Kansas state high school basketball qualifiers: Maize boys headed back to semifinals
After leading the Maize football team to a deep run in the state playoffs playing quarterback, sophomore Avery Johnson is used to pressure-packed situations.
So when the Maize boys basketball team fell in an eight-point hole to Bishop Carroll in the second half of Tuesday’s Kansas Class 5A quarterfinal, Johnson was right at home.
“Those pressure moments are what I’m built for,” Johnson said. “Whenever they come, I just try to make the most of them.”
Johnson scored all 10 of Maize’s third-quarter points to keep the Eagles in the game, which allowed them to rally in the fourth for a 37-33 victory over Carroll to punch their ticket to the Class 5A semifinals at White Auditorium in Emporia. Maize (21-2) will be the No. 1 seed and play Kansas City Washington (10-4) in Friday’s 3 p.m. semifinal.
After leading Maize with 17 points, including another highlight-reel dunk over a defender, in its sub-state title win, Johnson finished with a game-high 14 points and was Maize’s only scorer over six points against Carroll’s top-ranked defense.
“We have seven guys who are all great players and it can be anybody’s night,” Maize senior Jacob Hanna said. “If we think we have a matchup, then that’s where we’re going to go. It was Avery Johnson’s night tonight. It was Avery Johnson’s night last game and hopefully it’s Avery Johnson’s night the next game too.”
For Carroll, it was the third straight heartbreaking end to a season where it was legitimate title contenders. Midway through the third quarter, it looked like Carroll would use the same recipe — suffocating defense and timely shot-making — to top Maize in a quarterfinals game that felt like a state championship.
But Johnson resuscitated Maize with back-to-back threes in the third quarter, then two more baskets in the paint. Maize made its rally in the fourth quarter behind back-to-back three-pointers from Mason Belcher off the bench, then the Eagles were able to hold on down the stretch thanks to free throws from Hanna and Keegan Harrod.
“These guys aren’t going to go away,” Maize coach Chris Grill said. “Our whole team is very competitive. I think when Avery made a couple of those baskets, it helped everybody else relax a little bit. We were able to spread them out and he was able to get a matchup he could use.”
In a Class 3A quarterfinal, Hesston topped Trinity Academy, 55-47, behind 28 points from Cason Richardson. The Swathers (21-1) head to the 3A state tournament at Hutchinson Sports Arena as the No. 1 seed and will play Thomas More Prep (21-4) in Friday’s 3 p.m. semifinals.
In Class 1A action, Wichita Classical lost in the Div. I quarterfinals to Olpe, 50-30, while McPherson Elyria Christian won 47-41 against Waverly in the Div. II quarterfinals.
Andale, Garden Plain girls both advance to semifinals
The Andale girls built a 15-4 lead after the first quarter and let its defense do the rest in a 31-20 victory over Clearwater in a Class 4A quarterfinal.
Jaley Eck scored a team-high seven points for Andale, while McKenzie Fairchild (six points) and Katelyn Fairchild (five points) both finished with four steals. Andale (18-5) will play top-seeded Bishop Miege (21-1) in the Class 4A semifinals at 3 p.m. Friday at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina.
The Garden Plain girls used a similar formula in their 48-39 win over Moundridge in the Class 2A quarterfinals, as the Owls built a 10-3 lead after the first quarter to build all the cushion they needed.
Madysen Zoglman led Garden Plain with a team-high 14 points to go along with nine rebounds, while Brooke Hammond added eight points, 11 rebounds, three assists and five steals. The Owls (17-5) will play top-seeded Sterling (22-1) in the Class 2A semifinals at 3 p.m. Friday at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan.
In other area action, the McPherson girls took down previously-unbeaten Clay Center, 47-41, in a 4A quarterfinal. The Bullpups (20-3) will play Louisburg (19-4) in Friday’s 7 p.m. semifinals in Salina.
Both area teams lost in the Class 6A quarterfinals against two of the top teams in the state, as Derby fell on the road to Dodge City, 55-30, while Wichita Heights lost at Topeka, 71-36. Berean Academy also lost in the Class 2A quarterfinals in a 41-34 loss to Pittsburg-St. Mary’s Colgan.
Tuesday’s quarterfinals
Class 6A girls
Dodge City 55, Derby 30
Topeka 71, Wichita Heights 36
Olathe West 55, Olathe North 41
Shawnee Mission Northwest 36, Blue Valley 29
Class 5A boys
Topeka West 52, Hays 49
Maize 37, Bishop Carroll 33
De Soto 67, Pittsburg 42
Kansas City Washington 52, Mill Valley 47
Class 4A girls
McPherson 47, Clay Center 41
Andale 31, Clearwater 20
Bishop Miege 56, Wamego 24
Louisburg 49, Labette County 48
Class 3A boys
Thomas More Prep 82, Hugoton 67
Hesston 55, Wichita Trinity Academy 47
Rock Creek 53, Royal Valley 43
Galena 55, Wellsville 48
Class 2A girls
Sterling 57, WaKeeney-Trego 43
Garden Plain 48, Moundridge 39
Pittsburg-St. Mary’s Colgan 41, Berean Academy 34
Valley Heights 60, Wabaunsee 44
Class 1A-Div. I boys
Ness City 53, Stockton 41
South Gray 72, Pratt Skyline 49
Little River 56, Clifton-Clyde 40
Olpe 50, Wichita Classical 30
Class 1A-Div. II boys
Pawnee Heights 48, South Haven 43
Northern Valley 52, Wheatland-Grinnell 44
Hanover 71, Beloit-St. John’s Tipton 37
McPherson Elyria Christian 47, Waverly 41
State tournament schedule
Class 6A girls (at Wichita State’s Koch Arena)
Friday—Shawnee Mission Northwest (21-0) vs. Olathe West (15-5), 3; Topeka (22-1) vs. Dodge City (21-1), 7. Saturday—Championship at 6.
Class 5A boys (at Emporia’s White Auditorium)
Friday—Maize (21-2) vs. Kansas City Washington (10-4), 3; Topeka West (20-2) vs. De Soto (19-3), 7. Saturday—Championship at 6.
Class 4A girls (at Salina’s Tony’s Pizza Events Center)
Friday—Bishop Miege (21-1) vs. Andale (18-5), 3; McPherson (20-3) vs. Louisburg (19-4), 7. Saturday—Championship at 6.
Class 3A boys (at Hutchinson Sports Arena)
Friday—Hesston (21-1) vs. Thomas More Prep (21-4), 3; Rock Creek (22-2) vs. Galena (22-2), 7. Saturday—Championship at 6.
Class 2A girls (at Kansas State’s Bramlage Coliseum)
Friday—Sterling (22-1) vs. Garden Plain (17-5), 3; Valley Heights (21-1) vs. Pittsburg-St. Mary’s Colgan (18-3), 7. Saturday—Championship at 6.
Class 1A-Div. I boys (at Dodge City’s United Wireless Arena)
Friday—South Gray (23-0) vs. Ness City (17-7), 3; Little River (22-1) vs. Olpe (16-3), 7. Saturday—Championship at 6.
Class 1A-Div. II boys (at Barton Community College)
Friday—Hanover (22-1) vs. Northern Valley (14-9), 3; McPherson Elyria Christian (15-9) vs. Pawnee Heights (14-9), 7. Saturday—Championship at 6.
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