EMPORIA — Andover senior BJ Redic took over the game for his team late in the state semifinals on Friday.

Redic carried that momentum over into the final as he scored a team-high 16 points to help Andover power its way past Kapaun for a 54-46 win, delivering the Trojans’ their first ever state championship.

Andover head coach Martin Shetlar said the win felt unbelievable, especially with six seniors on the roster including his son Eli.

“This feels unreal,” Andover head coach Martin Shetlar said. “This group of seniors I’ve watched grow up since they were in the fourth grade. I couldn’t have planned or written it any better way.”

Redic once again made the go-ahead score for his team, although it was not a free throw to go up one with less than a second remaining. This time Redic powered through a contact on a layup to go up 37-36 with 5:56 remaining in the game.

But it was far from over in a game that Shetlar said he didn’t feel good about having it wrapped up until the bitter (sweet) end.

“I never felt good about it until there’s seven seconds left on the clock and it was a three possession game,” Shetlar said. “Then I thought there’s no way this could happen.”

One reason the game remained in doubt was that Redic did not get the chance to control the action down the stretch like he did in the semifinals. Instead he had to watch the game from the bench as his teammates finished the job. Redic picked up his fifth foul on charge with 3:17 remaining and the Trojans holding a 43-38 lead. 

Redic said he felt frustrated that he put himself in that situation and that he did not keep his composure after the call.
 

“I hated that that’s how I had to go out,” Redic said. “I obviously wanted to play more minutes, stuff like that. But the big thing was to try to keep my composure so that my team will look at me and see that ‘I’m cool, I’m calm, I’m collected. Let’s go get this.’”

Redic may have had a tough time hiding his frustration, but his teammate Chris Harris made sure that team displayed that cool attitude whenever the team had to play without Redic.

Harris scored all 14 of his points in the second half, with most of those taking place during the stretches without Redic on the court.

Harris credit his coaches for bringing the best out of him in the second half.

“They talked to me at halftime and they knew I was down on myself because I wasn’t playing to how good I could play,” Harris said. “They were the ones that pushed me out and pushed myself.”

Shetlar also credited senior Devon Neal-McFarthing for stepping up on defense and guarding Will Anciaux after Redic fouled out. Anciaux finished with 10 rebounds and 8 points on 3-of-11 shooting with five turnovers.

Redic said he takes a lot of pride in delivering on both ends of the floor.

“I like to shut down the opposition,” Redic said. “I like to make them play different ways.”

In this game, Kapaun did everything they could to try and shut down senior Eli Shetlar. The Crusaders were successful, limiting him to 0-of-8 shooting with all four of his points coming at the line.
 

With the focus on Shetlar from the start, Redic and Blake Rucker ended up accounting for all but two of Andover’s first half points. That was still enough for the Trojans to take a 22-21 lead into the break. 

Rucker scored in double-digits during all three games at state, despite coming off the bench for the Trojans.

Shetlar said Rucker started most of the season for this team, but ended up moving to bench after a stretch where things clicked with Brad Harris in the starting five.

“It’s such a huge advantage to bring someone like Blake off the bench who can come in and score right away,” Shetlar said. “He can handle the ball and he’s tough and plays different than any of our other players. He’s a more physical guy. He can bully his way into the basket.”

Andover’s other top option to play bully ball, Redic, scored four more points out of the break to give the Trojans their biggest lead of the game to that point.

Shetlar noted that Redic has developed away from pure aggressive play into the more controlled attack he utilized in this game.

“The old BJ would have been a bull in the china shop and he would have ran everybody in the lane over and come unglued,” Andover coach Martin Shetlar said. “He’s so in control and playing off two feet. He did a great job of getting in the lane, shot faking and getting the ball in the rim.”

But a few possessions later Redic was called for a push underneath the Kapaun basket, picking up his fourth foul and sending him to the bench with around four minutes left in the third quarter.
 

That’s when Kapaun’s Corbin Johnson and Will Thengvall kicked off a run for the Crusaders with a pair of 3s, leading to a tie heading into the fourth quarter. Thengvall followed up by giving them a lead jumper early in the final frame.

Harris kept finding a way to get his team points and slow down Kapaun’s comeback attempt.

He gave enough time for Redic to make his way back onto the court. That’s when he grabbed a rebound and made a spin along the baseline before finishing a lay-up through contact.

Redic missed the ensuing free throw, but his team’s 37-36 lead would stand.

In addition to Harris, multiple other players helped prop up the Trojans in this one, particularly during the times Redic was on the bench.

Sophomore Joshua Kim scored four points while leading the team with three assists.

“It’s just who we are,” Shetlar said. “We don’t have one leading scorer every night or one person making every play every time. It’s always someone steps up and tonight it was everybody stepped up.”
 

Andover and Kapaun both entered in this game with seniors thinking about the what-ifs that remain for their programs back during their freshman years.

Both programs were part of the “Forever Four” 2020 state semifinalist teams that did not get a chance to prove that they could win two more games to bring home a state title.

