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Lansing wins boys tourney title

By Chris Wristen - | Jan 23, 2008

The Lansing High boys basketball team validated its strong start to the season by adding its first signature win Saturday night when it blew out Atchison, 80-56, in the championship game of the Tonganoxie Invitational Tournament.

Atchison was ranked No. 6 in the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Class 4A poll. The Redmen had won the Tonganoxie Invitational four of the past five years.

LHS improved to 9-3 this season and 6-0 in 2008.

Lansing fell behind 23-18 early in the second quarter, but it made seven of its last nine shots in the half and used a 17-2 run to take a 35-25 lead by intermission.

Clayton Hall swished a three-pointer on Lansing’s first possession of the third quarter, but Atchison quickly whittled the lead down to eight points.

Just as it seemed the Redmen were making a serious threat, the Lions stepped on the gas and never let up. Bobby Hauver scored on four layups that all were created by turnovers. Curtis Beall had a steal and layup. LHS led by 14 points by the end of the third quarter.

If the Lions seemed hot at that point, then they boiled over in the fourth quarter. They made 9-of-10 shots in the final stanza and hit 5-of-6 free throws. They began running the clock with three minutes left and cleared the bench for the final 97 seconds.

Lansing made 58.5 percent of its shots for the game and hit a blistering 75 percent in the second half. The Lions scored 28 points off turnovers and held a 30-25 rebounding advantage.

Hauver led LHS with 22 points, 10 of which came on layups after his five steals. Hall scored 19 points, including two layups off of steals and three-for-five shooting from three-point range. Cody Rush scored 11 points, Curtis Beall had 10, Stephen Didde and Kevin Johnson had six apiece, and Ryan Delich, Brian Beall and Vanquez Butler each chipped in two.

Hall, Hauver and Curtis Beall earned All-Tournament Team honors for their performance during the week-long event.

Tournament MVP Anthony Downing led Atchison with 24 points on eight-for-21 shooting.