Piper boys advance with substate victory over Basehor-Linwood

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)