By Dean Backes
MaxPreps.com
Playing in a league filled with pride and tradition, the Blue Valley girls basketball team has suffered its share of bumps and bruises over the years. Life in the Eastern Kansas League will do that to most teams.
But that’s not the case for the Tigers this season. One-by-one, the Blue Valley girls are settling some old scores. They’re taking some of that pride and tradition and making it their own and the turnaround has planted coach Andy Unrein’s squad atop the Kansas Class 6A rankings for three weeks running.
After starting the season by splitting games with Gardner-Edgerton (a 45-29 win) and Shawnee Mission South (a 59-54 loss), Blue Valley has found itself on a monumental roll. The Tigers have won 15 straight basketball games to improve to 16-1.
“It’s really pretty surreal,” Unrein said of the winning streak, which includes eight wins to no losses against rugged Eastern Kansas opposition. “After winning six, seven or eight games in a row, I found myself waiting to get beat. It’s not that I didn’t have confidence. You just expect that somebody at some point is going to get you.
“Then you start to gain some confidence and you get a swagger. I don’t think we’re over-confident or anything like that, we just feel good about ourselves. Good things happen if we go out and play well. Winning 15-straight games is fun, I’m not gonna lie about that.”
In the fourth game this season, the Tigers passed their first major test by knocking off EKL power St. Thomas Aquinas 55-49. Then, a week later, Blue Valley pulled away from Bishop Miege, another EKL nemesis, for a 46-31 triumph. The Tigers have won rematches with both opponents since those initial victories to sweep the regular season contests from the Saints and the Stags.
The latter win, a 51-31 victory over Bishop Miege Monday, wrapped up Blue Valley’s first ever EKL championship, and marked the first time in history that the Tigers bettered the Stags on the road. A win this Friday against Blue Valley West will wrap up the No. 1 seed for Blue Valley as they head into sub-state action.
The four-game sweep over the Saints and Stags marks the first time in a decade that the Tigers have swept either team. Blue Valley also defeated district rival Blue Valley North 69-48 in late January. That rematch takes center stage next Thursday at North in the regular season finale.
“They’re going to have some extra incentive to beat us,” Tiger shooting guard Taylor Hanson said. “They will have a fire to beat us at their place. It’s a pretty big rivalry for us. They’re going to want to get the split.”
For Hanson, and her teammates, all of the hard work in the off-season is starting to pay off. The 5-foot-10 Central Missouri State University recruit is especially happy with the wins over Miege and Aquinas. But she doesn?t want the fun to stop there.
“We have to keep playing all out,” Hanson said of her team’s goal of a state championship. “All of the awards and accolades we’ve earned so far this year don’t mean anything. What really matters is what happens in the end. If we play our game, I feel we will go all the way.”
Hanson likes the makeup of the Tigers. Though she is Unrein’s deadliest shooter, the future CMSU Jennie knows the importance of having a strong inside game to go along with the dangerous perimeter game.
“We compliment each other a lot,” Hanson said. “When they (opposition) are face guarding us so we can’t shoot, that opens up the inside game. When our inside game is working that creates looks for us on the outside. When one part of our game is not working, the other part usually is. When both games are on we can beat anybody.”
“They have to pick their poison,” Unrein added. “Our posts can score. If they double team inside, then we can kick the ball out for the open shot.”
Hanson has had a hot hand all season. Through 17 games, she is tied with second-year Tiger Brianna Eldridge for the team’s scoring lead, at 12.9 points a game. Hanson has connected on 35 of 83 (42.2-percent) 3-pointers her senior season, and has scored 194 points. She’s also made 47 of 55 free throws in 2007-08.
Eldridge, who is Unrein’s point guard, leads the team in assists (38) and steals (47). The Prairie View (LaCygne) transfer from a year ago has turned the ball over just 17 times this season, while pulling down a team leading 8.3 rebounds per game.
Two other seniors dot the Tiger roster. Victoria Renn, a Blue Valley North transfer from a year ago, and Morgan Matile average just over six points a game collectively.
