Wichita-area high school basketball game scores: Andover, Hutchinson, Hesston all sweep
Brooke Walker scored a game-high 26 points to lead the Andover high school girls basketball team to a 59-45 win over Andover Central on Tuesday.
In a meeting between two of the top-ranked teams in Class 5A with important league and sub-state implications on the line, the Trojans out-scored their cross-town rivals 22-3 in the fourth quarter to pull away for a comfortable win.
No. 4-ranked Andover improved to 15-2 overall, but more importantly, 9-1 in AV-CTL Div. 2 league play, gaining a game in the loss column with a season sweep over No. 8-ranked Andover Central, which dropped to 12-5 overall and 7-2 in league play.
It was a wild game of runs, as Andover opened up with a 19-9 lead after the first quarter, only for Andover Central to open the third quarter on an 11-1 run and build a 42-37 lead entering the fourth quarter.
That’s when Walker, one of the top recruits in Kansas, took over with a scoring frenzy in the fourth quarter. Andover also had contributions from Alana Shetlar, Brodie Christiansen, Amelya Vance and Regan Dusenbery, while Andover Central was led by 41 combined points from Maddi Amekporfor, Jaylee Jefferson and Hayden Snodgrass.
The win all but clinched Andover home-court advantage in sub-state, while Andover Central (12-5) is now battling with Hutchinson (13-4), Maize South (13-4) and Eisenhower (12-5) in the final 10 days of the regular season for the fourth seed to earn home-court advantage throughout sub-state.
The boys game also had similar implications, but lacked any of the drama as Andover pummeled Andover Central 63-34 in a rematch of ranked 5A teams.
After the Jaguars scored a victory on their home court back in December to take an early lead in the AV-CTL Div. 2 race, the Trojans won in blow-out fashion on their home court on Tuesday to come level with their rivals in the loss column. Andover is 9-1 in league play, while Andover Central is 8-1 entering the final three games of the season.
Tuesday’s game also provided the winner a leg-up in the race for home-court advantage in sub-state, as Andover (15-2) now has a 2-game lead over Andover Central (13-4) as the No. 3 seed in the Class 5A West standings. The Jaguars (13-4) are now in a race with Maize South (14-3) for the fourth and final spot for home-court advantage throughout sub-state entering the final 10 days of the regular season.
In Tuesday’s game, the game was actually tied early in the second quarter, but the rout was on after Andover reeled off a 17-2 run. With a 31-14 halftime advantage, the Trojans kept their foot on the pedal and pushed their lead to 30 points entering the fourth quarter.
Andover had four scorers in double-figures in B.J. Redic (14), Blake Rucker (12), Eli Shetlar (11), Josh Kim (10). Andover Central was led by 13 points from Kobe Smith.
Hutchinson sweeps Maize South in important AVCTL doubleheader
The Maize South boys had Hutchinson on the ropes, but the Salthawks showed why they are undefeated and the No. 2-ranked team in Class 5A in escaping with a 52-49 road win.
Maize South, ranked No. 4 in 5A, outscored Hutchinson 18-8 in the third quarter to build a 43-38 lead entering the fourth quarter, but the Salthawks made clutch plays down the stretch.
Dauntay King was fouled in the bonus three times in the final four minutes and made all six of his free throws, but the biggest shot of the game belonged to Wade Meyer, who drilled a corner 3-pointer with the score tied to give Hutchinson a 48-45 lead with 2:27 to play it didn’t relinquish.
Maize South rallied to trim the deficit to 48-47 on a Jeron Askren lay-up and the Mavericks had another lay-up that would have given them the lead, but it missed and King calmly sank free throws at the other end.
Down three with 18 seconds left, Maize South had one final look, but Michael Kates’ game-tying 3-pointer from the wing swirled in and out.
The win all but wraps up the AV-CTL Div. 1 championship for Hutchinson, which improved to 17-0 with a two game lead in the standings with three to play. Maize South dropped to 14-3 on the season, but all three losses have come to Hutchinson.
The girls game also featured a dramatic ending, as Hutchinson knocked off the No. 7-ranked Mavericks on their home court with a 47-43 win in double overtime.
Maize South appeared to score the game-winner in the closing seconds of regulation when Amani Lipscomb’s runner put the Mavericks up by one with less than 10 seconds left, but Maize South was whistled for a foul on a loose ball in the closing seconds. Hutchinson’s Grace Posch made the first, but missed the second free throw and the teams headed to overtime tied at 36.
Trailing by one in the final seconds of the first overtime, Maize South’s Avery Lowe grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled with 20 seconds left. She split the free throws and Hutchinson’s Aliyah Green missed the game-winner in the paint as the buzzer sounded.
The two teams were tied at 40 entering the final two minutes of the second overtime, but Hutchinson pulled ahead when Green attacked the basket and dumped off to Hannah Ames for the go-ahead score. Libby Jackson split a pair of free throws to extend the Salthawks’ lead to 43-40 and after Maize South turned the ball over and missed the front-end of a 1-and-1 free throw, Josie McLean made two more free throws for a 45-40 lead.
