After avenging earlier losses to third-ranked McPherson and seventh-ranked Hays, Salina Central finds itself smack dab in the middle of this weekend’s Kansas 5A boys state basketball title chase.
The 10th-ranked Mustangs, who lost to McPherson 61-59 in mid-February and Hays 61-58 in January, secured the school’s first berth to the tournament sine 2001 with a 58-50 win over the Bullpups in the Salina Central sub-state final.
The Mustangs (14-8) knocked off Hays 52-33 in first round sub-state action.
The Bullpups jumped out on top of Salina Central 20-7 after the first quarter of the sub-state final. But the Mustangs rallied by out scoring McPherson 40-19 collectively in the second and fourth quarters.
Alex Williams and Jack Shoup combined for 42 points in the win that stopped McPherson’s state tournament appearance run at four straight. Blaine Knox added 10 points for the Mustangs.
After falling for just the second time this season, McPherson’s loss meant that for the first time since 1988 neither the Bullpup boys or girls were able to secure a spot in the state tournament.
Girls Basketball: Mustangs upend top-ranked Monarchs
Southwestern Heights’ girls basketball team battled through a loaded bracket at the Holcomb Class 3A sub-state basketball tournament over the weekend and survived to compete at the Kansas state basketball tournament this weekend.
The fourth-ranked Mustangs began postseason play with a 56-23 win over Goodland and a 51-33 trouncing of No. 9 Norton. Then, Southwestern Heights handed top-ranked and undefeated Thomas More Prep-Marian a 57-39 loss in the sub-state final.
Only four ranked teams were able to play their way into the Kansas 3A tournament. Rock Creek is the highest ranked club in the field at No. 3, followed by the Mustangs. Fifth-ranked Wichita Collegiate and 10th-ranked Jayhawk-Linn also made the quarterfinals.
Second-ranked Jefferson County North’s 46-43 loss to Riley County means Class 3A’s tournament will go on without its top two teams.
Kansas State Tournament Picks
Kansas Boys 6A- White Auditorium, Emporia
No. 1 Wichita Heights (21-1) over Dodge City (13-9), Wednesday 3 p.m.
No. 3 Shawnee Mission NW (18-4) over No. 6 Goddard (18-4), Wednesday 4:45 p.m.
No. 2 Olathe East (19-3) over No. 9 Shawnee Mission East (16-6), Wednesday 6:30 p.m.
No. 5 Wichita Southeast (18-4) over No. 7 Olathe South (17-5), Wednesday 8:15 p.m.
Semifinals
No. 1 Wichita Heights (22-1) over No. 3 Shawnee Mission NW (19-4), Friday 4:45 p.m.
No. 2 Olathe East (20-3) over No. 5 Wichita Southeast (19-4), Friday 8:15 p.m.
Finals
No. 1 Wichita Heights (23-1) over No. 2 Olathe East (21-3), Saturday 6:30 p.m.
Dark Horse: Goddard
Kansas Boys 5A- Topeka Kansas Expocentre, Topeka
No. 2 Bishop Miege (21-1) over Hutchinson (11-11), Thursday 3 p.m.
No. 5 Andover Central (17-5) over No. 9 Liberal (17-5), Thursday 4:45 p.m.
No. 1 Topeka Highland Park (21-1) over St. Thomas Aquinas (12-10), Thursday 6:30 p.m.
No. 4 Lansing (19-3) over No. 10 Salina Central (14-8), Thursday 8:15 p.m.
Semifinals
No. 2 Bishop Miege (22-1) over No. 5 Andover Central (18-5), Friday 4:45 p.m.
No. 1 Topeka Highland Park (22-1) over No. 4 Lansing (20-3), Friday 8:15 p.m.
Finals
No. 1 Topeka Highland Park (23-1) over No. 2 Bishop Miege (23-1), Saturday 6:15 p.m.
Dark Horse: Salina Central
Kansas Boys 4A- Salina Bicentennial Center, Salina
No. 3 Girard (22-1) over Cheney (16-7), Wednesday 3 p.m.
No. 1 Sumner Academy (21-2) over No. 5 Topeka Hayden (20-3), Wednesday 4:45 p.m.
No. 4 Hesston (22-1) over Ottawa (17-6), Wednesday 6:30 p.m.
No. 2 Wichita Trinity (22-1) over No. 10 Basehor-Linwood (19-4), Wednesday 8:15 p.m.
