Berean Academy’s Janelle Rust displayed a flare for the dramatic on the Warriors' final play in Friday’s 57-55 Heart of America win over Moundridge.
Warrior coach Kristin Wiebe wanted to run a double screen. But the Wildcats were ready, forcing Rust to draw up her own script. Depending on who you talk to, Rust’s running 3-pointer at the buzzer was a big hit.
"The time was running down and there were girls Collapsing on me," Rust told the Hutchinson News of her last-second heroics. "I was hoping to get a good look to either get fouled or make it. I wasn’t going to get a shot off. When I let it go, I had a small inkling that it was in, maybe. Once it hit the rim, I didn’t think it was good.
"But God gave us a miracle tonight. We’re very fortunate for that."
In the early going, the Warriors looked like they were going to win in a rout after opening up a 16-1 second quarter advantage. But Jessie Vogts scored Moundridge’s first bucket with 5 minutes, 58 seconds remaining in the first half, spearheading a 15-0 run that tied the score at 16-16 on a Renae Stucky steal and layup. Berean Academy led 22-21 at intermission.
Berean Academy opened up a 33-23 second-half advantage by making three consecutive 3-pointers. However, Spencer Suderman’s 3-pointers brought the Wildcats back to within 38-37 going into the fourth quarter.
Rust led the Warriors (13-2), ranked fourth in this week’s Class 2A rankings, with 23 points. For 10-4 Moundridge, Suderman scored a game-high 27 points after making five 3-pointers.
Boys basketball: Wiechman sparks Cougar comeback win
South’s Andy Wiechman took the moniker ‘late-game clutch player’ to another level Tuesday during the Cougars' 56-54 come-from-behind win over Hutchinson.
With his team trailing 52-44 with 2:32 left in the contest, Wiechman drilled his first of three 3-pointers in Salina South’s 12-2 run that secured the win. Geneo Grissom responded inside to put the Salt Hawks up 54-47. Wiechman then outscored Hutchinson 9-0 the rest of the way with a pair of 3-pointers and three free throws.
Included in Wiechman’s flurry was a long 3-pointer that gave Salina South the lead for good with 33 seconds remaining.
"We just needed somebody to step up," Wiechman told the Salina Journal. "It was a close game and we ran a set play to get me open and I just had to knock it down.
Wiechman led Salina South with 18 points, while Cody Neuburger scored 10 of his 17 points in the first half.
Below are last weekend's leading scorers as well as the latest Kansas boys and girls basketball rankings. Rankings records, in parenthesis, are through Saturday's games.
Last weekend's leading scorers
Boys
De’ontae Hooks of Kansas City-Harmon scored 40 points in a 75-62 win over Kansas City-Schlagle…Shawnee Mission South’s Will Spradling poured in 40 points in a 58-55 loss to Olathe South…Clay Jurnegin of South Central ripped the cords for 31 points in a 55-52 loss to Jetmore…McPherson’s Christian Ulsaker scored 30 points in a 75-60 win over Maize…MacKenzie Redding of Burlington poured in 28 points in a 55-38 win over Caney Valley…Wichita-Bishop Carroll’s Blake Bell ripped the cords for 28 points in a 59-52 loss to Wichita Southeast…Ethan Cordray of Coffeyville-Field Kindley scored 28 points in a 63-34 win over Altamont-Labette County…Centre’s Trevor Troutt poured in 27 points in a 75-66 loss to Lebo…Perry Ellis of Wichita Heights ripped the cords for 27 points in a 73-58 win over Wichita-Kapaun Mount Carmel…Claflin’s Ryan Bieberle scored 27 points in a 56-43 win over St. John…Kyle Hall of Rolla poured in 27 points in an 80-77 win over Walsh (CO)…Lakin’s Colby Hamel ripped the cords for 25 points in a 68-49 win over Cimarron.
Girls
Breanna Bryant of South Haven scored 36 points in a 64-36 win over Sedan…the Wichita Defenders’ Sarah Munds poured in 35 points in a 55-51 win over Kansas City-East (MO)…Morgan Laflin of Lebo ripped the cords for 34 points in a 68-41 win over Centre…Olpe’s Kendyl McDougald scored 28 points in a 55-35 win over Osage City…Jenna Farris of Lincoln poured in 26 points in a 52-33 win over Lakeside…Douglass’ Lauren Green ripped the cords for 26 points in a 61-28 win over Belle Plaine…Payton Walker of Weskan scored 26 points in a 75-37 win over Cheylin…Liberal’s Justice Norah poured in 23 points in a 45-40 win over Great Bend…Sammy Krueger of Thunder Ridge ripped the cords for 23 points in a 46-39 win over Northern Valley…St. Paul’s Morgan Westhoff scored 23 points in a 68-36 win over Oswego…Brianna Ploude of Jefferson West poured in 23 points in a 57-32 win over Hiawatha…Pittsburg-Colgan’s Annie Dellasega ripped the cords for 22 points in a 56-41 win over Baxter Springs…Lizzy Jeronimus of Shawnee Mission West scored 22 points in a 55-44 win over Lawrence.''
