Kansas high school basketball scores: Andover Central tops No. 1 Andover in 8-0 start
No one outside the Andover Central boys basketball team saw this coming.
The Jaguars were nowhere to be found in any state rankings entering the season. And why would they be following just a six-win season last year under a first-year coach?
People know about this Andover Central team now, especially following a 56-49 win over cross-town rival and No. 1-ranked Andover on Friday. The Jaguars (8-0) continued their undefeated march under coach Tyler Richardson and will likely assume the No. 1 spot in the Class 5A rankings come Monday.
“Man, this was definitely my biggest game as head coach,” Richardson said. “I was so proud of how our guys kept their composure. Their student section was just losing their minds when they came back and I looked in our kids’ eyes and not once did I see any fear or any look of distress. They were just determined to win.”
Richardson knows what a culture of winning looks like after years of being an assistant coach under Joe Auer at Wichita Heights and he recognized many of the same things that long-time Andover Central coach Jesse Herrmann had established before retiring at the end of the 2019-20 season.
After one year of finding his footing in a new program in his first head coaching job, Richardson has already returned the Jaguars to a state power — a status they enjoyed for many years under Herrmann.
“The kids have really bought in to what we’re selling and that’s defense,” Richardson said. “We’re giving up around 38 points per game. It’s funny because offense is what’s glorified in basketball these days, but our guys have really bought into the defensive end. When our kids step on the floor, they’re excited to play defense. We know that’s the key to our success and we’re working hard.”
Andover Central senior Skyler Clevenger, a three-year varsity player, has been the veteran presence and a steady scorer on the team, while returners like Brian Perry, Max Holcomb, Adam Ray and Cole Newfarmer excel in their roles. Andover transfer Chance Gulley has also infused the Jaguars with more talent at the guard position.
But there’s no doubt that Wichita Southeast transfer Kobe Smith, a 6-foot-1 junior guard, has helped take the Jaguars to another level. Smith scored a game-high 24 points on Friday against Andover and is averaging 20.6 points in Andover Central’s undefeated start.
“There’s no denying that kid is just one big bundle of talent,” Richardson said of Smith. “And he’s just a fantastic kid. Every teacher in the building always comes up to me and tells me how much they love having him in class. The kid loves basketball and he puts in the work and he’s been a great teammate. He’s done a great job for us this year.”
Andover Central led by as many as 13 points late in the third quarter, but behind a flurry of three-pointers, Andover rallied to erase the deficit with a 12-0 run in the fourth quarter to tie the score at 45 with a little more than two minutes remaining.
Perry hit the biggest shot of the game, a three-pointer that broke the tie, and gave Andover Central control in the final 90 seconds. The Jaguars successfully sealed the victory with a 6-for-6 performance from the foul line with Smith, Holcomb and Clevenger all coming up perfect down the stretch.
Watching the Andover Central supporters go wild following the rivalry win and his team celebrate, Richardson smiled and tried to take in the entire scene. After a year of struggles, he could get use to more nights like this.
“It’s one of the proudest things I’ve experienced as a coach,” Richardson said. “Just seeing the kids go through it last year and then say, ‘Alright, we’re going to learn from it.’ And now here we are.”
Andover Central boys 56, Andover 49
Andover 12 9 12 16 — 49
Andover Central 13 13 14 16 — 56
ANDOVER (7-2): Shetlar 5 1-2 15, Redic 5 4-4 14, B. Harris 4 0-0 9, C. Harris 2 0-1 5, Kim 2 0-0 4, Klein 0 2-2 2. Totals 18 (6) 7-9 49.
A. CENTRAL (8-0): Smith 8 7-8 24, Perry 4 0-0 11, Clevenger 2 4-4 9, Holcomb 1 2-2 4, Gulley 1 0-0 3, Kunz 1 0-0 3, Ray 1 0-0 2. Totals 18 (7) 13-14 56.
Kansas high school boys basketball scores
City League
Wichita East 61, Wichita North 57
6A No. 6 Wichita Heights 49, Bishop Carroll 44
6A No. 10 Wichita Northwest 81, Wichita West 61
Wichita Southeast at Wichita South (postponed)
AV-CTL
4A No. 8 Andale 66, Mulvane 50
5A No. 3 Andover Central 56, 5A No. 1 Andover 49
Clearwater 44, Wellington 43
Derby 76, Newton 54
Hutchinson 64, Great Bend 37
5A No. 6 Maize 60, Wichita Life Prep 40
Maize South 67, Arkansas City 41
4A No. 7 McPherson 58, Circle 33
Salina Central 60, Goddard 41
Salina South 58, Campus 46
5A No. 9 Valley Center 67, Goddard Eisenhower 37
Buhler at Winfield (postponed)
El Dorado at Augusta (postponed)
Wichita Collegiate at Rose Hill (postponed)
Central Plains League
3A No. 3 Cheney 42, Chaparral 36
Conway Springs 52, Garden Plain 33
Kingman 61, Douglass 33
Wichita Trinity 69, Belle Plaine 55
Other area teams
1A-II No. 8 Attica 73, Burrton 51
Erie 64, Eureka 33
Haven 60, Halstead 28
3A No. 1 Hesston 53, Smoky Valley 23
Hoisington 58, Nickerson 47
Larned 64, Pratt 24
Remington 65, Bennington 61
1A-I No. 4 Norwich 71, Pretty Prairie 37
Stafford 33, Hutchinson Central Christian 28
West Elk 59, Oxford 28
Hillsboro at Lyons (postponed)
Kansas high school girls basketball scores
City League
5A No. 8 Bishop Carroll 52, 6A No. 9 Wichita Heights 45
Wichita East 49, Wichita North 15
Wichita Southeast at Wichita South (postponed)
Wichita West at Wichita Northwest (postponed)
AV-CTL
5A No. 3 Andover Central 54, Andover 44
6A No. 3 Derby 40, Newton 24
Hutchinson 58, Great Bend 43
Maize South 44, Arkansas City 18
McPherson 66, Circle 34
5A No. 2 Salina Central 64, 5A No. 5 Goddard 36
Salina South 59, Campus 20
Valley Center 39, Goddard Eisenhower 30
4A No. 3 Wellington 50, 4A No. 6 Clearwater 46 (OT)
Wichita Life Prep 49, 5A No. 10 Maize 44
Winfield 52, Buhler 24
Andale at Mulvane (postponed)
El Dorado at Augusta (postponed)
Rose Hill at Wichita Collegiate (postponed)
Central Plains League
3A No. 4 Cheney 57, Chaparral 33
Douglass 53, Kingman 52
2A No. 8 Garden Plain 39, Conway Springs 23
Wichita Trinity 62, Belle Plaine 49
Other area teams
1A-II No. 6 Attica 61, Burrton 37
Bennington 45, Remington 43
Halstead 64, Haven 59
Hesston 43, 3A No. 9 Smoky Valley 33
McPherson Elyria 60, Centre 17
Nickerson 54, Hoisington 36
1A-1 No. 10 Norwich 38, Pretty Prairie 37
Pratt 60, Larned 26
West Elk 43, Oxford 33
Hillsboro at Lyons (postponed)
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