Kansas high school boys basketball state: Wichita Heights, Derby showdown set in 6A semis
Wichita Heights junior T.J. Williams is considered one of the best players in Kansas high school basketball in the class of 2024.
He showed why on Wednesday in his opening-round game at the Class 6A state tournament at Wichita State’s Koch Arena, finishing with 22 points, six rebounds and five assists in a 67-44 win over Junction City.
When star senior point guard Marcus Zeigler missed time due to a head injury, Williams, a 6-foot-4 combo guard, took over the game to ensure Heights kept its chances alive of repeating its state championship.
“This is his third state tournament and his leadership was crucial for us,” Heights coach Joe Auer said. “He kept everybody calm throughout the game and I know he scored 22, but his passing was exceptional and he kept everybody involved. He understood the moment, understood that his partner was down and he had to take a little bit more on his shoulders and he did.”
With Zeigler missing time in the first half to patch up a cut to his face and fellow starter Jordan Okon out with an injury, Heights traded points with Junction City for most of the first half.
That’s when Williams took over in the second half, turning a close game into a blowout. The return of Zeigler also boosted the Falcons, which improved to 21-2 this season. Zeigler, Jordan Alford and Chase Robinson also finished in double-figure scoring, while Amalachi Wilkins added six blocks.
Auer was particularly pleased with his team’s defense, limiting a quality Junction City opponent to 44 points.
“We were pretty dominant on the defensive end,” Auer said. “When you play these state tournaments in arenas you haven’t set foot in all year, chances are you’re going to struggle offensively. So you’re not going to win without tremendous defensive effort. Our kids don’t panic on offense because they know they’re going to get stops at the other end. It’s a very comforting thing when everybody is on board and nobody is allowing a poor possession to affect their defensive intensity and concentration at the other end.”
The other area team who also advanced in the 6A bracket is Derby, which maintained a wire-to-wire lead in a 64-54 win over Olathe North. Kaden Franklin scored a game-high 15 points, while Kaeson Fisher-Brown added 12 points and Dallas Metzger scored 11.
It was just the fourth opening-round victory at the state tournament in Derby history, as the Panthers (17-6) will be seeking their first appearance in a state championship game when they take on the defending 6A champions in Heights in Friday’s 6 p.m. semifinal at Koch Arena.
“(Derby) is who we wanted,” Auer said. “It’s great for Sedgwick County, two local teams going at it on a Friday night at Koch Arena. I hope we get as many people out there as possible to support these local kids because it ought to be a heck of a ball game.”
Class 2A roundup: Wichita Independent wins first game at state ever
The Wichita Independent boys basketball program had only been to the state tournament one time before and never won a game.
That changed on Wednesday when Independent pulled away from a tight game down the stretch to prevail 55-46 over Pittsburg-St. Mary’s Colgan in the opening round of the Class 2A state tournament at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan.
The top-seeded Panthers improved to 22-2 and will face Central Plains League foe Medicine Lodge, which beat Bennington 56-45, in Friday’s 2 p.m. semifinal. It’s a rematch of the regular-season finale for both teams; they played on Feb. 21 and Independent won 68-51 to secure the CPL championship.
Independent’s game against Colgan was tied in the final two minutes, but the Panthers pulled away with back-to-back 3-pointers by senior Leyton Merrill and junior Sir Ryan Dennis.
Another area team advancing in the 2A bracket was Moundridge, which had little problem with St. Marys in a 63-31 blowout win. The Wildcats (21-3) will face Thomas More Prep (22-2) in Friday’s 6 p.m. semifinal.
In its first state appearance since 2013, Moundridge reached the state semifinals for just the second time in the last quarter-century.
Class 4A roundup: McPherson-Miege set for another thriller
Two Kansas high school heavyweight programs will clash in the Class 4A semifinals at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina, as McPherson and Bishop Miege both won their opening-round games at the state tournament.
McPherson had little issue dispatching Wellington, playing in its first state tournament since 2015, in a 71-49 victory, then Miege topped Atchison 88-70 in the following game to set up a 6 p.m. showdown on Friday between the two state powers.
The Bullpups (19-3) led 33-25 at halftime, then pulled away in the game by outscoring Wellington by 14 points in the third quarter. McPherson had four players score in double-figures with Cory Muehler (17 points), Kyden Thompson (15), Gabe Pyle (15) and Owen Pyle (11), while Wellington was led by 13 points from Jack Wright.
Kansas high school boys basketball state tournament scores
Class 6A (Wichita)
Blue Valley North 44, Manhattan 39 (OT)
Blue Valley Northwest 73, Shawnee Mission Northwest 54
Wichita Heights 67, Junction City 44
Derby 64, Olathe North 54
Class 4A (Salina)
Hugoton 80, Clay Center 63
Eudora 46, Baldwin 42 (OT)
McPherson 71, Wellington 49
Bishop Miege 88, Atchison 70
Class 2A (Manhattan)
Wichita Independent 55, Pittsburg-St. Mary’s Colgan 46
Medicine Lodge 56, Bennington 45
Thomas More Prep 52, Horton 27
Moundridge 63, St. Marys 31
Friday’s KSHSAA state basketball bracket schedule
Class 6A (Koch Arena in Wichita)
No. 2 Blue Valley North (20-3) vs. No. 3 Blue Valley Northwest (19-4), 2 p.m.
No. 1 Wichita Heights (21-2) vs. No. 4 Derby (17-6), 6
Class 4A (Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina)
No. 1 Hugoton (21-2) vs. No. 4 Eudora (19-4), 2 p.m.
No. 2 McPherson (20-3) vs. No. 6 Bishop Miege (17-6), 6
Class 2A (Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan)
No. 1 Wichita Independent (22-2) vs. No. 5 Medicine Lodge (18-6), 2 p.m.
No. 2 Thomas More Prep (22-2) vs. No. 3 Moundridge (21-3), 6
This story was originally published March 9, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
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