Although a power failure was only the remotest of possibilities, no one would have noticed if a failure had occurred late Friday.

During the Tonganoxie-Lansing boys semifinal game on Friday, the players and spectators provided enough electricity to give Westar some legitimate competition.

Since winning in the substate semifinals almost two years ago, the Chieftains have dropped five games to Lansing.

But on a night when Tonganoxie was down by 17 and then came back for a thrilling win, the near-capacity crowd enjoyed high school basketball at its finest.

Hmm, near-capacity crowd — not a term associated often with the Tonganoxie gymnasium.

But on Friday and again on Saturday, the atmosphere was priceless: Every section in the stands had plenty of people.

Even the players noticed the rise in attendance.

“The crowd was awesome tonight,” senior Derek Sparks said after the Lansing game. “When we got on that run, it’s the loudest I’ve ever heard it.”

It’s time that the fans kept it that way. Everyone who attended Friday and again on Saturday can’t always make the games.

Attending every game also can put a strain on a family’s budget. For instance, a family of two adults and four children could watch a night of Tonganoxie Invitational basketball for about $22.

Watching three nights of the hometown Chieftains can get salty, but for those regular-season games, family passes are available for $50.

No matter the family size, all members are admitted to every regular-season game, meet and dual for a Ulysses S. Grant.

Friday’s boys game against Lansing had to be the most enjoyable basketball game I’ve covered. For Tonganoxie to come back from a 17-point deficit against an arch-rival on your home court in front of so many fans is high school basketball at its finest.

A bit of jawing between student sections also can be healthy. Tonganoxie students in their regular sidecourt section yelled back and forth with a large Lansing contingency that was sitting cattycorner in the balcony.

The friction went beyond the limit when two Lansing students made their way to the Tonganoxie section. But after the Lions offered their two cents, they were escorted out of the gym and no more fracases brewed.

The first year of a combined boys and girls tournament certainly was action-packed. The tournament had its share of blowouts, but the Tonganoxie girls had grudge matches in the semifinals and finals. Eudora and Immaculata played to a thrilling finish in the boys semifinals as Imac held on for a narrow 41-38 win.

And don’t forget Saturday’s strange occurrence in which six technicals and three ejections were dealt in four games. During the third-place boys game between Eudora and Lansing, EHS coach Scott Stein was whistled for two technicals — an automatic ejection.

In the girls third-place game, a Lansing player and a Free State player had a shoving match and both were ousted after just one technical each.

In the girls championship game, junior Maddie Weller was issued a T for slamming the basketball down

after a call. And Immaculata’s Danny McEvoy was given a technical for holding onto the rim in the boys final.

Plenty of excitement — which should be duplicated in future games that aren’t part of the 45th annual invitational.

That goes for girls games as well. Members of the student section stood throughout the Chieftain boys games on Friday and Saturday, but that wasn’t necessarily the case for the girls games.

The section included fewer students, and the crowd was far more somber.

Boys games always are the featured presentation, always the last game of the night. However, with a win Saturday the girls would have been 8-3. Instead, they’re 7-4, but the Chieftains still have just one loss in league play.

So, warm up the car a little earlier and catch two games instead of one.

The crowd fed off the teams and teams off the fans Friday and Saturday. And it’s important that trend continues.

Much of that weight sits with the student section. Always the most rambunctious at any sporting event, the students set the tone.

That includes getting a little creative with cheers. Lansing and Jeff West students accomplished that.

On Friday when a Tonganoxie player cut one way and the ball sailed out of bounds where he was supposed to go, the Lansing students chanted “fun-da-men-tals” to the same rhythm as “Let’s Go Chieftains.”

On Saturday when Tonganoxie was called for a technical during the girls game, the Jeff West students chanted “sportsmanship, sportsmanship.”

Some good, clean and creative spirit only makes for a better atmosphere.

The tournament breathed new life into the Tonganoxie boys campaign. That added push from the fans — even on the road — can’t hurt.

The THS gym is a vintage site that is becoming more and more rare.

In college basketball, New Mexico has The Pit. In college football, Florida plays in The Swamp.

Perhaps Tonganoxie’s gym can be known as The Teepee.

The gym already is known for its distinct look. Throw in a student section all wearing red, white or gold, and it reputation grows.

As Sparks mentioned earlier, the crowd was amazing Friday.

“That’s the best feeling I’ve had in a long time,” Sparks said after the Chieftains defeated Lansing.

Sparks and his colleagues may have more of those emotions in the future — with a little help from the fans.