A late three-pointer from Zane Novotney tied Tonganoxie up with Holton in the opening round Jan. 18, but Holton would answer and then hold on for a 43-39 victory.

But the Chieftains would bounce back.

Tonganoxie played Eudora on Thursday in the east gymnasium after the girls semifinal games due to schedule changes.

Jeff West had to back out of the remainder of the tournament due to COVID-19 quarantine protocols, so Eudora and THS played an extra game. Tonganoxie defeated EHS for the second time this season, winning 49-37 on Thursday.

In the fifth-place game Saturday at the west gymnasium, THS put on a clinic. Tonganoxie sprinted to a 62-38 victory against Wamego and took fifth at its home tourney.

THS had a commanding lead at halftime, before Wamego went on a 7-0 run at the start of the third quarter.

THS coach Phil Jones called a timeout and THS then went on a run of its own before getting the big victory. Blake Poje ignited the THS crowd with a slam dunk in the first half, while Andrew Willson added a big three-pointer right before halftime as well against WHS.

Willson and Rylee Beach both were named to the boys all-tournament team.

De Soto outlasted Holton, 51-46, in the championship game, while Metro Academy placed third with a 53-43 victory in the consolation game.

Girls place seventh

The THS girls had a 10-0 run against Wamego as they tried to rally against the Red Raiders, but it wasn’t enough in the consolation semifinals. Wamego went on to win, 48-38.

Tonganoxie did bounce back for a 50-30 victory in the seventh-place game in the west gymnasium.

Morgan Brusven led Tonganoxie in scoring with 17 against Bonner Springs as the Chieftains outscored Bonner in every quarter.

Brusven and Raegan Seba were named to the all-tournament team for THS.

St. Thomas Aquinas won this year’s tournament with a 46-32 victory against Olathe Northwest in the championship game Friday.

Eudora won the third-place game with a 42-25 victory against Holton and Wamego placed fifth after defeating De Soto, 36-35.