Kansas high school basketball state scores: Wichita Heights girls nail game-winner
As soon as the ball left her hands, SaMiyah Ellis knew her aim was true.
It didn’t lessen the thrill of making a game-winning 3-pointer to kick off the Kansas high school state tournament, as Ellis’ buzzer-beater on Thursday lifted the Wichita Heights girls basketball team to a 60-57 win over Olathe West in overtime in the Class 6A state tournament.
The second-seeded Falcons (20-3) advanced to Friday’s 8 p.m. semifinals at Koch Arena.
“Honestly, I’m still in shock,” Ellis said almost an hour after the game. “I’m still feeling the adrenaline. To make a shot like that on this big stage, it’s just a surreal feeling.”
It was a fitting conclusion to a wild back-and-forth ending between the teams.
Heights led 44-36 with less than two minutes remaining in overtime, but Olathe West rallied with three straight 3-pointers. After Heights split a pair of free throws, Olathe West tied the score with 17.6 seconds left. The Falcons had three chances to win the game in the final seconds, but all three shots missed and overtime was required.
The extra four minutes featured five different lead changes and two tied scores, as it was actually Olathe West who had the advantage with a 54-52 lead with under a minute remaining.
But Heights conjured some magic with a full-court press that forced a quick turnover that reserve Terri Brown picked off and scored while being fouled for a 3-point play to put the Falcons ahead 55-54 with 34 seconds left. After an empty trip for Olathe West, Heights extended the lead with two straight free throws by Halle Clemons.
“Our bench did a great job and they stepped up when we needed them,” Heights coach Kip Pulliam said. “Those were two key plays at the end of the game that even put us in position for that game-winning shot at the end. It wasn’t just about our starters tonight, our bench players really stepped up.”
Olathe West’s Jessica Borders drilled a step-back 3 with 9.4 seconds left to tie the score, then Heights called a timeout with 7 seconds left to draw up a final play.
The ball was funneled to senior Kamyra Barber with options to either attack for herself or kick to a teammate. After crossing halfcourt, Barber recognized Olathe West’s defense had forgotten about Ellis standing all by herself along the perimeter.
The ball was swung to Ellis, who didn’t hesitate to raise up from nearly four feet beyond the arc to drill the game-winning shot as time expired.
“The girls deserved that because they fought back,” Pulliam said. “We had our ups and downs, but when it came time to make the winning plays, our girls stepped up.”
Below is an updated list of scores with schedules for playoff games played around the state basketball tournaments on Thursday, March 13.
Class 6A state basketball scores
Girls
No. 1 Derby 55, No. 8 Wichita East 30
No. 5 Olathe North 63, No. 4 Olathe South 52
No. 2 Wichita Heights 60, Olathe West 57 (OT)
No. 3 Blue Valley North 45, No. 6 Washburn Rural 39
Friday’s semifinal schedule
Note: All games played at Koch Arena in Wichita.
Boys: No. 4 Shawnee Mission Northwest (20-3) vs. No. 8 Maize (17-6), 2 p.m.
Girls: No. 1 Derby (20-3) vs. No. 5 Olathe North (18-5), 4
Boys: No. 3 Wichita Heights (21-2) vs. No. 7 Olathe North (17-6), 6
Girls: No. 2 Wichita Heights (20-3) vs. No. 3 Blue Valley North (19-4), 8
Class 5A state basketball scores
Boys
No. 1 Topeka Highland Park 65, No. 8 Andover Central 56
No. 5 Kansas City Piper 70, No. 4 Shawnee Heights 52
No. 2 Kapaun Mt. Carmel 64, No. 7 Topeka West 50
No. 3 Andover 76, No. 6 Bonner Springs 60
Friday’s semifinal schedule
Note: All games played at White Auditorium in Emporia.
Girls: No. 4 Spring Hill (20-3) vs. No. 8 St. Thomas Aquinas (16-7), 2 p.m.
