By Dean Backes
MaxPreps.com
For Goddard girls basketball coach Lee Keller, Wednesday’s 57-35 win over Wichita East could be the beginning of a special run through the postseason.
The 22-point win over the Aces moves the sixth-ranked Lions (20-2) into a sub-state championship match with 10th-ranked Wichita South (15-6) Friday.
The winner earns a berth in the 6A state tournament next weekend at White Auditorium in Emporia, while the loser goes home. In preparation for that possible invitation, Keller said the Lions were fine-tuning, and maybe even simplifying, some of the things they’ve done all season.
“As the season goes on, it’s easy to try to do too much,” Keller said. “Sometimes it’s better to subtract than to add.”
Goddard relies on an up-tempo pace and a good inside-outside combination offensively. Good, quick guards that have an extra gear make it possible for the Lions to put pressure on their opponents and force that fast pace.
Although Keller said he has anywhere from two to four players that can score in double figures on any given night, the 16-year coach doesn’t have to worry about keeping everybody happy.
“This team has the willingness to play together and work hard,” Keller said. “They put the team above the individual. None of them are really into stats. If we win everybody is happy.”
The Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail Division I league champions rely on Oklahoma State signee Lindsey Keller for a good chunk of its offense. The junior post is averaging about 18 points, nine rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, while shooting 64 percent from the field.
Katie Porter can be relied on to score around 12 or 13 points a game, and four rebounds. The 5-foot-8 senior is cat quick and athletic. She added the ability to fire away from 3-point range to her list of assets this season. Porter has made 26 of 71 treys so far this season.
Alysia Hart is also quick and athletic. The 5-8 senior has connected on16 of 37 3-pointers this season and is usually a lock on the opposition’s best guard.
Kelsie Frey is considered the glue to the team. The 5-6 senior is averaging five assists a game. Samantha Soyez transferred in from Hillsboro over the summer. The 5-11 sophomore is extremely talented and she sees the floor well. Bre Selves is a slasher-type according to Keller. She is a 5-9 rebounder that has shot the ball well for the Lions.
Laura Kellison and Becca Liebe are key substitutes for Goddard. Kellison is a 5-11 post player, while the 5-4 Liebe plays guard. Kellison adds a nice jumper to the Lions’ repertoire and is a solid rebounder.
Goddard has qualified for the state tournament in four of the last nine years under Keller.
“I’ve been around there before, so I kind of know what it takes to compete at the tournament,” Keller said. “I think with a little luck we have a chance to do some good things.”
Class Leaders (Boys) – Wichita Southeast (6A), Topeka Highland Park (5A), Topeka Hayden (4A), Sabetha (3A), Syracuse (2A) and Crest (1A).
Class Leaders (Girls) – Olathe South (6A), Wichita Carroll (5A), Andover Central (4A), Riley County (3A), Southwestern Heights (2A) and Olpe (1A).
