Aquinas downs McPherson in semifinal battle of Kansas girls basketball powerhouses
McPherson and St. Thomas Aquinas are two of the top the most historic programs in Kansas high school girls basketball, and now they are in the same classification.
The Saints and Bullpups met for the first time since 2007 on Friday in the 2019 Class 5A state semifinals. Aquinas pulled out a 44-36 victory to keep alive its hopes of winning a fourth straight state championship, but the game was decided in the final minute ... and a new rivalry was likely born.
Aquinas and McPherson entered this season with 16 combined state championships. Only six other programs have more than five.
“The coaching style, the players and their attitude, they’re a very program,” Aquinas senior Alayna Townsell said. “Aquinas just has to bring it every single we play them. It’s always great to play against a team that will challenge you and almost remind you of yourself.”
The 2019 edition of this game lived up to the billing. With 1:03 to go, McPherson sophomore dribbled the length of the floor and buried a crucial three-pointer in the eye of senior Blythe Pearson to cut it to a 38-35 Saints lead. Down the stretch, however, Aquinas’ defense stiffened.
That was the Bullpups’ only bucket of the fourth quarter.
Facing a four-point deficit, McPherson’s last real chance came with 30 seconds left. With Aquinas in the double bonus, a turnover would likely end it.
After a few rounding handoffs, McPherson junior Emma Ruddle drove the lane, but Aquinas junior Molly Hartnett cut her off. Ruddle was forced to turn back and lost the ball. It went to Townsell.
Townsell, who finished with a game-high 19 points, was shut down in the Saints’ quarterfinal against Maize South. She finished without a point in that 47-29 win.
She said it was nice to get freed up Friday against McPherson, but as she and the Saints showed in the fourth quarter, it wasn’t about the points.
“It’s always been about making sure the other team doesn’t execute their offense, and that’s exactly what we did,” Townsell said. “This whole week, we practiced on what they’re going to bring to us.”
A few missed shots and free throws decided it Friday. Aquinas coach Rick Hetzel said the game could have gone either way. Hetzel said he has the utmost respect for what McPherson coach Chris Strathman has done with his program.
“They’re one of the best programs, if not the best program, in the state year after year,” he said.
In a lot of ways, the Aquinas and McPherson programs resemble each other, but since 2007, the Bullpups have fought with Bishop Miege in Class 4A.
Last year, McPherson broke Miege’s four-year state championship streak with a 62-58 overtime win. McPherson is expected to stay in 5A, with a booming community fueled on its high school sports teams.
With that, McPherson will likely trade blows with another Kansas City private school. Strathman said he looks forward to what the two Kansas powers can produce as near-locks to reach the state tournament each year.
Aquinas made its 25th straight state-tournament appearance this year. McPherson reached the final eight for the 24th time in the past 27 years.
Aquinas plays Blue Valley Southwest in an all-KC area girls 5A finale Saturday at 4 p.m. in Emporia. BV Southwest beat another KC-area school, Schlagle, 43-41 in the other girls 5A semifinal Firday.
“Hopefully we’re back here, and hopefully we continue to have the chance to match up with them,” Strathman said. “They’re the standard of 5A as far as what’s been recently, and rightfully so.”
This story was originally published March 8, 2019 at 6:47 PM.