"9By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Coming off a tough overtime loss to No. 10-ranked Lawrence late Friday night, Topeka High had to go back to work about 17 hours later.
And High coach Geo Lyons was thrilled to see his team do just that, with the Trojans rolling to a 63-37 Friday consolation win over Lansing to kick off Day 2 of the Topeka Invitational Tournament at Topeka West.
Topeka High coach Geo Lyons talks to his Trojans during Friday's 63-37 Topeka Invitational Tournament win over Lansing. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The Trojans, who played without junior standout Isaiah Lyons (back injury), jumped on top of Lansing 5-0 at the start of the game and went wire to wire for their second win of the season.
"A lot of emotion went into last night's game, so I really wondered how we would respond in such a quick turnaround, less than 24 hours,'' G. Lyons said. "Also, a guy that's kind of been our motor (I. Lyons) down this game, too, you wondered who would step up in big roles today and our guys really stepped up to the plate.''
Lansing was within three points at the end of the first quarter (14-11) and still within three at the half (21-18) but Topeka High stretched its advantage to 19 points by the end of the third quarter and led by as many as 27 points on three different occasions over the final eight minutes.
Junior Bryson Thrasher, who scored 23 points in the 61-52 loss to Lawrence, had another big day against Lawrence, scoring a game-high 18 points.
The Trojans also got 11 points from sophomore Da'Mykel Hales as nine players cracked the scoring column for Topeka High (2-9).
Lansing (1-9) did not have a player with more than six points.
Topeka High will play for fifth place on Saturday at 1:45 p.m. in West's auxiliary gym, facing the winner of Friday's game between Hayden and Shawnee Mission North.
TOPEKA HIGH 63, LANSING 37
Topeka High 14 7 24 18 -- 63
Lansing 11 7 8 11 -- 37
Topeka High (2-9)-- Thrasher 8 1-2 18, Hales 3 5-7 11, Norman 1 2-2 5, Gomez 3 0-0 7, Mosqueda 2 0-0 6, J. Villegas 1 0-0 2, M. Villegas 3 0-0 6, Votaw 2 0-0 4, Storrer 2 0-0 4. Totals 25 8-11 63.
Lansing (1-9) -- Expose 2 1-1 5, Johnson 0 0-0 0, Crawford 0 0-0 0, Graber 0 0-0 0, Zimmerman 1 0-0 3, Grafke 2 0-0 6, Allen 1 0-0 2, Butler 1 0-1 2, Thomas 2 0-0 4, Turner 2 0-0 4, Stephens 2 0-0 5, Anderson 0 0-0 0, Kell 0 0-0 0, French 2 0-0 6, Jackson 0 0-0 0 . Totals 15 1-2 37.
3-point goals -- Topeka High 5 (Mosqueda 2, Thrasher, Norman, Gomez)., Lansing 6 (Grafke 2, French 2, Zimmerman, Stephens). Total fouls -- Topeka High 11, Lansing 11. Fouled out -- none.
RESULTS FRIDAY
Topeka High 63, Lansing 37
Hayden vs. Shawnee Mission North
Topeka West vs. Lawrence
Highland Park vs. Wichita Southeast
GAMES FRIDAY
12 p.m (main gym). -- Third place
12 p.m. (auxiliary gym) -- Seventh place
1:45 (main gym) -- Championship
1:45 (auxiliary gym) -- Fifth place.
