and finish with 15 points.
"To get a guy to be able to come off the bench in the way that he did and make shots like that is huge,'' Williams said. "The reality of it is, he can make those shots. H'e a dang good shooter, arguably the best shooter in our program right now.
"We've just got to find a way to get him more minutes and he earned that this evening.''
Senior Trevion Alexander led Topeka West with 23 points while Wilkerson added 19 points for the Chargers.
It was a costly night for West, which lost junior starters Zander Putthoff and Elijah Brooks to injuries, with Putthoff going out in the first quarter and Brooks in the third.
TOPEKA WEST GIRLS 67, HIGHLAND PARK 54
Topeka West picked up its second win of the season and first in the Centennial League, outscoring Highland Park 37-19 in the middle two quarters to take control.
The Chargers, 2-5 overall and 1-5 in the league, trailed Highland Park (0-7, 0-7) by a 17-12 margin at the end of the first quarter, but outscored the Scots 23-10 in the second quarter to take a 35-27 halftime lead.
West boosted its lead to 49-36 with a 14-9 third quarter before both teams scored 18 in the fourth.
Junior Nivea Triplett led Topeka West with 15 points while sophomore Makinsey Jones added 13 points and sophomore May Henderson 10.
Junior Aisya Taylor led Highland Park with a game-high 20 points while senior Isabella Carter added 13 points.
HIGHLAND PARK BOYS 57, TOPEKA WEST 54 (OT)
Topeka West 14 13 5 19 3 -- 54
Highland Park 5 17 15 14 6 -- 57
Topeka West (6-1, 5-1) -- Wilkerson 8 3-8 19, Brooks 1 1-2 4, T. Alexander 7 7-9 23, Putthoff 1 0-0 3, Lowery 0 1-2 1, Lira 1 0-1 3, Peterson 0 0-0 0, X. Alexander 0 1-2 1, Mehrens 0 0-0 0, Cooper 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 13-24 54.
Highland Park (3-3, 3-3) -- Peppers 2 2-3 7, Powell 9 7-8 26, Simms 0 2-2 2, Daniels 2 2-4 6, Prosper 0 1-2 1, Kendrick 0 0-2 0, Richardson 0 0-0 0, Kingcannon 5 0-0 15, Flores 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 14-21 57.
3-point goals -- Topeka West 5 (T. Alexander 2, Putthoff, Lira, Brooks), Highland Park 7 (Kingcannon 5, Peppers, Powell). Total fouls -- Topeka West 19, Highland Park 23. Fouled out -- none.
TOPEKA WEST GIRLS 67, HIGHLAND PARK 54
Topeka West 12 23 14 18 -- 67
Highland Park 17 10 9 18 -- 54
Topeka West (2-5, 1-5) -- S. Triplett 3 1-2 7, Sanchez 1 0-0 2, Benson 0 0-0 0, Clark 0 0-3 0, Bearman 1 1-2 3, Mays 1 0-0 2, Mosher 1 0-0 2, Anthony 2 0-0 5, N. Triplett 6 3-6 15, Duncan 3 0-0 8, Henderson 5 0-2 10, Jones 6 1-2 13. Totals 29 6-17 67.
Highland Park (0-7, 0-7) -- A. Gowan-Britt 4 0-1 9, Carter 4 5-10 13, C. Gowan-Britt 3 0-0 7, Taylor 8 3-5 20, Shutts 2 1-4 5. Totals 21 9-20 54.
3-point goals -- Topeka West 3 (Duncan 2, Anthony), Highland Park 3 (A. Britt, C. Britt, Taylor). Total fouls -- Topeka West 18, Highland Park 12. Fouled out -- none.