According to Unrein, Matile has a great knowledge of the game and plays great defense. Renn, on the other hand is all over the floor.
Nicole Gloor (5-9, So.), Liz Stinson (6-0, Jr.), Shelby Geiman (5-8, Jr.), Leslee Kinnison (5-5, Jr.) and Nicole Berry (5-6, So.) all play critical roles for the Tigers as well. Gloor and Stinson contribute inside. Geiman, on the other hand, has shot the ball well all year. Kinnison and Berry are big sparks as well.
The Tigers run out of a motion offense and like to get after it on defense.
“We like to get in your face on defense,” Hanson said. “We get up on opposing players and try not to let them catch the ball. We want to make it as difficult as possible for our opponent to catch the ball, just like they try to do to us.”
With a rugged sub-state looming ahead, there is no room for a letup for Blue Valley. Including the Tigers, the Shawnee Mission East Sub-State has five ranked teams competing for a berth to the state tournament. Going head-to-head with top-ranked Blue Valley are: ninth ranked Blue Valley North, Blue Valley Northwest, Blue Valley West, eighth ranked Shawnee Mission East, Shawnee Mission North, tenth ranked Shawnee Mission South and seventh ranked Shawnee Mission West.
Class Leaders (Boys) – Wichita Southeast (6A), Topeka Highland Park (5A), Topeka Hayden (4A), Wichita Trinity Academy (3A), Syracuse (2A) and Crest (1A).
Class Leaders (Girls) – Blue Valley (6A), Wichita Bishop Carroll (5A), Andover Central (4A), Riley County (3A), Southwestern Heights (2A) and Olpe (1A).