Boys: No. 1 Topeka Highland Park (23-0) vs. No. 5 Kansas City Piper (20-3), 4
Girls: No. 2 Topeka Seaman (23-0) vs. No. 3 Andover (22-1), 6
Boys: No. 2 Kapaun Mt. Carmel (20-3) vs. No. 3 Andover (20-3), 8
Class 4A state basketball scores
Girls
No. 1 Wellington 52, No. 8 Andale 40
No. 5 Buhler 56, No. 4 Labette County 51
No. 2 Topeka Hayden 56, No. 7 Clay Center 44
No. 6 Bishop Miege 68, No. 3 Eudora 35
Friday’s semifinal schedule
Note: All games played at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina.
Boys: No. 1 Ottawa (23-0) vs. No. 4 McPherson (19-4), 2 p.m.
Girls: No. 1 Wellington (21-1) vs. No. 5 Buhler (19-4), 4
Boys: No. 2 Rock Creek (21-2) vs. No. 3 Andale (20-3), 6
Girls: No. 2 Topeka Hayden (21-2) vs. No. 6 Bishop Miege (18-4), 8
Class 3A state basketball scores
Boys
No. 1 Galena 55, No. 8 Bishop Ward 48
No. 4 Hesston 45, No. 5 Burlington 42
No. 7 Silver Lake 48, No. 2 Lakin 46
No. 6 Goodland 68, No. 3 Cheney 52
Friday’s semifinal schedule
Note: All games played at Hutchinson Sports Arena.
Girls: No. 2 Halstead (23-1) vs. No. 6 Colby (22-2), 2 p.m.
Boys: No. 1 Galena (23-0) vs. No. 4 Hesston (22-2), 4
Girls: No. 1 Hesston (24-0) vs. No. 4 Silver Lake (22-2), 6
Boys: No. 6 Goodland (21-3) vs. No. 7 Silver Lake (19-5), 8
Class 2A state basketball scores
Girls
No. 1 Moundridge 62, No. 8 Thomas More Prep 50
No. 5 Inman 54, No. 4 Phillipsburg 35
No. 2 Pittsburg-St. Mary’s Colgan 41, No. 7 Valley Heights 37
No. 6 Doniphan West 60, No. 3 Chase County 44
Friday’s semifinal schedule
Note: All games played at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan.
Boys: No. 1 Moundridge (24-0) vs. No. 4 Valley Falls (20-4), 2 p.m.
Girls: No. 1 Moundridge (22-2) vs. No. 5 Inman (20-3), 4
Boys: No. 2 Sterling (21-3) vs. No. 3 Ell-Saline (21-3), 6
Girls: No. 2 Pittsburg-St. Mary’s Colgan (22-2) vs. No. 6 Doniphan West (18-5), 8
Class 1A Division 1 state basketball scores
Boys
No. 1 Olpe 57, No. 8 Little River 53
No. 4 Central Plains 54, No. 5 Frankfort 44 (OT)
No. 2 South Central 52, No. 7 Clifton-Clyde 38
No. 3 South Gray 66, No. 6 Quinter 47
Friday’s semifinal schedule
Note: All games played at United Wireless Arena in Dodge City.
Girls: No. 2 Centralia (24-0) vs. No. 3 Troy (22-1), 2 p.m.
Boys: No. 1 Olpe (22-2) vs. No. 4 Central Plains (19-4), 4
Girls: No. 1 Little River (22-0) vs. No. 5 Quinter (21-3), 6
Boys: No. 2 South Central (22-2) vs. No. 3 South Gray (20-4), 8
Class 1A Division 2 state basketball scores
Boys
No. 1 Cunningham 63, No. 8 Bucklin 50
No. 4 McPherson Elyria Christian 62, No. 5 Hanover 57
No. 2 Axtell 66, No. 7 Hutchinson Central Christian 46
No. 3 Dighton 60, No. 6 Lebo 40
Friday’s semifinal schedule
Note: All games played at Colby Event Center.
Girls: No. 5 Attica (21-3) vs. No. 8 Linn (17-6), 2 p.m.
Boys: No. 1 Cunningham (24-0) vs. No. 4 McPherson Elyria Christian (20-4), 4
Girls: No. 2 Lebo (21-2) vs. No. 3 Hanover (21-2), 6
Boys: No. 2 Axtell (23-1) vs. No. 3 Dighton (21-3), 8
This story was originally published March 13, 2025 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Kansas high school basketball state scores: Wichita Heights girls nail game-winner."
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