One of the biggest things Justin Smith likes about his Rock Creek boys basketball team is its willingness to share the ball.
That’s not just coach-speak on Smith’s part. The Mustangs’ stat sheet backs it up.
As a team, Rock Creek is averaging 18.9 assists per game this season as it has built an 18-0 record and the No. 1 ranking in Class 4A.
“This team as a whole is extremely unselfish,” Smith said. “They don’t care who scores, they just want the best shot every possession. It also helps that we have kids that can really shoot the ball.”
In early January, Rock Creek took sharing the ball to a record-setting level. In the Mustangs’ 86-46 win over North Central Kansas League rival Abilene, they broke the state record for assists in a game by a team with a whopping 34.
The old mark had been 32, set by Harmon more than 60 years ago, the Falcons’ performance coming in 1960.
Ten different Mustangs recorded assists in the game with Peter Martinie leadfing the way with nine. Porter Gill added six, Dylan Jones had four while Gavin Rosa, Ethan Tonsor, Jaxon Pendall and Hudson Edelman each had three. Tate Smith, Brock Lubbers and Zeb Brinson each tallied one.
“As a program, team and coach, (the record) does mean a lot because it means we are playing the game the right way,” Smith said. “We have a lot of kids in our program right now that all they care about is winning and not individual accolades and stats, which makes us more successful as a program.”
Rock Creek has since had another game with 30-plus assists as a team, recording 31 in a 100-37 win over Wamego on Jan. 30.
On the season, four Mustangs are averaging better than two assists per game with Martinie leading the way with 4.1 a contest. Logan Klingenberg, who ironically didn’t have one in the record-setting performance, is close behind with 3.8 per game while Gill (2.5) and Rosa (2.3) are both over two.
OTHER BOYS BASKETBALL STANDOUTS
- Rossville finished off a weather-delayed championship at the Valley Falls Invitational, beating the Northeast Kansas Homeschool 82-80 on Feb. 4 in the championship game. Jack Donovan exploded for 32 points in the game, hitting 7 of 13 3-pointers. Cameron Miller and Jakobi McDonnell each added 16 points for the Bulldawgs, who earlier in the tournament had beaten Jefferson West 63-54 and Christ Prep 64-29.
- Axtell avenged its only loss of the season, knocking off Hanover 65-62 in a rematch of the Twin Valley League championship game. Logan Sandmann scored 26 points to lead the Eagles while Colin Shaughnessy added 13. Hanover, which suffered its first loss, was led by Braylon Meyn’s 24 points.
- Valley Falls’ Collin Kearney went over 1,000 career points in the Dragons’ win over Troy, scoring 18 in the contest. Kearney’s total came in just three seasons. In the previous game, Kearney went over 500 career rebounds.
- St. Marys’ Ben DeVader erupted for 31 points and added 7 rebounds and 3 assists in a 63-62 loss to Rossville and then had 20 points in a win over Holton.
- Wamego’s Reed McDiffett had 28 points and 6 rebounds against Concordia.
- Clifton-Clyde picked up wins over Washington County and Doniphan West behind a big week from Luke Nobert, who scored 24 and had 7 rebounds against Doniphan West, hitting 5 3-pointers, and also 14 with 5 rebounds and 5 assists against Washington. Emitt Tiemeyer also had 14 against Washington and Ethan Sacco added 13.
- Royal Valley’s Landon Gilbert had 32 points and 15 rebounds against Perry-Lecompton last Friday. Gilbert leads the Big East League in rebounding at 10.9 per game.
- Wabaunsee’s Cutter Murray had 24 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists in a loss to Axtell. Cole Frank scored 18 and Carter Falk 17 against Jefferson West and Falk had 9 rebounds against Axtell.
GIRLS BASKETBALL STANDOUTS
- Silver Lake’s Kailyn Hanni recorded her 500th career assist last week against Riley County. Hanni is also closing in on 500 career rebounds and 300 career steals and already has topped 1,000 career points.
- Olpe’s Lilly Skalsky hit 1,000 career points in the Eagles’ win over Lyndon last Tuesday.