Kansas high school basketball tournament scores: Wichita Southeast wins game at buzzer
Finding a more clutch performance on Thursday than what Mason Le delivered for the Wichita Southeast boys basketball team would be a difficult task.
In a first-round game at the Topeka Invitational Tournament, Le scored in the final seconds of regulation against Topeka Hayden to force overtime and then scored the game-winning basket on a floater as time expired to lift Southeast to a 76-75 overtime win over Hayden, ranked No. 10 in Class 4A.
The senior scored a game-high 27 points to help the Golden Buffaloes improve to 5-6 on the season and advance to face Highland Park, the No. 1-ranked team in 5A, in Friday’s semifinals.
Southeast sophomore D.J. Brown scored 18 points, while senior Ismael Berry and junior Jamari Berry each scored 10 points.
Jamari Berry’s three-point play put Southeast up 62-61 with 1:44 in regulation, but Hayden scored the next three points to take a 64-62 lead with 34.9 seconds left. Le answered with a game-tying basket in the closing seconds.
The overtime period was even more thrilling, as Hayden took a 75-74 lead with 11 seconds left when Jake Muller scored a layup. With the clock running, Le took an inbounds pass for Southeast and raced up the court, attacked the basket and finished a floater over two defenders for the game-winning points as time expired.
As midseason tournaments for Kansas high school boys basketball kicked off on Thursday, here’s a look at five other tournaments to know about:
1. Derby-Maize South showdown coming in Tournament of Champions
The host of the Tournament of Champions had an upset on its mind, as Dodge City led Derby by six points early in the fourth quarter, but the Panthers rallied behind sophomore Jack Ulwelling’s 14 points to escape with a 58-53 victory in the opening round of play.
Derby, ranked No. 4 in Class 6A, improved to 8-1 and will have a chance to score revenge for its only loss of the season in Friday’s TOC semifinals in an AV-CTL Div. I rematch against Maize South, another 8-1 team that is ranked No. 5 in Class 5A. The Mavericks pulled away from Bishop Carroll for an 83-58 win in their opening-round game.
The other side of the bracket saw Hutchinson, ranked No. 3 in 5A, handle Newton without a problem in a 53-25 win, while Junction City topped Shawnee Mission South 50-35.
2. City League teams both moving on in January Jam
Wichita Northwest junior Tasean Williams scored 26 points to lead the Grizzlies to a 63-53 win over host Valley Center in the opening round of the January Jam.
The Grizzlies improved to 7-3 and will face Garden City in Friday’s semifinals after the Buffaloes prevailed 60-50 over Sunrise Christian Academy.
The other City League team, Wichita Heights, also advanced with a 59-55 win over Topeka Seaman. The Falcons, ranked No. 3 in 6A, led by 11 points entering the fourth quarter and had to hang on for a win to improve to 9-1 behind 32 combined points from T.J. Williams and Amalachi Wilkins.
Heights will face Blue Valley in Friday’s semifinals after the Tigers topped Maize 54-31 in their opening game.
3. Collegiate, Kapaun both advance in Bluestem Classic
It took Collegiate until the fourth quarter to pull away, but the Spartans eventually found separation in a 58-43 win over Goddard in the first round of the Bluestem Classic in El Dorado.
Collegiate, ranked No. 4 in Class 3A, improved to 10-0 behind 14 points each from freshmen A.J. Batiste and Jaden Parker. The Spartans will face Arkansas City in Friday’s semifinals after the Bulldogs topped Wichita Trinity Academy in a 61-40 win.
On the other side of the bracket, Kapaun Mt. Carmel had no issues dispatching host El Dorado in a 67-25 win behind a game-high 15 points from Max Keller. The Crusaders, ranked No. 2 in 5A, improved to 9-1 and will face Great Bend in the other semifinal on Friday.
4. Indiana State recruit leads Andover to win in Salina tournament
Andover senior Eli Shetlar, a 2023 Indiana State commit, scored a game-high 23 points to lead the Trojans in a 77-57 win over Wichita South in the opening round of the Salina Invitational Tournament.
