Beating Bishop Miege at its own game wasn’t what Andover Central girls basketball coach Stana Jefferson had in mind heading into Saturday’s Newton Invitational championship game.
But it’s exactly what her undefeated Jaguars squad gave her. Hoping for an up-tempo, high-scoring affair against Class 5A’s defending champions, Jefferson made all of the right moves in knocking off Terry English’s Stags 48-38.
"It was a low-scoring game with a slower-than-what-we’re-used-to tempo," Jefferson said of the win that vaults the Jaguars to the top spot in this week’s Class 5A rankings. "There were a lot of turnovers in the game. Neither team took care of the ball. You could tell that the two teams out on the floor were still feeling the affects of two rough games from the previous night."
The games Jefferson was referring to were Andover Central’s 63-47 semifinal win over Salina South and the Stags’ 51-40 semifinal conquest of the host team.
Although the contest was not played at a Jefferson-coached pace, Andover Central took advantage of its opportunities. For the Jaguar coach, a couple of quick transition baskets in the second quarter, as well as a fast start to the second half, were turning points in the title game.
"We talked before the game about how we didn’t want to get into a halfcourt game with them," Jefferson said. "They are a lot bigger than us. They are huge.
"I am proud that we were able to play man against them. We weren’t sure if playing zone would shut down their inside game. It just goes to show that our kids can play with the best."
As is typically the case, Oklahoma State recruit Tiffany Bias, who owns a 22-point scoring average, led all scorers with 16 points in the win. Maddie Chapin and Cami Gee added nine points. Nebraska recruit Adrianna Maurer and Shandelyn Stewart paced the Stags with 15 and 10 points, respectively.
For Jefferson, there is more to Bias than her ability to score at will.
"She is one of the all-time best competitors," Jefferson said of her senior all-stater. "She never takes a second off. That makes everybody around her better. They learn to not take time off as well.
"Her defense is special. She is really hard on the other team. If they relax for just a second, she makes them pay."
Jefferson also praised the play of starters Gee (5-foot-9, So.), McKenzie Harding (5-11, So.), Chapin (5-9, Sr.) and Kaitlin Tennyson (5-11, Sr.). Hannah Henry (5-7, So.), Kimberly Chamberlin (5-6, jr.) and Sarah Potter (5-8, Jr.) also contribute on a regular basis.
Since November, Jefferson said her top-ranked squad has shown continuous growth.
"Now we just have to get them out on the floor everyday," she said, "focused and getting better. "This team is willing to do anything and everything to win. They’ve reached that level and that’s what makes them special."
With the win over the Stags and a 40-34 triumph over Wellington, Andover Central improves to 14-0 on the season and climbs one rung in this week’s rankings. St. Thomas Aquinas falls behind the Jaguars after handing Bishop Miege a 55-33 thumping Monday.
Following the back-to-back losses, Bishop Miege (10-4) falls to sixth. The Stags have also lost to Omaha Marian (Neb.) and Springfield-Kickapoo (Mo.) this season.
Below are last weekend’s scoring leaders and the latest Kansas boys and girls basketball rankings. Records in parentheses are through Tuesday’s contests. The number to the right is last week’s ranking.
Last weekend’s leading scorers
Boys
Dillon Corbett of Smith Center scored 34 points in a 56-53 win over Phillipsburg…Kansas City-Washington’s Tre’Vaughn White poured in 30 points in a 66-60 loss to Kansas City-Harmon…Seth Ackerman of Brewster ripped the cords for 26 points in a 54-49 win over Weskan…Gardner-Edgerton’s Conner Langrehr scored 25 points in a 79-63 win over Spring Hill…Zach DeMars of Southern Cloud poured in 25 points in a 68-63 loss to Pike Valley…Olpe’s Bradley Argabright ripped the cords for 25 points in a 69-39 win over Burlingame…Trinity Hall of Kansas City-Wyandotte scored 24 points in a 69-59 win over Kansas City-Schlagle…Jackson Heights’ David Martin poured in 23 points in a 57-55 loss to Hiawatha…Justin Ballock of Eudora ripped the cords for 23 points in a 49-47 loss to Paola…Shawnee Mission South’s Will Spradling scored 23 points in a 62-50 win over Shawnee Mission West…Tyler Brashears of Blue Valley Northwest poured in 22 points in a 53-51 loss to Bishop Miege…Gardner-Edgerton’s Bubba Starling ripped the cords for 22 points in a 79-63 win over Spring Hill…Trinity Hall of Kansas City-Wyandotte scored 22 points in a 56-55 loss to Shawnee Mission West.