Kansas Boys Basketball Rankings
Top 10
1. Topeka Highland Park (15-1) 1
2. Bishop Miege (15-2) 2
3. Wichita Southeast (16-1) 3
4. Manhattan (15-1)
5. Topeka Hayden (15-1) 5
6. Leavenworth (13-3) 6
7. Shawnee Mission East (13-3) 4
8. Wichita East (12-4) 9
9. St. Thomas Aquinas (8-7) 10
10. Emporia (10-5)
Dropped Out: No. 7 Lawrence Free State, No. 8 Blue Valley West
Class 6A
1. Wichita Southeast (16-1) 1
2. Manhattan (15-1)
3. Leavenworth (13-3) 3
4. Shawnee Mission East (13-3) 2
5. Wichita East (12-4) 6
6. Blue Valley West (11-5) 5
7. Lawrence Free State (10-6) 4
8. Blue Valley Northwest (7-5) 9
9. Wichita South (14-3) 8
10. Shawnee Mission Northwest (13-4)
Dropped Out: No. 7 Shawnee Mission South, No. 10 Wichita Heights
Class 5A
1. Topeka Highland Park (15-1) 1
2. Bishop Miege (15-2) 2
3. St. Thomas Aquinas (8-7) 3
4. Emporia (10-5) 4
5. McPherson (14-3) 6
6. Liberal (14-2) 7
7. Shawnee Heights (9-7) 5
8. Salina Central (14-3) 8
9. Topeka Seaman (7-7) 10
10. Sumner Academy (11-3) 9
Class 4A
1. Topeka Hayden (15-1) 1
2. Andover (16-0) 2
3. Ottawa (13-3) 3
4. Basehor-Linwood (11-4) 4
5. Colby (13-4) 5
6. Cheney (14-2) 7
7. Perry-Lecompton (16-1) 8
8. Andover Central (10-5) 6
9. St. James Academy (11-2) ?
10. Clearwater (14-2) 9
Dropped Out: No. 10 Holton
Class 3A
1. Wichita Trinity Academy (16-1) 1
2. Sabetha (14-2) 3
3. Larned (14-2) 5
4. Holcomb (13-3) 7
5. Wichita Collegiate (14-2) 2
6. Republic County (14-1) 4
7. Nemaha Valley (16-1) 6
8. Lakin (13-4) 9
9. More Prep-Marian (8-6) 8
10. Belle Plaine (12-5) 10
Class 2A
1. Syracuse (13-2) 1
2. Marmaton Valley (7-1) 2
3. Frankfort (13-2) 4
4. Humboldt (13-1) 3
5. St. John (13-3) 9
6. Trego (15-1) 8
7. Smith Center (14-1) 10
8. St. Mary?s-Colgan (15-2) 5
9. Wathena (12-2) 7
10. Meade (15-2)
Dropped Out: No. 6 Berean Academy
Class 1A
1. Crest (15-1) 1
2. Centralia (15-1) 2
3. Wallace County (16-1) 3
4. Hanover (15-2) 4
5. Olpe (16-1) 5
6. South Gray (14-3) 6
7. Quinter (15-2) 7
8. Macksville (15-3) 10
9. Blue Valley (10-3) 9
10. Madison (14-3)
Dropped Out: No. 8 Hutchinson Central Christian
Kansas Girls Basketball Rankings
Top 10
1. Andover Central (16-0) 1
2. Blue Valley (16-1) 2
3. Wichita Heights (16-1) 3
4. Olathe South (14-2) 5
5. Abilene (16-0) 4
6. Lawrence (12-4) 6
7. Riley County (16-0) 8
8. Wichita Carroll (14-2) 7
9. Washburn Rural (12-3) 10
10. St. Thomas Aquinas (11-6) 9
Class 6A
1. Blue Valley (16-1) 1
2. Wichita Heights (16-1) 2
3. Olathe South (14-2) 3
4. Lawrence (12-4) 4
5. Washburn Rural (12-3) 5
6. Goddard (13-2) 7
7. Shawnee Mission West (10-6) 6
8. Shawnee Mission East (12-4) 8
9. Blue Valley North (8-7) 10
10. Shawnee Mission South (11-5) 9
Class 5A
1. Wichita Bishop Carroll (14-2) 1
2. St. Thomas Aquinas (11-6) 2
3. Emporia (12-3) 3
4. Great Bend (12-4) 5
5. McPherson (12-3) 6
6. Shawnee Heights (10-6) 4
7. Bishop Miege (11-6) 8
8. Wichita Kapaun Mount Carmel (10-6) 7
9. Hutchinson (10-5) 9
10. Lansing (11-6) 10
Class 4A
1. Andover Central (16-0) 1
2. Abilene (16-0) 2
3. Colby (17-0) 4
4. Basehor-Linwood (15-1) 3
5. Holton (16-1) 5
6. Topeka Hayden (14-2) 6
7. Tonganoxie (14-2) 7
8. Rose Hill (14-2) 8
9. Concordia (11-5) 9
10. Buhler (12-4) 10
Class 3A
1. Riley County (16-0) 1
2. Cimarron (15-1) 2
3. Wichita Collegiate (12-3) 3
4. Rock Creek (12-3) 4
5. Garden Plain (15-2) 5
6. More Prep-Marian (8-5) 6
7. Norton (10-5) 10
8. Medicine Lodge (13-4) 7
9. Phillipsburg (11-4) 9
10. Neodesha (14-1)
Dropped Out: No. 8 Sacred Heart
Class 2A
1. Southwestern Heights (15-1) 1
2. St. Marys (11-2) 2
3. Osborne (13-2) 6
4. St. John (14-2) 4
5. Oakley (14-3) 5
6. Berean Academy (16-1) 3
7. Sublette (13-4) 8
8. Frankfort (12-4) 7
9. Lyndon (12-4)
10. Syracuse (8-5) 10
Dropped Out: No. 9 Moundridge
Class 1A
1. Olpe (17-0) 2
2. Centralia (14-2) 1
3. South Barber (17-1) 3
4. South Gray (16-1) 5
5. Blue Valley (16-2) 4
6. Quivira Heights (18-0) 6
7. Hoxie (13-5) 9
8. Weskan (15-3) 10
9. Linn (14-5) 7
10. Southern Coffey County (17-0) 8