The Trojans, ranked No. 9 in Class 5A, improved to 8-2 and will face Salina Central in Friday’s semifinals at Kansas Wesleyan.
Josh Kim added 18 points and Chris Harris scored 14 for Andover, while South was led by 10 points from Jonovan Howard.
5. McPherson handles Wichita East in home tournament
The Bullpups had few problems dispatching Wichita East in a 77-47 win in their opening game in the Roundhouse to begin the McPherson Invitational Tournament.
The top-ranked team in 4A had all five starters in double-figure scoring as McPherson improved to 9-1 behind a double-double effort from Mason Miller (14 points, 10 rebounds). Cory Muehler scored a game-high 16 points, Kyden Thompson added 15 points and five assists and Owen Pyle chipped in 12 points. Kreighton Kanitz added 10 points.
McPherson will face Manhattan in Friday’s semifinals.
Thursday’s Kansas high school basketball tournament game scores
Boys
Tournament of Champions (Dodge City)
Hutchinson 53, Newton 25
Maize South 83, Bishop Carroll 58
Derby 58, Dodge City 53
Junction City 50, Shawnee Mission South 35
January Jam (Valley Center)
Blue Valley 54, Maize 31
Wichita Heights 59, Topeka Seaman 55
Wichita Northwest 63, Valley Center 53
Garden City 60, Sunrise Christian 50
Bluestem Classic (El Dorado)
Collegiate 58, Goddard 43
Arkansas City 61, Wichita Trinity Academy 40
Kapaun Mt. Carmel 67, El Dorado 25
Great Bend 65, Manhattan CHIEF 54
Salina Invitational Tournament
Andover 77, Wichita South 57
Abilene 64, Liberal 42
Salina Central 66, Buhler 43
Blue Valley Southwest 58, Salina South 40
McPherson Invitational Tournament
Lawrence Free State 51, Olathe East 43
St. James Academy 76, Blue Valley West 56
Manhattan 42, Shawnee Mission East 40
McPherson 77, Wichita East 47
Topeka Invitational Tournament
Highland Park 67, Shawnee Mission North 36
Wichita Southeast 76, Topeka Hayden 75 (OT)
Topeka West 55, Lansing 32
Lawrence 61, Topeka 52 (OT)
Ralph Miller Classic (Chanute)
Andover Central 57, Carthage (Mo.) 43
Emporia 57, Coffeyville 23
Parkview (Mo.) 68, Campus 54
Bishop Miege 73, Chanute 51
Spring Hill Invitational
Semis: Mill Valley 56, Goddard Eisenhower 24
Kansas City Sumner 53, Wichita North 47
Bill Hanson Memorial Tournament (Pittsburg)
Owasso (Okla.) 74, Wichita West 28
Adolph Rupp Invitational (Halstead)
Cheney 63, Garden Plain 42
Winfield 52, Halstead 46
Roadrunner Classic (Chaparral)
Circle 59, Clearwater 29 (Wednesday)
Mulvane 54, Chaparral 51 (Wednesday)
Wellington 56, Conway Springs 48
Reno County 64, Belle Plaine 57
Sterling Invitational
Semis: Hugoton 67, Sterling 60
Kingman 64, Hutchinson Trinity 63
Burrton Invitational
Semis: Inman 61, Hutchinson Central Christian 14
Semis: Little River 70, Goessel 37
Pretty Prairie 56, Burrton 26
Berean Academy 43, Fairfield 42
SCBL Tournament (Cowley County)
Semis: Cedar Vale-Dexter 60, Oxford 50
Semis: Sedan 58, West Elk 51
South Haven 59, Argonia 44
Burden-Central 56, Caldwell 51
Flinthills 64, Udall 57
Canton-Galva Invitational
Semis: Ell-Saline 54, Wichita Classical 51
Semis: Moundridge 71, Bennington 68
Consolation: Wichita Homeschool 52, Sedgwick 37
Girls
Salina Invitational Tournament
Liberal 61, Junction City 21
Andover 55, Abilene 25
Salina Central 52, Buhler 20
Salina South 50, Highland Park 47
Sterling Invitational Tournament
Semis: Scott City 50, Lyons 38
Semis: Hugoton 50, Southeast of Saline 39
Friday’s Kansas high school basketball tournament schedule
Note: All game times listed are p.m.