Maize South made one last rally when Ava Howie swished a 3-pointer from the wing to cut the deficit to 45-43 with 9.8 seconds left, but Hutchinson successfully funneled the ball to McLean, who made two more free throws to secure the key win.
Both teams are in contention for the No. 4 seed in the Class 5A West sub-state standings, which would mean home-court advantage in a sub-state title game. Both teams now have a 13-4 record, but Hutchinson now has a season sweep over Maize South, which is currently the difference between the No. 4 seed and No. 5 seed for both teams.
Hesston boys hand Haven first loss of the season
The lead for the Central Kansas League title and sub-state seeding was on the line for the Hesston and Haven boys basketball teams, which delivered a game fitting for a pair of Class 3A state championship contenders.
Haven entered with a perfect record and No. 2 ranking, but it was the 2-time defending state champion fourth-ranked Swathers that prevailed on their home court for a 41-39 victory.
The first 12 minutes were dominated by Hesston, as Jake Proctor scored 12 of his game-high 20 points to help build a 25-9 lead. But Haven showed the resilience of a champion on the road, slowly chipping away at the lead to get back into the game.
The Wildcats trimmed the deficit to 34-27 entering the fourth quarter, then Brant Sipe (20 points) drilled a 3-pointer to cut Hesston’s lead to 40-37 with 1:48 left in the fourth quarter.
After Hesston missed the front-end of a 1-and-1 free throw, Haven’s Nash Wray drove the length of the floor for a lay-up to trim Hesston’s lead to 40-39 with 11.1 seconds. Hesston’s Micah Dahlsten split a pair of free throws with 7.9 seconds left, leaving Haven one final chance to either win or force overtime.
It was Wray once again on an attack to the basket, but this time his lay-up missed and no foul was called as the buzzer sounded to end the thriller.
Both teams have a 17-1 record, but Hesston (7-0) pulled in front of Haven (6-1) in the CKL championship race with two games remaining. The two teams are also in the same sub-state, which means the head-to-head win puts Hesston in control of the No. 1 seed, although the two teams could meet again with a trip to the state tournament on the line.
In the girls game, Kendal Brueggen scored a game-high 20 points to lead Hesston to a 50-45 victory over Haven, the No. 10-ranked team in Class 3A.
The Swathers (13-5) pulled away from a tied game early in the third quarter with a 7-1 run, highlighted by a Brueggen steal and run-out for a three-point play and 31-24 lead.
The closest Haven (14-4) would come was when Sadie Estill (13 points) scored a layup to trim the deficit to 48-45 with 24.9 seconds left. Hesston sealed the victory at the foul line in what could be a potential showdown in sub-state play later this month.
Wichita-area high school basketball game scores (Feb. 14)
Boys
City League
Heights 65, North 28
Kapaun Mt. Carmel 75, Southeast 47
South 57, Northwest 53
West 65, East 50
AV-CTL Div. 1
Derby 63, Campus 36
Hutchinson 52, Maize South 49
Newton 71, Salina South 47
Maize 60, Arkansas City 55
AV-CTL Div. 2
Andover 63, Andover Central 34
Eisenhower 59, Valley Center 49
Salina Central 43, Goddard 38
AV-CTL Div. 3
Circle 69, Augusta 51
McPherson 76, Buhler 45
Mulvane 63, Winfield 50
AV-CTL Div. 4
Collegiate 47, Andale 42
El Dorado 45, Clearwater 33
Rose Hill 48, Wellington 44
Central Plains League
Chaparral 62, Kingman 50
Cheney 80, Medicine Lodge 55
Garden Plain 54, Douglass 33
Independent 90, Belle Plaine 50
Trinity Academy 52, Conway Springs 46
Central Kansas League
Halstead 54, Lyons 48
Hesston 41, Haven 39
Hillsboro 71, Nickerson 28
Hoisington 60, Larned 36
Pratt 71, Smoky Valley 61
Girls
City League
Heights 53, North 25
South 61, Northwest 41
Southeast 51, Kapaun Mt. Carmel 39
AV-CTL Div. 1
Derby 77, Campus 15
Hutchinson 47, Maize South 43 (2 OT)
Salina South 36, Newton 31
AV-CTL Div. 2
Andover 59, Andover Central 45
Eisenhower 54, Valley Center 28
Salina Central 45, Goddard 38
Arkansas City 39, Maize 29
AV-CTL Div. 3
Circle 45, Augusta 37
McPherson 49, Buhler 31
Winfield 43, Mulvane 36
AV-CTL Div. 4
Andale 41, Collegiate 12
Clearwater 55, El Dorado 27
Wellington 65, Rose Hill 25
Central Plains League
Cheney 66, Medicine Lodge 41
Conway Springs 53, Trinity Academy 28
Garden Plain 49, Douglass 29
Independent 56, Belle Plaine 18
Kingman 57, Chaparral 56
Central Kansas League
Halstead 49, Lyons 32
Hesston 50, Haven 45
Hillsboro 39, Nickerson 24
Hoisington 46, Larned 27
Smoky Valley 44, Pratt 40