Girls
Tiffany Bias of Andover Central scored 33 points in a 63-47 win over Salina South…Dighton’s Kaylee Cramer poured in 32 points in a 56-26 win over Golden Plain…Laura Patrick of Hutchinson Central Christian ripped the cords for 30 points in a 59-50 loss to Berean Academy…Hill City’s Lexi Hardiek scored 30 points in a 68-63 win over WaKeeney…Jenna Farris of Lincoln poured in 29 points in a 59-42 win over Tipton…Shawnee Mission West’s Lizzy Jeronimus ripped the cords for 28 points in a 51-41 loss to Shawnee Mission East…Ashia Woods of Wichita Collegiate scored 26 points in a 67-35 win over Augusta…Burrton’s Valerie Wallsten poured in 25 points in a 75-52 win over Wichita Trinity…Mishaun Pfannenstiel of Inman ripped the cords for 25 points in a 39-36 loss to Sedgwick…Berean Academy’s Janelle Rust scored 25 points in a 59-50 win over Hutchinson Central Christian…Paige Meader of Waverly poured in 25 points in a 51-33 win over Burlingame…Concordia’s Melissa Hartsel ripped the cords for 24 points in a 59-49 win over Nickerson…Erin Copeland of Kansas City-Schlagle scored 24 points in a 73-23 win over Kansas City-East.
Kansas boys basketball rankings
Top 10
1. Wichita Heights (10-2) 1
2. Bishop Miege (11-0) 2
3. Leavenworth (9-1) 3
4. Topeka Highland Park (10-2) 4
5. Olathe South (10-1) 5
6. McPherson (12-1) 6
7. Olathe East (9-2) 7
8. Derby (8-2) 9
9. Kansas City-Harmon (12-2) 10
10. Blue Valley North (10-3) –
Class 6A
1. Wichita Heights (10-2) 1
2. Leavenworth (9-1) 2
3. Olathe South (10-1) 3
4. Olathe East (9-2) 4
5. Derby (8-2) 5
6. Blue Valley North (10-3) 6
7. Shawnee Mission Northwest (8-3) 8
8. Blue Valley Northwest (8-5) 7
9. Dodge City (10-2) 9
10. Wichita East (8-4) 10
Class 5A
1. Bishop Miege (11-0) 1
2. Topeka Highland Park (10-2) 2
3. McPherson (12-1) 3
4. Kansas City-Harmon (12-2) 4
5. Andover Central (10-2) 5
6. Gardner-Edgerton (10-4) 6
7. Pittsburg (10-2) 7
8. Great Bend (9-4) 9
9. Salina Central (7-4) 10
10. Kansas City-Washington (8-5) 8
Class 4A
1. Topeka Hayden (11-1) 2
2. Ottawa (10-2) 3
3. Basehor-Linwood (10-2) 4
4. Kansas City-Sumner Academy (10-2) 1
5. Clay Center (11-1) 5
6. Pratt (12-2) 6
7. Coffeyville-Field Kindley (9-1) 7
8. Pleasant Ridge (10-1) 8
9. Abilene (10-3) 9
10. Wamego (8-3) 10
Class 3A
1. Wichita Collegiate (12-1) 1
2. Halstead (12-1) 2
3. Rossville (10-2) 3
4. Douglass (12-1) 4
5. Galena (10-1) 5
6. Southwestern Heights (9-2) 7
