TONGANOXIE — Atchison added another chapter to an already impressive season last Friday, capturing the Tonganoxie Invitational title with a 74-64 victory over Eudora in the championship game. 

The Phoenix, ranked No. 2 in Class 4A, improved to 13-0 on the season and defeated the Cardinals for the second time this year to claim the crown in a tournament that is in its 68th year.  

Incoming winter weather forced a schedule change, leaving Atchison with the unusual task of playing two games on Friday — and three in a span of two days. The Phoenix answered the challenge, opening the day with a 73-66 semifinal win over Leavenworth before returning later to the floor to secure the championship. 

On Thursday, Atchison set the tone early in the tournament with a dominant 78-32 victory over Wichita North in the opening round. 

“The Tonganoxie tournament has a long tradition and history behind it,” Atchison head coach Pat Battle said. “It’s an honor to be invited, and we jumped at the chance to attend three years ago. Since then, we’ve been in the championship all three years and won it twice. From an overall perspective, it’s been very gratifying to participate.” 

The logistical and physical challenges of Friday’s doubleheader were tough to overcome. Battle said he could not recall another instance in his 24 years of coaching in Kansas where his team had to play two games in one day. Compounding the difficulty, roughly half of the roster had been battling illness throughout the week. 

“It was a grueling experience,” Battle said, “but I think it’s one that will serve us well when we face adversity moving forward. Our system prepares us to handle whatever an opponent throws at us, and I thought our guys did a great job dealing with everything that came with the situation.” 
 

In the championship game against Eudora, execution proved to be the key. Atchison went 18-of-23 from the free-throw line, won the turnover battle and controlled the rebounding margin, particularly in the second half. 

“Eudora has an outstanding program and very good players,” Battle said. “We were fortunate to have played them before, which helped us review their tendencies. Free throws were huge in a championship game, and we did a good job on the glass. They had some really good looks that didn’t fall, but they’re a very good team.” 

The semifinal against Leavenworth tested Atchison in a different way. After building a 15-point lead, the Phoenix saw it slip away due to turnovers. Key defensive stops and timely rebounds late allowed Atchison to close out the win. 

“We’re going to have to do a better job managing late-game situations,” Battle said. “But this team has a knack for finding ways to win, which is very positive moving forward.” 
 

Individually, the Phoenix received strong contributions throughout the tournament. Yogi Purdy led the championship effort with 21 points and seven rebounds and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.  

Trey’von Gillum poured in a game-high 27 points in the semifinal, hitting six 3-pointers and earning all-tournament honors. Jojo Thompson also landed on the all-tournament team after averaging 12 points and four assists per game. 

As a team, Atchison averaged 75 points per contest, shot 38.1 percent from three-point range and converted 78 percent of its free throws across the three games. Defensively, the Phoenix forced an average of 21 turnovers per game. 

While the undefeated record and tournament championship are memorable, Battle emphasized the bigger picture. 

“Perseverance is the term I would use to define this team so far,” he said. “Being undefeated gives us a chance to stay near the top of the 4A East and potentially host sub-state games, but the job is far from over. State championships aren’t won in January. We have to keep improving and be playing our best basketball in late February and March.” 
 

OTTAWA WINS SECOND STRAIGHT BURLINGTON TITLE 

Winning a tournament once is special, but to do it in back-to-back years left for some lasting memories — especially for Ottawa ‘s Cliff McCullough. 

The Cyclones’ coach is a Burlington alum and left his old school with another tournament trophy.  

Ottawa turned in one of its most complete performances of the season last week, capturing the Burlington Invitational championship with a convincing 58-42 victory over Sabetha in the title game. 

The Cyclones followed a steady climb through the bracket, edging host Burlington 56-51 in the opening round before pulling away for a 56-37 win over Independence in the semifinals.  

Ottawa saved its best showing for last, using energy on the defensive end to roll past Sabetha and secure its second consecutive Burlington Invitational crown. 

“It’s such a competitive group of teams from Classes 3A and 4A that to come out on top is a big accomplishment for any program,” Ottawa head coach Cliff McCullough said. “It’s a great measure of where your team is halfway through the season and can give you momentum heading into the back half.” 

The tournament also provided a chance for Ottawa to regroup after early-season struggles within Frontier League play. 

“For us, it was an opportunity to see some teams outside the league where we’ve been trying to find our identity,” McCullough said. “We were able to put together three pretty solid games and capitalize on some things we can build on moving forward.” 

In the championship game, Ottawa set the tone defensively against a Sabetha team that had also made a strong run to the finals. 