Boys
Tournament of Champions (Dodge City)
Newton vs. SM South, 1
Semis: Hutchinson vs. Junction City, 2:30
Dodge City vs. Bishop Carroll, 6
Semis: Derby vs. Maize South, 7:30
January Jam (Valley Center)
Topeka Seaman vs. Maize, 3:30
Sunrise Christian vs. Valley Center, 5
Semis: Wichita Heights vs. Blue Valley, 6:30
Semis: Garden City vs. Wichita Northwest, 8
McPherson Invitational Tournament
Blue Valley West vs. Olathe East, 3
Wichita East vs. Shawnee Mission East, 4:45
St. James Academy vs. Lawrence Free State, 6:30
McPherson vs. Manhattan, 8:15
Bluestem Classic (El Dorado)
Wichita Trinity Academy vs. El Dorado, 2:30
Goddard vs. Manhattan CHIEF, 4:15
Collegiate vs. Great Bend, 6
Arkansas City vs. Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 7:45
Salina Invitational Tournament
Semis: Blue Valley Southwest vs. Abilene, 4:30
Semis: Andover vs. Salina Central, 7:30
Wichita South vs. Buhler, 4:30
Salina South vs. Liberal, 7:30
Topeka Invitational Tournament
Semis: Topeka West vs. Lawrence, 7
Semis: Wichita Southeast vs. Highland Park, 8:30
Topeka Hayden vs. Shawnee Mission North, 5
Lansing vs. Topeka, 3:30
Ralph Miller Classic (Chanute)
Semis: Bishop Miege vs. Parkview (Mo.), 6:30
Semis: Andover Central vs. Emporia, 8:15
Carthage (Mo.) vs. Coffeyville, 3
Campus vs. Chanute, 4:45
Spring Hill Invitational
1st: Mill Valley vs. Glendale (Mo.)
3rd: Goddard Eisenhower vs. Olathe South
5th: Kansas City Sumner vs. Spring Hill
7th: Wichita North vs. Kansas City Harmon
Bill Hanson Memorial Tournament (Pittsburg)
Wichita West vs. Willard (Okla.), 8:30
Adolph Rupp Invitational (Halstead)
Semis: Andale vs. Rose Hill, 6
Semis: Haven vs. Concordia, 7:45
Roadrunner Classic (Chaparral)
Semis: Circle vs. Mulvane, 5:30
Semis: Wellington vs. Reno County, 7
Clearwater vs. Chaparral, 2
Conway Springs vs. Belle Plaine, 3:30
Sterling Invitational
1st: Hugoton vs. Southeast of Saline
3rd: Sterling vs. Scott City
5th: Kingman vs. Smoky Valley
7th: Hutchinson Trinity vs. Lyons
SCBL Tournament (Cowley County)
1st: Cedar Vale-Dexter vs. Sedan
3rd: Oxford vs. West Elk
Canton-Galva Invitational
1st: Ell-Saline vs. Moundridge
3rd: Wichita Classical vs. Bennington
5th: Wichita Homeschool vs. Canton-Galva
7th: Sedgwick vs. Solomon
Girls
Salina Invitational Tournament
Semis: Andover vs. Salina South, 3
Semis: Liberal vs. Salina Central, 6
Junction City vs. Buhler, 3
Abilene vs. Highland Park, 6
Hoisington Winter Jam
Semis: Pratt vs. Cimarron, 3:30
Semis: Hoisington vs. Ellsworth, 6:30
