Previewing Friday’s top matchups + the Varsity Kansas Game of the Week
No. 2 Wichita Southeast at No. 1 Wichita Heights (Boys)
Joe Mitchell hasn’t had the easiest start to his high school coaching career, but, like he did in his playing days, he has woven through it unscathed.
Mitchell has his alma mater, Wichita Southeast, undefeated with a chance to take the top spot in the City League on Friday. The Buffaloes travel to the co-leader Heights in what has the making of a City League title decider.
Southeast opened the 2018-19 season with a four-point home win over East. The Buffs followed it with a 56-55 road win over defending 5A champion Bishop Carroll. Mitchell said playing such a brutal early schedule is a double-edged sword.
“On one hand, I kind of like it, and on one hand I kind of don’t,” he said. “It helps me see where my team is at mentally and physically. It also helps to see where I’m at as a coach.”
Friday will be Southeast’s biggest test. Heights enters as the No. 1 team in Class 5A, according to the latest Kansas Basketball Coaches Association rankings. The Falcons have length few teams in Kansas can match.
But Southeast brings speed in transfer point guard Jackie Johnson III and All-City League selection Micah Jacques.
Previous Meeting: Wichita heights 52, Wichita Southeast 44
Prediction: Wichita Heights 56, Wichita Southeast 54
No. 2 Bishop Carroll at Kapaun Mt. Carmel (Girls)
Wednesday night, Bishop Carroll was hit in the mouth for eight minutes.
Entering the fourth quarter with a 10 point lead over Northwest, Grizzly freshman Isis Sanders scored 22 of her 25 points including a buzzer-beater to give the Golden Eagles their first loss since last year’s 5A title game. Coach Taylor Dugan said they must move on - quickly.
With the loss, Carroll drops to the No. 2 spot in the City League behind undefeated Heights. Kapaun sits third after a promising 5-2 start with wins over East, Southeast and Northwest. With the Holy War as the scene, Dugan said she knows how important a road win would be.
“The girls understand that they have to move on and really kind of redeem ourselves,” Dugan said. “I truly anticipate that we will come into this game strong and ready to go just because of what happened Wednesday. They’re going to be ready for us, too.”
Carroll enters with two of the top 15 scorers in the Wichita area in senior forward Britney Ho and senior point guard Allison McFarren. Kapaun will have to contain their connection have stay in the game.
Previous Meeting: Bishop Carroll 56, Kapaun Mt. Carmel 43
Prediction: Bishop Carroll 53, Kapaun Mt. Carmel 46
No. 3 Circle at No. 5 McPherson (Girls)
About a month ago, Chris Strathman could only hope.
Faced with a cancerous colon tumor, he was bedridden for the first semester of the McPherson basketball season. After a successful surgery in late November, he is set to make his return Friday.
Strathman said he knows it will be emotional.
“It’s kind of like when a player gets emotional playing against a former team or anything like that,” he said. “Once the ball goes up in the air, we kind of forget about it and just play.”
The Bullpups can’t flinch Friday. Circle enters undefeated as the No. 3 team in Class 3A, according to the KBCA rankings. The Thunderbirds lean on top scorers Mallory Cowman and Alyson Potter and will need them to win on the road in one of the toughest gyms in Kansas.
Previous Meeting: McPherson 61, Circle 31
Prediction: McPherson 65, Circle 60
Bishop Carroll at Kapaun Mt. Carmel (Boys)
Almost two years ago in the five overtime Holy War, Bishop Carroll’s Luke Evans took over.
He grabbed hold of the flow of the game and helped the Golden Eagles to a historic 103-102 win. Kapaun hasn’t won since, but this will be the first meeting without Evans, an All-State player last year.
Kapaun has struggled to find points at times this season. Although the Crusaders have five seniors, their varsity experience is limited, coach John Cherne III said. But the Holy War tends to bring out an added energy.
Carroll, coming off its first state title in school history, has hiccuped out of the gate with losses to East and Southeast, but Cherne said he knows how dangerous they are, deploying a positionless system.
“We’re going to have to defend all five positions,” he said. “We’re going to have to stay out of foul trouble, and we’re going to have to hit shots.”
Previous Meeting: Bishop Carroll 48, Kapaun Mt. Carmel 44
Prediction: Bishop Carroll 51, Kapaun Mt. Carmel 43
Campus at No. 2 Salina Central (Boys)
A win might prove something to some but not to the Colts; they know they can hang, coach Chris Davis said.
Campus has gotten off to a 4-1 start with its only loss on the road to undefeated Maize. Although the opponents in the Colts’ wins have a combined four wins, they have come by an average of 15.8 points.
They have taken care of business when needed, but Friday’s test will be another shot at one of the state’s bests. Salina Central enters undefeated and No. 2 in the latest KBCA rankings. The Mustangs are well-rounded with four players averaging at least 12 poitns per game and can shoot the lights of the gym.
Davis said a win on the road will be a challenge but one the Colts know they can overcome.
“We have to make their shooters drive, and I think we can do that with our length and size and quickness,” he said. “It’s got a chance to be a really special night with two really, really good teams and a great atmosphere.”
Previous Meeting: Salina Central 62, Campus 40
Prediction: Salina Central 59, Campus 54