“We knew Sabetha was playing with a lot of confidence and had strong, physical kids inside along with shooters on the perimeter,” McCullough said. “We challenged our kids to bring energy defensively, and that allowed us to get out and run.” 

The Cyclones responded, forcing stops that led to easy transition baskets — an element McCullough said had been missing at times earlier in the season. The early offensive rhythm carried over into the half-court, where Ottawa maintained control throughout the night. 

“It was really the first time we executed that part of the game plan all season,” McCullough said. “Getting those easy buckets helped our half-court offense, which has been stagnant at times.” 

Senior Aiden McCullough anchored Ottawa’s effort throughout the tournament, averaging 16 points, 7.3 rebounds and three steals per game. He was named to the all-tournament team and played a key role in each victory. 

“He’s always pretty motivated to perform well at Burlington,” Cliff McCullough said. “I’m always super proud of him. He’s such a competitor and is willing to do whatever it takes to win games.” 

Jayce Mourning added consistent scoring, averaging 15.3 points, four assists and three rebounds per contest, while Gavin Seaton chipped in 9.3 points per game to round out Ottawa’s balanced attack. 

With the title, the Cyclones improved to 8-6 on the season and gained a confidence boost as they move deeper into the schedule. 

“And lastly,” McCullough said, “it’s always good to go back to your old high school and be successful — especially doing it back to back years.” 
 

OLATHE SOUTH RIDES MOMENTUM TO SPRING HILL TITLE 

Olathe South stepped away from the grind of Sunflower League play last week and came back with exactly what it was looking for — momentum. 

The Falcons captured the Spring Hill Invitational championship last Friday, closing the tournament with a 57-51 victory over Junction City to improve to 8-6 on the season. The title run gave Olathe South three wins in four days and, perhaps more importantly, a boost of confidence heading into the heart of conference play. 

“It’s always great to win a tournament championship,” Olathe South head coach Dan Morrow said. “We’ve had a very tough schedule early in the year and we’re still trying to figure some things out with our group. I feel like we took a step in the right direction throughout the tournament. Hopefully this gives us some confidence moving into the rest of our conference schedule.” 

The Falcons set the tone early in the championship game, jumping out to a fast start against Junction City. Anthony Harris led the way with 13 points and seven rebounds, while Olathe South’s defensive intensity helped control the pace throughout. 

“We got off to a good start, which is something we haven’t been doing great this year,” Morrow said. “We knew we needed to be physical early with Junction City. Our guys did a great job setting the tone early on the defensive end. We also did a great job of mixing up our man and zone, which kept them out of rhythm.” 

The title game capped a tournament that tested the Falcons in different ways. In the opener, Olathe South survived a gritty challenge from host Spring Hill, holding on for a 68-64 overtime win. The Falcons relied heavily on their shooting from beyond the arc, as Kemper Johnson and Reece Johnson combined to go 12-of-18 from 3-point range and scored 38 points. 

“Spring Hill is a solid group,” Morrow said. “We were up 10 points for a good portion of the game and kind of got complacent down the stretch. They hit some big shots in the fourth quarter. It was good to see our guys keep their composure and persevere through some tough situations late in the game.” 

Olathe South followed that up with a dominant 62-12 win over Academie Lafayette on Thursday to secure a spot in the championship game. Jackson Chai contributed 12 points and six rebounds in the opening-round win over Spring Hill and was a steady presence throughout the tournament. 

Chai, Kemper Johnson and Reece Johnson were all named to the all-tournament team, reflecting the balanced effort the Falcons received over the three games. Harris’ return  midway through the tournament also proved pivotal. 

“He’s (Harris) our best defender and rebounder, so it was nice to see him step up,” Morrow said. “We’re hoping that having a full squad back and getting three wins in four days gives our guys some confidence moving into the rest of the season.” 

 

RIVERTON DOWNS HOST SOUTHEAST-CHEROKEE TO WIN LANCER CLASSIC 

Riverton walked into a loud, hostile gym Friday night and walked out with a championship trophy. 

The Rams claimed the Lancer Classic title on host Southeast-Cherokee’s home floor, edging the Lancers 51-45 in a hard-fought championship game to improve to 10-3 on the season. Riverton navigated a challenging week that included schedule changes due to weather and capped it with a poised performance when it mattered most. 

“It was awesome,” Riverton head coach Tucker Thompson said. “I was really proud of the guys and how hard they worked. It was a crazy week with all the weather stuff and days of games getting changed, but they just rolled with the punches. Overall it was a really good week and I’m extremely proud of them.” 