For Andover to win the program’s first state title by beating the Wichita area foe they dreamed about getting to face in that 2020 semifinals that never happened, the Trojans feel like this state title meant that much more to them it normally would.

“The glory and the excitement is great,” Harris said. “We’ll never have another moment like this. I think this is worth five state championships.”

Redic felt the same way.

“It feels like five,” Redic said. “This is well deserved.”

Shetlar said he talked with his players after the game about how this could have been their second state title, but he’s more than happy with just finally getting the first. He also noted how this championship game was played on the same date as they were supposed to face Kapaun three years ago. 

“It’s just bittersweet all the way around that we win it on this day and those guys (former players from 2020 roster) got to be here to see it.”
 

HIGHLAND PARK 79, HUTCHINSON 46 — Highland Park coach Mike Williams had his coach’s clipboard close-by throughout the Class 5A boys basketball third-place game, but he did not use it to draw up plays.

He wrote a handful of strategies and talking points that he never erased for Xs and Os in this one. The top line was really all the direction his Scots needed in this one: “STAY AGGRESSIVE.”

Looking to finish the season on a high note after their state title hopes slipped away in the closing minutes, and seconds, of a 1-point loss in the state semifinals, Highland Park stayed aggressive for 32 minutes of their 79-46 victory over Hutchinson in the consolation final.

Senior Jahmir Kingcannon scored 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range, to go along with five rebounds and a block. Seniors Tre Richardson and Ketraleus Aldridge combined for another 30 points to outscore the Salthawks with just that trio.

Eight other Scots scored in the game, including Jacorey Robinson and Tamir Anderson with 6 points each.

Hutchinson sophomore Terrell King led his team with 17 points on 7-of-14 shooting with 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals.


CLASS 5A BOYS STATE TOURNAMENT

CHAMPIONSHIP

ANDOVER 54, KAPAUN MT. CARMEL 46

Kapaun ... 9 ... 12 ... 13 ... 12 ... -- ... 46

Andover ... 7 ... 15 ... 12 ... 20 ... -- ... 54

Kapaun (23-2) -- Anciaux 3-11 2-4 8, Shibley 1-1 0-0 2, Thengvall 3-11 0-1 7, Johnson 3-9 0-0 8, Charles 4-9 0-0 8, Dalian 1-1 1-1 3, Keller 0-6 1-2 3, Powers 3-8 3-4 9.

Andover (23-2) -- Kim 1-4 2-4 4, Redic 6-7 3-4 16, Shetlar 0-8 4, C. Harris 4-12 5-6 14, B. Harris 1-2 0-0 2, Neal-McFarthing 0-2 1-2 1, Rucker 5-6 2-4 13.

3-point goals -- Kapaun 3-19 (Thengvall 1-2, Johnson 2-8, Keller 0-5, Powers 0-4); Andover 3-8 (Redic 1-2, Shetlar 0-4, C. Harris 1-1, Rucker 1-1). Rebounds -- Kapaun 37 (Anciaux 10); Andover 30 (C. Harris 10). Assists -- Kapaun 6 (Shibley, Johnson 2); Andover 8 (Kim 3). Turnovers -- Kapaun 10, Andover 8. Total fouls -- Kapaun 20, Andover 14. Fouled out -- Andover: Redic.


THIRD-PLACE GAME

HIGHLAND PARK 79, HUTCHINSON 46

Hutchinson ... 10 ... 12 ... 12 ... 12 ... -- ... 46

Highland Park ... 15 ... 20 ... 17 ... 27 ... -- ... 79

Hutchinson (22-3) -- T. King 7-14 3-5 17, Robertson 0-12 0-1 0, Meyer 3-8 1-1 9, D. King 4-7 1-2 9, Lange 3-7 0-0 6, Lewis 0-1 1-2 1, Heneha 0-1 0-0 0, Rodriguez 0-2 0-0 0, Smith 1-6 0-0 2, Van Syckle 1-2 0-0 2.

Highland Park (24-1) -- Richardson 7-8 0-0 14, Aldridge 5-9 5-6 16, Kingcannon 8-10 1-2 22, Adams 1-2 2-2 4, Robinson 3-6 0-0 6, Gregory 1-2 0-0 2, Williams 1-4 0-0 2, Taylor 1-2 0-0 3, Wilson 0-2 2-2 2, McMillion 1-2 0-1 2, Anderson 2-6 0-0 6.

3-point goals -- Hutchinson 2-26 (T. King 0-3, Robertson 0-8, Meyer 2-7, D. King 0-2, Lange 0-1, Heneha 0-1, Rodriguez 0-1, Smith 0-3); Highland Park 9-19 (Aldridge 1-3, Kingcannon 5-6, Williams 0-2, Taylor 1-2, Anderson 2-6). Rebounds -- Hutchinson 33 (T. King 7); Highland Park 35 (Robinson 8). Assists -- Hutchinson 5 (T. King 5); Highland Park 18 (Robinson 6). Turnovers -- Hutchinson 8, Highland Park 8. Total fouls -- Hutchinson 12, Highland Park 15. Fouled out -- None.