Semifinals
No. 1 Sumner Academy (22-2) over No. 3 Girard (23-1), Friday 4:45 p.m.
No. 2 Wichita Trinity (23-1) over No. 4 Hesston (23-1), Friday 8:15 p.m.
Finals
No. 1 Sumner Academy (23-2) over No. 2 Wichita Trinity (24-1), Saturday 6:15 p.m.
Dark Horse: Topeka Hayden
Kansas Boys 3A- Hutchinson Sports Arena, Hutchinson
No. 2 Hutchinson Trinity (23-0) over Council Grove (12-11), Thursday 6:30 p.m.
No. 4 Holcomb (21-2) over No. 5 Sabetha (21-2), Thursday 8:15 p.m.
No. 1 Wichita Collegiate (23-0) over Medicine Lodge (16-7), Thursday 3 p.m.
No. 3 Galena (22-1) over No. 10 Rossville (19-4), Thursday 4:45 p.m.
Semifinals
No. 2 Hutchinson Trinity (24-0) over No. 4 Holcomb (22-2), Friday 8:15 p.m.
No. 1 Wichita Collegiate (24-0) over No. 3 Galena (23-1), Friday 4:45 p.m.
Finals
No. 1 Wichita Collegiate (25-0) over Hutchinson Trinity (25-0), Saturday 6:15 p.m.
Dark Horse: Sabetha
Kansas Boys 2A- Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan
No. 1 Olpe (23-0) over Pittsburg-Colgan (16-7), Wednesday 6:30 p.m.
No. 6 Berean Academy (20-3) over No. 7 Nemaha Valley (19-4), Wednesday 8:15 p.m.
No. 4 Syracuse (21-2) over No. 10 Salina Sacred Heart (17-6), Wednesday 3 p.m.
No. 2 WaKeeney-Trego (21-2) over St. Marys (17-6), Wednesday 4:45 p.m.
Semifinals
No. 1 Olpe (24-0) over No. 6 Berean Academy (21-3), Friday 8:15 p.m.
No. 2 WaKeeney-Trego (22-2) over No. 4 Syracuse (22-2), Friday 4:45 p.m.
Finals
No. 1 Olpe (25-0) over No. 2 WaKeeney-Trego (23-2), Saturday 6:15 p.m.
Dark Horse: Nemaha Valley
Kansas Boys 1A-Busch-Gross Colliseum, Fort Hays
No. 1 Colony-Crest (25-0) over Centralia (19-6), Thursday 3 p.m.
No. 4 South Gray (24-1) over No. 5 Quinter (24-1), Thursday 4:45 p.m.
No. 3 Kensington-Thunder Ridge (25-0) over No. 10 Goessel (20-5), Thursday 6:30 p.m.
No. 2 Hanover (25-0) over No. 6 Macksville (23-2), Thursday 8:15 p.m.
Semifinals
No. 1 Colony-Crest (26-0) over No. 4 South Gray (25-1), Friday 4:45 p.m.
No. 2 Hanover (26-0) over No. 3 Kensington-Thunder Ridge (26-0), Friday 8:15 p.m.
Finals
No. 1 Colony-Crest (27-0) over No. 2 Hanover (27-0), Saturday 6:15 p.m.
Dark Horse: Quinter
Kansas Girls 6A- White Auditorium, Emporia
No. 2 Washburn Rural (21-1) over Garden City (11-11), Thursday 6:30 p.m.
No. 4 Shawnee Mission East (18-4) over No. 5 Shawnee Mission West (18-4), Thursday 8:15 p.m.
No. 1 Wichita Heights (21-1) over No. 7 Olathe Northwest (16-6), Thursday 3 p.m.
No. 3 Olathe South (19-3) over No. 6 Goddard (17-5), Thursday 4:45 p.m.
Semifinals
No. 2 Washburn Rural (22-1) over No. 4 Shawnee Mission East (19-4), Friday 6:30 p.m.
No. 1 Wichita Heights (22-1) over No. 3 Olathe South (20-3), Friday 3 p.m.
Finals
No. 1 Wichita Heights (23-1) over No. 2 Washburn Rural (23-1), Saturday 4 p.m.
Dark Horse: Shawnee Mission West
Kansas Girls 5A- Topeka Kansas Expocentre, Topeka
No. 3 Liberal (21-1) over Great Bend (15-7), Wednesday 3 p.m.