Riverton opened tournament play with a convincing 65-49 win over Columbus, then pulled away late for a 68-58 victory over Neodesha in the semifinals. That set up a championship matchup with Southeast in a packed, energetic gym — an environment the Rams embraced. 

“It was really loud and a hostile environment, which you love to play in,” Thompson said. “Southeast is an extremely well-coached team and they are good. Our guys came out and executed the game plan and did exactly what was asked.” 

The Rams’ ability to control the glass and attack the rim proved pivotal in the title game. Riverton rebounded effectively, played through contact and consistently pressured the basket, preventing Southeast from getting into a comfortable rhythm. 

“Aydan Witherspoon and Liam Buerge did a great job of rebounding and guarding the other team’s best player,” Thompson said. “We did a good job of playing through contact and attacking downhill.” 

Riverton’s balanced effort throughout the tournament was reflected in the all-tournament selections. Senior Cale Forbes earned a unanimous nod to the team, while teammate Tyler Reitz also received all-tournament honors. Southeast’s Blake Robinson and Tyler Warner joined them. 

Forbes was impactful across all three games, averaging 24 points per contest. He delivered one of the tournament’s best performances in the semifinal round, pouring in 31 points and knocking down nine 3-pointers against Neodesha. Reitz was equally important, averaging 20 points per game and scoring 16 points in the fourth quarter of the semifinal to help close out the win. 

“They are studs, man,” Thompson said. “I was extremely proud of how they played all tournament long. Best part of this team is that when someone has it rolling, the whole team realizes it and tries to get them the ball to keep feeding them.” 

Riverton also received key contributions throughout the lineup. Witherspoon dominated the boards, grabbing 22 rebounds against Neodesha and averaging 13 rebounds per game during the tournament. Buerge shot 70 percent from beyond the arc, while Levi Mann averaged eight points and seven assists per game, steadying the Rams at the point guard spot. 

 

PLEASANTON GETS REVENGE WIN, TITLE AT KENNY HOLT 

Pleasanton checked two major boxes Friday night in Uniontown. 

The Blu-Jays captured the Kenny Holt Memorial Tournament championship with a 56-49 victory over Osawatomie, avenging their only loss of the season in the process. The win lifted Pleasanton to 12-1 and won a title that tested the Blu-Jays in a variety of ways. 

“It felt good to meet one of our team goals with our tournament win in Uniontown,” Pleasanton head coach Tim Staton said. “Winning three games in four days against quality opponents away from home was a great experience for us.” 

Pleasanton opened the tournament with a convincing 65-42 win over Fredonia, then survived a thriller in the semifinals by edging host Uniontown 48-46. That game ended in dramatic fashion as senior Mario Davis buried a buzzer-beater to send the Blu-Jays to the championship game. The team ran an inbounds play with 3.5 seconds left under their basket and Davis received a pass at the free-throw line, made a spin move and shot the fade away the went in. 

Davis’ shot was symbolic of a season in which he has consistently delivered in big moments. Earlier this month, the senior poured in 43 points in a win to reach the 1,000-point milestone for his career. 

“Mario has a giant impact on this team,” Staton said. “He’s a natural basketball player with a very high basketball IQ. What I love most about his game isn’t the scoring — it’s how he’s taken huge steps in becoming a very good team leader.” 

The championship matchup with Osawatomie carried extra meaning. The Trojans handed Pleasanton its lone loss earlier this season and had beaten the Blu-Jays twice a year ago, something that stuck with the returning seniors. 

“Beating Osawatomie felt really good,” Staton said. “That didn’t sit well with my guys, and I knew they wanted to get over the hump with that team. Getting a win like that reinforced our belief that we can compete with any team, even those from substantially bigger schools.” 

The Blu-Jays leaned on balance to pull out the title-game win. Senior forward Garrett Conley led the way with 16 points against Osawatomie while anchoring the defense with blocks and altered shots throughout the tournament. 

Conley was one of four players to score in double figures against Osawatomie. Davis finished with a double-double as he had 12 points and 11 rebounds to go along with five steals and four assists. Sophomore Antonio Bustillos added 14 points in the win, while senior Kamden Staton finished with 12. 

While the championship was a milestone, Staton believes his team still has room to grow. 

“We haven’t played a complete game yet,” he said. “We haven’t put together a four-quarter performance equal to what we believe our full potential is. We played brilliantly and clutch at times, but we didn’t always execute up to our full potential. I’d give our overall performance a B-plus.”