Piper High School has never played for a basketball state championship in school history. Now the Pirates have a chance for two.
Both Piper basketball teams will be playing for state championships on Saturday after winning Friday’s semifinal matches in the 4A KSHSAA state tournament in Salina.
The Piper boys defeated Wichita’s top-seeded Trinity Academy 57-54 in a nailbiter. After Trinity tied the game at 54 with less than a minute remaining, Piper’s Ty Shelley hit a 3-pointer for the game winner with less than 5 seconds left.
The Pirates will face the winner of the late game between Augusta and Baldwin for the championship at 6:15 p.m.
The Piper Lady Pirates outperformed the Nickerson Panthers to win the 4A KSHSAA semifinal game 72-40. The win sets up a long-expected match between the state’s two best girls basketball teams, Piper and Bishop Miege, in the finals at 4 p.m.
Grace Banes led Piper in scoring with 15 points on 3-of-6 shots from 3-point range. Ali Vigil scored 13, including three baskets beyond the arc. The Lady Pirates as a team hit 55 percent from the floor and 41 percent from 3-point range.
Update: The Piper boys team will face Augusta in the finals at 6:15 PM.
Bonner Springs senior guard Keyon Thomas grinned as he held the championship plaque for the substate tournament. The Bonner Springs boys’ basketball team earned a berth in the state 5A tournament with a win over Spring Hill. (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
by Brian Turrel
Conference opponents Spring Hill and Bonner Springs met again in the substate tournament final on Saturday evening in Bonner Springs. The Braves held off a late rally from the Broncos to win 72-56 and earn a trip to the 5A state tournament in Emporia.
Bonner Springs surged out to an early lead, getting good results from drives by senior guards A.J. Watson and Keyon Thomas.
The Braves’ defense also limited the inside opportunities for Spring Hill’s 6-foot-8 center John Frakes, who lit up the Braves for over 30 points when the teams met in February.
The Braves held a 17-5 advantage at the end of the first quarter, and 35-19 at the end of the half.
Bonner forward Ethan Byers got the crowd chanting his name in the third quarter with a gutsy run of play. Byers took a charge on a Spring Hill drive (his second of the game), then earned a free throw at the other end on a drive of his own. He followed that up with a sliding dive cross-court after a loose ball, a 3-point basket, and an assist.
When the fourth quarter began, Bonner Springs looked like they might pull out to a 30-point lead, which would require that the game clock run without stopping. However, Spring Hill took advantage of some questionable ball-handling by the Braves to narrow the margin.
The Broncos scored 25 points in the quarter, including two 3-pointers by Ryan Weber and 11 points from Brennen Feeback. The deficit was too large and the time too short to stage a bigger comeback.
Thomas led the Braves with 28 points, and Watson knocked in 14, including 4-of-4 at the free throw line. Nasjon Porter scored 10.
The Braves will face off with Wichita’s Bishop Carroll High School in the first round of the 5A state tournament. The game will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Bonner Springs head coach Dan Streit cut down the net after the victory. (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
Bonner Springs junior Ethan Byers (2) picked up the basket and a foul on this drive against Spring Hill senior John Frakes (34). (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
Senior A.J.Watson (1) went up for a shot in the first half. (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
Keyon Thomas (23) tried to get a shot around the defense of Spring Hill senior Easton Jones (1). (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
Spring Hill sophomore Ryan Weber (20) got a hand up on the shot of Bonner junior Damian Streit (4). (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
Junior Rishaud Dockery (21) went up with a finger roll. (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
Freshman Trent Stimac (10) blocked a shot from Easton Jones. (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
Senior Noah Villarreal (24) scored on a layup after the Braves broke the Spring Hill press. (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
Senior A.J. Watson helped cut down the net after the tournament win. (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
Senior Nasjon Porter (15) threw down a dunk on a putback in the second half. (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
The Bonner Springs cheerleaders performed some high-flying stunts between quarters. (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
The Lady Pirates posed with their fans after receiving the substate championship plaque following their win over the Chanute Blue Comets. (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
by Brian Turrel
The Piper Lady Pirates substate final game against the Chanute Blue Comets started slowly. By the midway point of the first quarter, there were only three made baskets, and the Comets looked like they had a chance. With three minutes left in the first quarter, Chanute hit a three-pointer to take a 7-6 lead.
Chanute didn’t score again until Piper had 19 more points and only three minutes remained in the first half.
The Lady Pirates went on to win the game 58-26, earning a spot in the KSHSAA 4A playoffs next week.
Piper’s defense hounded the Blue Comets ball handlers up and down the full length of the court, trapping, grabbing, stripping, or blocking everything that Chanute tried to run.
The game frustrated Chanute head coach Dustin Fox so much that he earned two technical fouls for his comments to officials, getting ejected with a minute left in the third quarter.
The Blue Comets did not lose their competitive spirit, continuing to fight for loose balls and rebounds. A noisy contingent of about 100 fans accompanied them from southeast Kansas, filling a section of the Piper field house.
Ryan Cobbins led Piper in scoring with 25 points. Ali Vigil added 10, and Grace Banes 9.
The state tournament starts Thursday in Salina. Brackets have not yet been released for the tournament.
Update: Piper will face Eudora in the first round of the 4A state tournament. The game will take place on Thursday at 6:30 PM.
Freshman Saniya Simmons (1) and Senior LaKya Leslie (24) pinned Chanute senior Shayla Bogle (24) on her own baseline. (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
Sophomore Evelyn Vazquez (3) and Chanute senior Rachel Jackett (5) fought over a loose ball. (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
Junior Ali Vigil (25) spotted up for a three-point shot. (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
Junior Grace Banes (15) took a three-point shot from the right wing. (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
Evelyn Vazquez was guarded on the perimeter by Chanute junior Thea Alschner (42). (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
Junior Riley Porter (12) went in for a layup. (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
Ryan Cobbins took a short-range jump shot in the lane. (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
The Piper cheerleaders performed stunts during a break. (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
Senior LaKya Leslie (24) drove for a layup. (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
The Piper Lady Pirates received their substate championship plaque. (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
Senior LaKya Leslie celebrated the victory. (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
Saniya Simmons spotted junior Ayreona Carter in the lane. (Photo copyright 2019 by Brian Turrel)