Kansas Boys Basketball Rankings
Top 10
1. Topeka Highland Park (19-1)
2. Bishop Miege (18-2)
3. Wichita Southeast (18-2)
4. Topeka Hayden (19-1)
5. Manhattan (19-2)
6. Leavenworth (16-4)
7. Wichita East (16-4)
8. Blue Valley West (13-7)
9. Shawnee Mission Northwest (16-4)
10. Emporia (11-9)
Class 6A
1. Wichita Southeast (18-2)
2. Manhattan (19-2)
3. Leavenworth (16-4)
4. Wichita East (16-4)
5. Blue Valley West (13-7)
6. Shawnee Mission Northwest (16-4)
7. Lawrence Free State (13-7)
8. Shawnee Mission East (15-5)
9. Shawnee Mission South (13-7)
10. Olathe East (12-8)
Class 5A
1. Topeka Highland Park (19-1)
2. Bishop Miege (18-2)
3. Emporia (11-9)
4. St. Thomas Aquinas (12-8)
5. McPherson (17-3)
6. Shawnee Heights (10-10)
7. Salina Central (16-4)
8. Sumner Academy (17-4)
9. Liberal (17-3)
10. Topeka Seaman (9-11)
Class 4A
1. Topeka Hayden (19-1)
2. Andover (20-0)
3. Cheney (18-2)
4. Basehor-Linwood (15-5)
5. Ottawa (17-5)
6. Colby (15-5)
7. Andover Central (12-7)
8. Clearwater (17-3)
9. Perry-Lecompton (18-2)
10. Holton (15-5)
Class 3A
1. Sabetha (18-2)
2. Wichita Collegiate (18-2)
3. Holcomb (17-3)
4. Wichita Trinity Academy (18-2)
5. Republic County (19-1)
6. Nemaha Valley (19-2)
7. Larned (16-4)
8. Lakin (16-4)
9. More Prep-Marian (11-8)
10. Belle Plaine (16-5)
Class 2A
1. Syracuse (16-3)
2. Smith Center (19-1)
3. Trego (17-2)
4. Frankfort (17-2)
5. Meade (18-2)
6. St. John (16-4)
7. Humboldt (19-1)
8. St. Mary’s-Colgan (16-4)
9. Marmaton Valley (16-3)
10. Wathena (17-3)
Class 1A
1. Crest (22-1)
2. Centralia (19-2)
3. Hanover (21-2)
4. Wallace County (18-4)
5. Macksville (20-3)
6. Olpe (21-3)
7. Blue Valley (18-5)
8. South Gray (20-3)
9. Quinter (20-3)
10. St. John’s-Beloit (20-2)
Kansas Girls Basketball Rankings
Top 10
1. Andover Central (20-0)
2. Olathe South (19-2)
3. Blue Valley (19-1)
4. Wichita Heights (19-1)
5. Abilene (20-0)
6. Riley County (21-0)
7. Colby (20-0)
8. Wichita Carroll (17-3)
9. Washburn Rural (17-3)
10. Lawrence (16-4)
Class 6A
1. Olathe South (19-2)
2. Blue Valley (19-1)
3. Wichita Heights (19-1)
4. Washburn Rural (17-3)
5. Lawrence (16-4)
6. Goddard (19-2)
7. Shawnee Mission East (16-4)
8. Shawnee Mission West (14-6)
9. Blue Valley North (10-8)
10. Wichita South (14-6)
Class 5A
1. Wichita Carroll (17-3)
2. Emporia (16-4)
3. St. Thomas Aquinas (12-8)
4. Shawnee Heights (14-6)
5. Bishop Miege (13-7)
6. Great Bend (15-5)
7. McPherson (17-3)
8. Wichita Kapaun Mount Carmel (13-7)
9. Lansing (14-6)
10. Hutchinson (13-7)
Class 4A
1. Andover Central (20-0)
2. Abilene (20-0)
3. Colby (20-0)
4. Basehor-Linwood (19-1)
5. Holton (19-1)
6. Concordia (14-7)
7. Buhler (15-4)
8. Tonganoxie (17-3)
9. Rose Hill (17-3)
10. Topeka Hayden (15-5)
Class 3A
1. Riley County (21-0)
2. Rock Creek (16-4)
3. Wichita Collegiate (17-3)
4. Cimarron (19-1)
5. Garden Plain (18-2)
6. More Prep-Marian (11-5)
7. Medicine Lodge (15-5)
8. Silver Lake (10-9)
9. Norton (13-7)
10. Sacred Heart (15-5)
Class 2A
1. Southwestern Heights (18-1)
2. St. Marys (14-5)
3. St. John (18-2)
4. Osborne (18-2)
5. Oakley (18-3)
6. Berean Academy (19-1)
7. Moundridge (16-5)
8. Sublette (15-5)
9. Lyndon (15-5)
10. Frankfort (14-7)
Class 1A
1. Olpe (23-0)
2. South Gray (22-1)
3. Centralia (18-3)
4. South Barber (22-1)
5. Weskan (20-3)
6. Blue Valley (20-2)
7. Argonia (23-0)
8. Southern Coffey County (21-2)
9. Linn (16-5)
10. Little River (19-4)