By KYLE MANTHE
The Washburn Review
Topeka High's girl’s basketball team, ranked No. 2 in Class 6A, was aiming to protect its undefeated record Friday night against the visiting Emporia Spartans, ranked No. 3 in the latest 5A Kansas Basketball Coaches Association rankings.
After a slow start, the Trojans outscored Emporia by 26 points over the final three quarters to do just that, taking a 65-36 Centennial League win.
“We didn’t play our best against Junction when we went down there,” Topeka High coach Hannah Alexander said. “We know we got to turn it on. It’s the prime time of the season and we can’t be relaxed, we can’t be satisfied.”
Kiki Smith
Tae Thomas
The win moved Topeka High to 14-0 on the year and 11-0 in league play as the Trojans were once again led by junior Kiki Smith and senior Tae Thomas, who combined for 36 points.
“Those two just feed off of each other, they both do a good job of looking for one another” Alexander said. “It’s easy for a defense to hone in on one, but when you’ve got two and some very good role players that know their job and do their job very well, it’s really hard (to defend).”
Defenses for both teams dominated early on, slowing each offense down and limiting possessions.
Most of the scoring for each side came from its stars, with Smith for the Trojans and senior Gracie Gilpin of the Spartans scoring five each.
A 3-pointer at the one-minute mark from Topeka High sophomore Ayana Leesman broke the 5-5 tie, giving the Trojans an 8-5 lead after eight minutes.
Topeka High began to create some distance in the second quarter, with a 3-pointer by Smith at the 2:46 mark putting the Trojans up by double digits.
“Once we started to get some defensive stops that kind of let off some pressure for us to relax and do our thing offensively and get some points in transition,” Alexander said.
Gilpin continued to score, as she knocked in the first 10 for Emporia and scored 13 in the half. Late free throws for senior DayShauna Wiley put the Trojans back up by 10, with a halftime lead of 26-16.
Gilpin came out of halftime just as hot, scoring five points in the first two minutes to pull Emporia within seven.
Topeka High’s offense would take off after that, led by Thomas, who scored 13 in the quarter, including converting two and-ones. The Trojans would finish on a 15-3 run to take a 49-27 lead into the fourth.
In the final quarter, nine combined early points from juniors Faith Shields and Adisyn Caryl pushed the lead to as many as 27. A layup by Caryl at the 3:33 mark made it a 30 point game and the clock ran out with a 29-point Trojan win.
“We attacked their man-to-man and then they threw a zone at us and we kept attacking so I think that is why we were successful,” Alexander said.
Smith led Topeka High with 21 points, including three 3-pointers while Thomas added 15 points, including 13 in the second half.
Gilpin was the only scorer in double-figures for the Spartans, finishing with 22 points and four made 3-pointers.
Next up for the Trojans is a road contest against Highland Park on Tuesday.
TOPEKA HIGH GIRLS 65, EMPORIA 36
Topeka High 8 18 23 16 - - 65
Emporia 5 11 11 9 -- 36
Topeka High (14-0, 11-0) – Leesman 2-3 1-2 6, Baird 0-2 0-0 0, Zimmerman 0-0 0-0 0, Wiley 1-4 2-2 4, Caryl 4-4 0-0 8, Thomas 5-11 4-4 15, Fulton 0-0 0-0 0, Shields 3-7 0-0 8, Sharpe 0-0 0-0 0, Smith 8-10 2-4 21, Jones 0-0 0-0 0, Mwangi 1-1 0-0 3, Verser 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-38 9-12 65.
Emporia (11-4, 7-4) – Gilpin 8-16 2-4 22, Kirmer 0-3 1-2 1, Peak 0-1 0-0 0, Stewart 1-2 0-0 3, A. Baker 1-1 0-0 3, Shirley 1-2 0-0 2, T. Baker 0-0 0-0 0, Garcia 0-0 0-0 0, Snyder 1-4 3-3 5. Totals 12-27 6-9 36.
3-point goals – Topeka High 8 (Smith 3, Shields 2, Thomas 1, Leesman 1, Mwangi 1). Emporia 6 (Gilpin 4, Stewart 1, A. Baker 1). Total fouls – Topeka High 15, Emporia 14. Fouled out – None. Technical fouls – None.
