Schlagle senior Malik Cushon (12) went up for a shot in the first quarter. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel)
by Brian Turrel
The Schlagle High School boys basketball team upset Salina Central High School 56-53 in the first round of the Class 5A state playoffs March 9 in Topeka.
Schlagle, the seventh seed, made enough free throws to keep its lead over Central, which was the second seed of the tournament.
With 8 seconds remaining, Central had a last-chance shot to tie the game with a long three-pointer, but missed the mark.
Down by 5 with three minutes remaining in the game, Central shifted to a hacking strategy to conserve the clock, fouling the Schlagle ball handler immediately off the inbounds pass. As a result, Schlagle took 34 free throw shots for the game, versus 12 for Central. Schlagle made 20 of 34.
Schlagle moves on to face Wichita Heights in the tournament semi-finals on March 10. The game will be at 4:45 p.m. today at the Kansas Expocentre in Topeka.
Photos copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel
Schlagle junior Tyon Grant-Foster (2) drove to the basket. Grant-Foster led the team with 16 points. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Schlagle senior Cordae Bass (3) took a short-range jumper in the first quarter. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Malik Cushon knocked away a shot from Central junior Ethan Speer (15). Cushon finished with 6 blocks in the game. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Schlagle senior Tama Johnson (11) looked to pass inside. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Schlagle sophomore D’Monte Gaw (13) went up for a layup in the second quarter. Gaw had 11 points and 7 rebounds in the game. Central led 31 to 24 at halftime. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) The Schlagle dance team performed with the band at halftime. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Schlagle senior Dominique Sanders (32) challenged Central sophomore Harper Williams (23) at the perimeter. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Schlagle sophomore Ronnell Mitchell (1) concentrated on a free throw in the fourth quarter. Gaw made 9 of 12 free throw attempts in the game, many during the critical fourth-quarter stretch. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) The Schlagle band played during a timeout in the fourth quarter. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Tyon Grant-Foster threw down a dunk. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) With a small lead late in the fourth quarter, the Schlagle bench watched nervously from the sidelines. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) During a timeout in the fourth quarter, Schlagle head coach Prentes Potts talked with his team about Central’s strategy. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel)
The 80,000-square-foot training facility will contain coaching offices, classrooms, fitness and rehabilitation labs, and a great hall with a viewing area overlooking the training fields. A 12,000-square-foot gymnasium will sit next to the facility. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) by Brian Turrel
Construction continues on the National Training and Coaching Development Center near 94th and Parallel Parkway in Kansas City, Kansas.
The center, scheduled to be completed Dec. 15, is a partnership among Sporting KC, U.S. Soccer, and Children’s Mercy.
The center will include adjoining training facilities for Sporting KC and U.S. Soccer. Children’s Mercy plans to build a youth sports medicine facility nearby.
Sporting KC vice president of development David Ficklin pointed out the classroom areas of the new training facility to Sporting assistant coach Zoran Savic. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Tuesday’s high winds prevented new beams from being raised, but workers kept busy with other work on the structure. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Sporting KC manager and technical director Peter Vermes talked about the important role that the facility will play in improving the United States’ ability to compete for a World Cup by developing coaches and players. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Story and photos copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel
Piper junior Daviance “Doc” Covington (1) went straight up for a three-point shot. Covington finished with 12 points for the game. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel)
The Piper High School boys basketball team won the opportunity to advance to the state 4A Division I tournament in Salina next week by beating Basehor-Linwood High School in the substate final on March 4 at Piper.
Piper won the game in overtime, 54-52. Piper led by 4 with less than a minute in regulation, but the two teams tied the game at 45, forcing overtime.
Basehor scored only 4 points in the first quarter, but came back strong in the second quarter to lead 22 – 19 at halftime. Sophomore Jacob Coleman led the comeback effort with 7 points in the quarter.
Piper heads to the state tournament as the No. 1 seed and will play against Andover’s Central High School on March 8. Piper senior Jordan Goodpaster (10) drove to the basket in the third quarter. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Piper senior Jalen Taylor (11, center) swatted away a shot from Basehor senior Jackson Sherley. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) The Piper and Basehor cheerleading squads had a friendly rivalry to see which squad could complete the most tumbling runs. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Basehor senior Eric Scott (1) secured a defensive rebound in the third quarter. Scott finished with 10 points for the game. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Basehor sophomore Jacob Coleman was disappointed to find he had been called for traveling after winning the battle for a loose ball against Piper senior Bryant Rogers (21). (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Jalen Taylor made the basket and was fouled, for a three-point opportunity in the fourth quarter. Taylor led the Pirates with 16 points for the game. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Piper senior J.J. Letcher (3) drove past Basehor senior Zain Drew (25). (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Jalen Taylor pulled down an offensive rebound from among three Basehor defenders. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Teammates encouraged J.J. Letcher as he headed to the bench after fouling out near the end of regulation. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Tied at Basehor had the ball chance to win with three seconds remaining, but the ball ended up in a scramble at mid-court, and the game went to overtime. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Piper senior Terrell Hall (2) went up for a layup in overtime. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Doc Covington drove past Basehor senior Chandler Carey (33). (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) With Basehor down two points and time expiring, Jacob Coleman pushed the ball up the court. Coleman finished the game with 14 points to lead Basehor. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) With less than three seconds remaining in the overtime period, Basehor sophomore Joseph Johnson (12) put up a three-point attempt to win the game, but the shot went astray. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Letcher received a congratulatory hug from his father, Morris Letcher. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Doc Covington, left, and J.J. Letcher posed with the championship plaque following the game. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Eric Scott, left, congratulated J.J. Letcher after the game. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel) Mrs. Legusta Vaughn, 93, a longtime Kansas City, Kansas, resident, attended the game to watch her great-grandson Jalen Taylor. Mrs. Vaughn posed after the game with her grandson, Vaughn Taylor (Jalen’s dad). (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel)
