ELLIS- After another whirlwind season of high school basketball, 4 teams found themselves on the cusp of the 2A state tournament in Manhattan. It was time for sub-state championship basketball from beautiful Ellis, Kansas.
The Trego Golden Eagles came into the championship game with only one loss on the season, good enough for the number 1 seed. They finished 4th in the state last year and were looking for a return trip to Manhattan this year. They won the MCL tournament and regular season championship.
The Oakley Lady Plainsmen were one of the bigger surprises in 2A, finishing the regular season 15-5. That was good for the 2 seed in the Ellis Sub-State.
The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair. Trego led by as much as 7, but the lead was trimmed to 15-11 by quarters end.
The second quarter was a defensive affair. The Golden Eagles only scored 8 points, but they held the Lady Plainsmen to only one bucket, allowing them to push the lead to 23-13 heading into the break.
The Golden Eagles came out hot, scoring the first 10 points of the quarter. That was an omen of what was to come, as Trego scored 27 third quarter points en-route to a 50-23 lead heading into the final frame.
The final quarter went by quickly, as Trego pushed the lead to 30, triggering the running clock rule. Trego punched their ticket to state with a 57-28 win.
Junior Lilli Shubert had 22 points and 10 boards for an impressive double-double. Senior Libby Frost fished with 16, junior Emma Day had 10.
Jordan Lowrie had 18 points and 4 rebounds for Oakely. The Lady Plainsmen finished the season 18-5.
Trego advances to the state tournament in Manhattan for the second year in a row. They finished 4th last year. Their 22-1 record should mean a high seeding for the tournament.
Plainville surprised the Indians, coming out with vinegar and fire, en-route to a 19-15 first quarter lead.
Hoxie opened the quarter on a 16-2 run to turn a 4 point deficit into a 10 point lead. They'd further push the lead to 40-27 by the end of the half.
Plainville took it to Hoxie in the third quarter, trimming the lead to as little as 4. Hoxie led 53-48 heading into the final act.
The fourth quarter started competitive, but a 6 point possession due to a technical foul allowed Hoxie to turn a 7 point lead into a 13 point lead. The Indians would hold on from there for an 81-66 victory.
Harlan Obioha led 4 Hoxie scorers in double digits with 27 points. He also had 14 rebounds and 4 blocks. Freshman Brady Jones chipped in 14 points.
Senior Jared Casey finished his impressive high school career with 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Sophomore Anders Dewey had 13 points and 6 assists.
Plainville finishes the year with a record of 14-9.
Hoxie moves to 21-2. They will head to Manhattan for the state tournament, which begins next week.