Kansas high school basketball scores: Andover Central boys pull off improbable win
There might not be another finish like the one between the Salina Central and Andover Central boys basketball teams in Friday’s season-opener for the rest of the Kansas high school basketball season.
The game ended with Andover Central star Jayden Brown putting the finishing touches on his 37-point performance with the winning free throw with no time left on the clock in the Jaguars’ 62-61 victory, but it’s how he had the opportunity that was so bizarre.
It was actually Salina Central who held the ball for the final chance to win the game, as Kamryn Jones missed the initial attempt on a drive and the ensuing scramble for the rebound ended up in the hands of Kaden Snyder, who had 29 points of his own. But Snyder’s put-back for the win somehow fell off the front of the rim.
The final buzzer sounded and the teams appeared to be headed to overtime to decide a winner.
That is until a Salina Central player not involved in the final play walked over and pounded the ball into the ground and sent it sailing into the stands out of frustration. A referee immediately blew his whistle for a technical foul and it was determined that Andover Central would shoot two free throws before overtime with the chance to win.
Brown created even more theatrics by missing the first free throw, but his second shot was a pure swish the Jaguars won in the strangest fashion coach Tyler Richardson has ever seen.
“I’ve never in my life seen a game end like that,” a flabbergasted Richardson said afterward.
For Andover Central, it didn’t care how the job got done on Friday because the majority of its team just started practicing basketball this week after leading the Jaguar football team to the Class 4A state championship last weekend.
With the football players still working their way into basketball shape, Brown, a non-football player, shouldered the load with a career-high 37 points on 13-of-23 shooting, including seven 3-pointers. The 5-foot-9 “Mighty Mouse,” as Richardson calls him, scored two go-ahead baskets in the final 90 seconds, then won it at the line for his team.
“Jayden has been in the gym the last two weeks and he’s in shape and he’s been a varsity player since he was a freshman,” Richardson said. “He’s been there when we’ve lost in the sub-state championship for three years. I think he’s very determined this year to not let that happen again. He’s ready to get us over the hump and there’s no one else I’d rather have trying to do it.”
Greater Wichita Athletic League basketball scores
Boys
East 60, West 31
Heights 91, North 14
Kapaun Mt. Carmel 65, Southeast 52
Northwest 73, South 53
Girls
East 73, West 11
Heights 71, North 12
Kapaun Mt. Carmel 62, Southeast 56
South 52, Northwest 19
Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail League basketball scores
Boys
Abilene 79, Circle 56
Andover Central 62, Salina Central 61
Augusta 56, Goddard 48
Buhler 49, Nickerson 45 (OT)
Derby 57, Andover 55
Garden Plain 49, Wellington 48 (Thursday)
Halstead 62, Rose Hill 59
Maize South 39, Eisenhower 38
McPherson 69, Dodge City 56 (Thursday)
Mulvane 56, Kingman 36
Newton 57, Thomas More Prep 24
Olathe West 83, Maize 78
Winfield 68, Arkansas City 54
Girls
Andover 57, Derby 44
Andover Central 45, Salina Central 31
Arkansas City 54, Winfield 17
Buhler 69, Nickerson 17
Circle 40, Abilene 25
Goddard 46, Augusta 44 (OT)
Halstead 46, Rose Hill 28
Maize South 66, Eisenhower 47
McPherson 60, Dodge City 41 (Thursday)
Mulvane 50, Kingman 36
Olathe East 37, Newton 20
Wellington 57, Garden Plain 21 (Thursday)
Central Plains League basketball scores
Boys
Garden Plain 49, Wellington 48 (Thursday)
Medicine Lodge 53, Conway Springs 50 (OT)
Mulvane 56, Kingman 36
Norwich 50, Belle Plaine 46
Trinity Academy 44, Garden Plain 39
Girls
Belle Plaine 53, Norwich 39
Conway Springs 41, Medicine Lodge 36
Garden Plain 56, Trinity Academy 54
Mulvane 50, Kingman 36
Wellington 57, Garden Plain 21 (Thursday)
Central Kansas League basketball scores
Boys
Buhler 49, Nickerson 45 (OT)
Central Plains 49, Smoky Valley 29
Halstead 62, Rose Hill 59
Haven 65, Hutchinson Trinity 27
Hesston 56, Southeast of Saline 38
Sterling 60, Hillsboro 40
Girls
Buhler 69, Nickerson 17
Central Plains 48, Smoky Valley 29
Halstead 46, Rose Hill 28
Haven 60, Hutchinson Trinity 25
Hesston 67, Southeast of Saline 39
Hillsboro 62, Sterling 17
Heart of America League basketball scores
Boys
Berean Academy 60, Caldwell 22
Classical 57, Hutchinson Central Christian 48
Haven 65, Hutchinson Trinity 27
Marion 64, Goessel 38
Moundridge 50, Elyria Christian 39
Remington 58, Bluestem 10
Sterling 60, Hillsboro 40
Girls
Berean Academy 55, Caldwell 9
Classical 43, Hutchinson Central Christian 40
Goessel 45, Marion 33
Haven 60, Hutchinson Trinity 25
Hillsboro 62, Sterling 17
Moundridge 73, Elyria Christian 28
Remington 42, Bluestem 21
Other Wichita-area basketball scores
Boys
Flinthills 47, Lebo 37
Girls
Lebo 52, Flinthills 19
This story was originally published December 7, 2024 at 7:02 AM.
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