Kansas boys basketball rankings
Top 10
1. Heights (Wichita) (12-2) 1
2. Bishop Miege (15-0) 2
3. Highland Park (Topeka) (12-2) 4
4. South (Olathe) (11-1) 5
5. McPherson (13-1) 6
6. East (Olathe) (12-2) 7
7. Derby (12-2) 8
8. Leavenworth (10-2) 3
9. Harmon (13-2) 9
10. Dodge City (12-2) –
Class 6A
1. Wichita Heights (12-2) 1
2. Olathe South (11-1) 3
3. Olathe East (12-2) 4
4. Derby (12-2) 5
5. Leavenworth (10-2) 2
6. Dodge City (12-2) 9
7. Maize (10-4) –
8. Blue Valley North (11-4) 6
9. Shawnee Mission Northwest (9-5) 7
10. Wichita East (9-5) 10
Class 5A
1. Bishop Miege (15-0) 1
2. Topeka Highland Park (12-2) 2
3. McPherson (13-1) 3
4. Kansas City-Harmon (13-2) 4
5. Andover Central (12-2) 5
6. Gardner-Edgerton (12-4) 6
7. Pittsburg (11-3) 7
8. Hays (11-4) –
9. Liberal (9-5) –
10. Great Bend (10-5) 8
Class 4A
1. Topeka Hayden (13-1) 1
2. Basehor-Linwood (12-2) 3
3. Kansas City-Sumner Academy (13-2) 4
4. Clay Center (13-1) 5
5. Ottawa (11-3) 2
6. Pratt (13-2) 6
7. Pleasant Ridge (12-1) 8
8. Coffeyville-Field Kindley (11-2) 7
9. Wamego (11-3) 10
10. Parsons (12-2) –
Class 3A
1. Wichita Collegiate (14-1) 1
2. Rossville (12-2) 3
3. Douglass (14-1) 4
4. Galena (12-1) 5
5. Halstead (13-2) 2
6. Southwestern Heights (11-2) 6
7. Beloit (11-4) 9
8. Central Heights (11-3) 7
9. St. Marys (9-5) 8
10. Osage City (11-5) 10
Class 2A
1. Olpe (13-1) 1
2. Berean Academy (13-1) 4
3. Herington (15-1) 7
4. Spearville (15-1) 2
5. Peabody-Burns (13-2) 6
6. Pittsburg-Colgan (11-2) 5
7. Oswego (13-2) 8
8. Salina Sacred Heart (12-3) 9
9. Moundridge (12-3) 3
10. Hutchinson Trinity Catholic (10-2) –
Class 1A
1. Quinter (16-0) 1
2. Hanover (15-1) 2
3. South Gray (15-1) 3
4. Quivira Heights (16-0) 4
5. Tribune-Greeley County (16-1) 5
6. Baileyville B&B (15-1) 6
7. Macksville (13-3) 7
8. Pretty Prairie (14-2) 8
9. Frankfort (13-4) 10
10. Lakeside (13-3) –
Kansas girls basketball rankings
Top 10
1. South (Olathe) (15-0) 1
2. Heights (Wichita) (13-1) 2
3. Central (Andover) (15-0) 3
4. Aquinas (Overland Park) (13-1) 4
5. Shawnee Mission East (11-3) 5
6. Emporia (12-1) 6
7. West (Shawnee Mission) (11-3) 7
8. Wichita-Bishop Carroll (14-1) 8
9. Concordia (15-0) 9
10. Manhattan (12-2) 10
Class 6A
1. Olathe South (15-0) 1
2. Wichita Heights (13-1) 2
3. Shawnee Mission East (11-3) 3
4. Shawnee Mission West (11-3) 4
5. Manhattan (12-2) 5
6. Dodge City (11-3) 9
7. Topeka High (9-4) 10
8. Topeka Washburn Rural (10-3) 6
9. Lawrence Free State (9-5) –
10. Wichita Southeast (11-4) 7
Class 5A
1. Andover Central (15-0) 1
2. St. Thomas Aquinas (13-1) 2
3. Emporia (12-1) 3
4. Wichita-Bishop Carroll (14-1) 4
5. McPherson (12-2) 5
6. Bishop Miege (11-4) 6
7. Newton (10-4) 8
8. Lansing (12-2) 9
9. Andover (11-3) 7
10. Salina South (10-4) 10
Class 4A
1. Concordia (15-0) 1
2. Holton (15-0) 2
3. Cheney (15-0) 3
4. Girard (14-1) 5
5. Hesston (12-3) 6
6. Ottawa (12-2) 4
7. Altamont-Labette County (11-3) 7
8. Towanda Circle (12-2) 8
9. Abilene (10-5) –
10. Colby (10-4) –
Class 3A
1. Southwestern Heights (13-0) 1
2. Wichita Collegiate (13-1) 2
3. Rock Creek (15-0) 3
4. Thomas More Prep Marian (14-1) 4
5. Burlington (13-1) 6
6. Minneapolis (14-1) 7
7. Smith Center (12-2) 8
8. Marion (12-3) 5
9. Holcomb (11-3) 9
10. Beloit (10-4) 10
Class 2A
1. Olpe (14-0) 1
2. Hill City (13-1) 2
3. Osborne (13-2) 3
4. Berean Academy (13-2) 5
5. Oakley (14-2) 4
6. Pittsburg-Colgan (10-3) 6
7. Valley Heights (11-4) 8
8. Wabaunsee (10-3) 10
9. Chase County (11-2) –
10. Spearville (13-2) –
Class 1A
1. South Gray (16-0) 1
2. Argonia (16-0) 2
3. St. Paul (15-0) 4
4. South Barber (15-1) 5
5. Pratt-Skyline (14-1) 3
6. Hutchinson Central Christian (15-1) 6
7. St. John (14-1) 7
8. Frankfort (14-2) 8
9. Little River (13-3) 9
10. Weskan (14-2) 10