7. Central Heights (10-2) 8
8. St. Marys (8-4) 6
9. Beloit (9-4) 9
10. Osage City (10-4) 10
Class 2A
1. Olpe (12-0) 1
2. Spearville (13-0) 2
3. Moundridge (12-1) 3
4. Berean Academy (11-1) 4
5. Pittsburg-Colgan (10-1) 5
6. Peabody-Burns (11-2) 6
7. Herington (13-1) 7
8. Oswego (11-2) 8
9. Salina Sacred Heart (10-3) 9
10. Leoti (9-3) 10
Class 1A
1. Quinter (14-0) 1
2. Hanover (13-1) 2
3. South Gray (12-1) 3
4. Quivira Heights (14-0) 4
5. Tribune-Greeley County (13-1) 5
6. Baileyville B&B (14-1) 6
7. Macksville (11-3) 7
8. Pretty Prairie (12-2) 8
9. Centralia (10-3) 10
10. Frankfort (12-4) 9
Kansas girls basketball rankings
Top 10
1. Olathe South (14-0) 1
2. Wichita Heights (11-1) 2
3. Andover Central (13-0) 6
4. St. Thomas Aquinas (10-1) 8
5. Shawnee Mission East (10-3) 4
6. Emporia (10-1) –
7. Shawnee Mission West (9-3) 5
8. Wichita Bishop Carroll (12-1) 10
9. Concordia (12-0) 9
10. Manhattan (9-2) –
Class 6A
1. Olathe South (14-0) 1
2. Wichita Heights (11-1) 2
3. Shawnee Mission East (10-3) 3
4. Shawnee Mission West (9-3) 4
5. Manhattan (9-2) 6
6. Topeka Washburn Rural (10-2) 5
7. Wichita Southeast (10-3) 10
8. Blue Valley (10-4) 7
9. Dodge City (9-3) 8
10. Topeka (8-4) 9
Class 5A
1. Andover Central (13-0) 2
2. St. Thomas Aquinas (10-1) 3
3. Emporia (10-1) 5
4. Wichita Bishop Carroll (12-1) 4
5. McPherson (11-2) 6
6. Bishop Miege (10-4) 1
7. Andover (9-2) 8
8. Newton (9-4) –
9. Lansing (10-2) 10
10. Salina South (8-4) 7
Class 4A
1. Concordia (12-0) 1
2. Holton (13-0) 2
3. Cheney (12-0) 3
4. Ottawa (11-1) 4
5. Girard (12-1) 5
6. Hesston (10-3) 8
7. Altamont-Labette County (9-3) 9
8. Towanda Circle (10-2) 6
9. Rose Hill (8-5) 7
10. Spring Hill (8-2) –
Class 3A
1. Southwestern Heights (11-0) 1
2. Wichita Collegiate (10-1) 2
3. Rock Creek (13-0) 3
4. Thomas More Prep Marian (12-1) 4
5. Marion (11-2) 5
6. Burlington (10-1) 6
7. Minneapolis (13-1) 9
8. Smith Center (10-2) 7
9. Holcomb (9-3) 10
10. Beloit (9-4) 8
Class 2A
1. Olpe (12-0) 1
2. Hill City (10-1) 3
3. Osborne (12-2) 5
4. Oakley (13-1) 6
5. Berean Academy (11-2) 7
6. Pittsburg-Colgan (8-3) 4
7. Moundridge (9-3) 2
8. Valley Heights (9-4) 8
9. Dexter (10-2) 9
10. Wabaunsee (8-3) 10
Class 1A
1. South Gray (13-0) 1
2. Argonia (13-0) 2
3. Pratt Skyline (12-0) 3
4. St. Paul (13-0) 7
5. South Barber (12-1) 5
6. Hutchinson Central Christian (13-1) 4
7. St. John (13-1) 6
8. Frankfort (13-2) 8
9. Little River (11-3) 9
10. Weskan (13-2) 10