No. 5 Emporia (18-4) over No. 10 Lansing (19-3), Wednesday 4:45 p.m.
No. 1 Bishop Carroll (20-2) over St. Thomas Aquinas (16-6), Wednesday 6:30 p.m.
No. 2 Bishop Miege (20-2) over No. 9 Shawnee Heights (16-6), Wednesday 8:15 p.m.
Semifinals
No. 3 Liberal (22-1) over No. 5 Emporia (19-4), Friday 3 p.m.
No. 1 Bishop Carroll (21-2) over No. 2 Bishop Miege (21-2), Friday 6:30 p.m.
Finals
No. 1 Bishop Carroll (22-2) over No. 3 Liberal (23-1), Saturday 4 p.m.
Dark Horse: Lansing
Kansas Girls 4A- Salina Bicentennial Center, Salina
No. 1 Holton (23-0) over Topeka Hayden (12-11), Thursday 6:30 p.m.
No. 5 Cheney (21-2) over No. 8 Girard (20-3), Thursday 8:15 p.m.
No. 2 Concordia (23-0) over Eudora (16-7), Thursday 3 p.m.
No. 3 Paola (22-1) over No. 10 Rose Hill (18-5), Thursday 4:45 p.m.
Semifinals
No. 1 Holton (24-0) over No. 5 Cheney (22-2), Friday 6:30 p.m.
No. 2 Concordia (24-0) over No. 3 Paola (23-1), Friday 3 p.m.
Finals
No. 1 Holton (25-0) over No. 2 Concordia (25-0), Saturday 4 p.m.
Dark Horse: Rose Hill
Kansas Girls 3A- Hutchinson Sports Arena, Hutchinson
No. 4 Southwestern Heights (22-1) over Hillsboro (14-9), Wednesday 6:30 p.m.
No. 10 Jayhawk-Linn (18-5) over Cherryvale (18-5), Wednesday 8:15 p.m.
No. 3 Rock Creek (21-1) over Riley County (17-6), Wednesday 3 p.m.
No. 5 Wichita Collegiate (21-2) over Beloit (18-5), Wednesday 4:45 p.m.
Semifinals
No. 4 Southwestern Heights (23-1) over No. 10 Jayhawk-Linn (19-5), Friday 6:30 p.m.
No. 3 Rock Creek (22-1) over No. 5 Wichita Collegiate (22-2), Friday 3 p.m.
Finals
No. 3 Rock Creek (23-1) over No. 4 Southwestern Heights (24-1), Saturday 4 p.m.
Dark Horse: Cherryvale
Kansas Girls 2A- Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan
No. 5 Pittsburg-Colgan (21-2) over Salina Sacred Heart (17-6), Thursday 6:30 p.m.
No. 3 St. Marys (19-4) over No. 7 Berean Academy (18-5), Thursday 8:15 p.m.
No. 2 Olpe (21-2) over Elkhart (17-6), Thursday 3 p.m.
No. 6 Clifton-Clyde (20-3) over No. 9 Ellis (18-5), Thursday 4:45 p.m.
Semifinals
No. 3 St. Marys (20-4) over No. 5 Pittsburg-Colgan (22-2), Friday 6:30 p.m.
No. 2 Olpe (22-2) over No. 6 Clifton-Clyde (21-3), Friday 3 p.m.
Finals
No. 2 Olpe (23-2) over No. 3 St. Marys (21-4), Saturday 4 p.m.
Dark Horse: Berean Academy
Kansas Girls 1A- Busch-Gross Colliseum, Fort Hays
No. 1 South Gray (25-0) over Frankfort (20-5), Wednesday 3 p.m.
No. 6 Dighton (23-2) over No. 7 Southern Coffey County (23-2), Wednesday 4:45 p.m.
No. 3 Argonia (25-0) over No. 5 Centralia (22-3), Wednesday 6:30 p.m.
No. 2 Hoxie (24-1) over No. 8 St. John-Hudson (23-2), Wednesday 8:15 p.m.
Semifinals
No. 1 South Gray (26-0) over No. 6 Dighton (24-2), Friday 3 p.m.
No. 2 Hoxie (25-1) over No. 3 Argonia (26-0), Friday 6:30 p.m.
Finals
No. 1 South Gray (27-0) over No. 2 Hoxie (26-1), Saturday 4 p.m.
Dark Horse: Southern Coffey County
