×
×
homepage logo

Rough start at home invite for Tonganoxie High boys basketball

By Shawn Linenberger - | Jan 19, 2022

Shawn Linenberger

Tonganoxie High players, from left, Andrew Willson, Cuyler Kietzmann and Zane Novotney keep an eye on a Bonner Springs player Monday during the Tonganoxie Invitational Basketball Tournaemnt quarterfinals. Tonganoxie dropped the tournament opener, 69-56, and now will try to get back in the win column in the consolation bracket Thursday and Saturday.

The Tonganoxie High boys basketball team would have preferred to be a bit less accommodating as hosts of their own basketball invitational Monday.

THS entered the quarterfinals with aspirations of a championship run, which hasn’t happened in more than a decade. Tonganoxie last reached the finals in 2010 and last won the tournament in 1994.

Those statistics will remain intact for at least another year.

The higher-seeded Chieftains came out flat against a Bonner Springs team that suited up just seven players due to COVID-19 protocols.

Bonner Springs, meanwhile, shot lights out, connecting on 7-of-12 from three-point land in the first half on its way to a 69-56 against Tonganoxie.

The Braves jumped out to a 19-5 lead in the first quarter and never really looked back. Tonganoxie stayed with Bonner in the second quarter, but BSHS led, 40-23, at the break. Tonganoxie’s leading scorer Andrew Willson had 12 points in the first half and was getting going from three-point range himself, but the senior was whistled for his third foul before halftime and had to sit.

THS actually looked as though it would make the miraculous comeback in the fourth quarter, as the Chieftains went on a 12-0 run in that second half. With roughly 3 minutes left, Tonganoxie continued to gain more momentum and forced some Bonner Springs miscues. THS trailed, 64-56, at that point and got the ball back after a Bonner turnover and had the chance to make it a two-possession game.

The Chieftains, though, sputtered offensively as the precious seconds clicked off the clock. Willson then fouled out at the 1:33 mark and Tonganoxie didn’t have the firepower to make that final rally run.

Willson finished with 18 points, while fellow senior Zane Novotney also was in double figures with 13, as was another senior in Culyer Kietzmann with 12. Caleb Clark had 5, Isaiah Holthaus 4 and Talon Langford and Alex Crowley each 2. Trent Stimac led Bonner in scoring with 17, one of four Braves in double figures.

“We’re not a very good team right now,” THS coach Phil Jones said after Monday’s disappointing loss. “We just started out really flat in the first half.”

Tonganoxie started the season 4-0, but has gone 2-4 since then. Jones bemoaned his team’s play after winter break, noting that the Chieftains had to battle back from slow starts against Baldwin and Ottawa, which eventually were Tonganoxie victories.

But in last Friday’s game against Piper, THS opened up the game with a 10-2 lead, only to see the advantage dissolve. Tonganoxie lost that Frontier League clash, 70-56, after picking up conference wins against Baldwin and Ottawa.

He said the team has a chance to get back on track, but it will take a renewed focus on fundamentals to make that happen this season.

THS now will try to finish in fifth place in its home tournament. The Chieftains take on Metro Academy at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in the consolation bracket. They’ll then play again Saturday, either for fifth place or seventh place.

In other Monday quarterfinal games, De Soto defeated Wamego, 65-44, Holton slipped past Metro Academy, 48-45, and Eudora, now the No. 1 team in Class 4A per the latest rankings, rolled against Jeff West, 61-24.