Fans from Tonganoxie, Bonner Springs and other teams in the 41st Tonganoxie Invitational tournament packed the gym for the championship game. If they were expecting to see good high school basketball, they weren’t disappointed.

Basketball was one of the many stories of the 41st Tonganoxie Invitational basketball tournament.

After a second-round win Thursday night his team’s first win of the season Phil Bullocks, Van Horn coach, was able to shave again. He told his players he wouldn’t shave until they won their first game of the season, and he was probably relieved they won again Saturday so he wouldn’t have to pull out that motivational ploy twice in one week.

Chad Eshbaugh, Eudora coach, didn’t have much of a voice left after the Cardinals finished third. The vocal coach shouted instructions to his team nonstop through three games I don’t know if his vocal cords would have had any power for a fourth game.

And throughout the week, fans, cheerleaders, dancers and students of the eight schools Tonganoxie, Eudora, Hogan, Lansing, Olathe Christian, Oskaloosa and Bonner Springs rattled the rafters with their cheers, clapping, foot stomping and support.

Saturday night it was Bonner Springs vs. Tonganoxie for the Championship.

The Braves had beaten Van Horn and Olathe Christian. The Chieftains had wins against Hogan and Eudora.

Bonner Springs prevailed 69-52.

Daryl Anderson, a six-foot-four junior, was named tournament most valuable player after averaging 19.3 points and dominating inside play during Braves’ games.

Teammates Sean Birdsong who averaged 19 points and Mike Miller also made the all-tournament team.

Tonganoxie’s Scott Breuer and Neil Rieger were the other championship game players on the the all-tournament team.

Billy Noll, Oskaloosa; Brent Carnagie, Eudora; Parish Owens, Van Horn; Joel Porter, Olathe Christian; and Epris Slaughter, Van Horn, were the other players named to the team.

Breuer was the most inspirational player of the tournament, and Tonganoxie won the trophy for up from under, the team that advances to the highest place from the lowest seed. Olathe Christian won the sportsmanship award.

Bonner Springs was first. Tonganoxie placed second. Eudora finished third. Olathe Christian was fourth. Van Horn was fifth. Hogan placed sixth. Lansing finished seventh. Oskaloosa was eighth.

Sarah Gripka, Tonganoxie senior, was the tournament queen. Tonganoxie won the cheerleading and dance competitions.