The challenge of prolonging an unbeaten basketball season only seems to intensify as the calendar turns toward the homestretch.
 
But the Halstead Dragons and Wichita Heights Falcons have managed to find ways to keep that pursuit alive for now.
 
Reigning Class 3A champion Halstead completed an impressive run to its third consecutive Haven Wildcat Classic title on Saturday, defeating Cheney 61-39 in the championship game. The Dragons followed that up by avenging their lone loss from their 2024-25 championship season, but needed a furious comeback to top Central Kansas League rival Hesston 51-49 on senior Onnyka Nedich’s buzzer-beating layup Tuesday in Halstead.
 
Meanwhile, Wichita Heights continued an impressive first season under coach Jen Pillich, edging Derby 66-63 on Saturday in a battle of ranked Class 6A teams to win Topeka’s Capital City Classic.
 
Halstead, No. 1 in the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association’s 3A rankings, and 6A No. 1 Heights are both 15-0.
 
Nedich’s heroics against Hesston on Tuesday came on the heels of junior teammate Bailey Bernal’s 20-point performance against Cheney. The 5-foot-9 Bernal hit three 3-pointers and added 11 rebounds and four assists, earning all-tournament team honors along with teammate Addisen Wills, who scored 12 points in the title game.

 
“I feel like no matter the situation we’re able to feel a flow,” Bernal said. “We don’t have any selfishness and we can share the ball really well. Any given night, somebody can have 20 points and somebody else can have 20 the next night.
 
“Everybody just does their job and it make really easy and fun to play as a team.”
 
The Dragons never trailed in the championship game, storming to an 18-5 lead after the first quarter. Cheney, which got 11 points from Karli Inslee and Kinslie McDorman, scored the first five points of the second quarter to cut its deficit to 18-10, but trailed by double digits the rest of the way.
 
“Even when we don’t have shots falling, we’re still able to get people open for layups,” said Halstead junior Piper Schroeder, who added 17 points in the title game. “It seems like we’re just moving really well.”
 
Halstead and Cheney pushed the pace throughout the championship game, a contrast to the Dragons’ 48-33 semifinal victory over Garden Plain. Garden Plain, which entered the game on a seven-game winning streak, tried to slow the Dragons. But Bernal, Wills and Schroeder combined for 37 points to help Halstead pull away.
 
“We’ve been battle-tested,” said Halstead coach Derek Schutte, whose team overcame an 18-point deficit Tuesday to defeat Hesston and stretch its winning streak to 28 games. “We don’t always win by a lot of points and it’s not always flashy, but we can play different styles. The championship game we played fast. In the semifinals, we had to play slow and physical against a really good Garden Plain team.
 
“Those put you in situations where you learn from them, and you’re prepared for a lot of stuff down the stretch.”
 

In Topeka, Wichita Heights routed Highland Park and defeated Garden City by double digits to earn a matchup with Derby, which had won nine consecutive games. The Falcons remained 6A’s lone unbeaten team as junior Jocelyn Rose scored a career-high 18 points.
 
Derby’s Macayla Askew kept the Panthers within striking distance, scoring 15 of her game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter. The senior standout surpassed 1,000 points for her career, but couldn’t connect on a 3-point attempt in the final seconds that would have sent the game to overtime.
 
Senior Aniyah Harris also scored 18 points for Heights and junior Destiny Maze added 12.
 

CONWAY SPRINGS BEATS BUZZER, TAKES MULVANE TITLE
 
Riding a winning streak that started in mid-December, Conway Springs kept it going Saturday with some high drama to claim the Mulvane Wildcat Classic title.
 
Senior Sadie Koester’s rebound and follow shot with 0.2 seconds remaining lifted the Cardinals to a 56-55 overtime victory over tournament host Mulvane – their 13^th consecutive win in a streak they extended to 14 with a Central Plains League victory over Kingman on Tuesday.
 
“I was proud of the grit they showed,” Conway Springs coach Brett Gunderson said. “I think more than anything this gives the girls confidence and a look into what a sub-state run is going to take.”
 
Koester hauled in tournament MVP Macie Hartman’s off-balance shot and was fouled as she banked in the game-winner. The scoreboard showed no time remained, but the buzzer did not sound. An official put 0.2 seconds on the clock. Koester missed the free throw, but Mulvane was unable to put up a shot.
Hartman scored a game-high 25 points in the championship game, giving her a tournament-best 51 for the three games. Junior Delaney Jones joined Hartman on the all-tournament team for Conway Springs.
 
“This tournament was a true team effort as they all had clutch plays and worked so hard to achieve that title,” Gunderson said.
 
Conway Springs, now 14-2 after an 0-2 start, didn’t have an easy run to the title. The Cardinals held off No. 8 seed Wichita Collegiate 41-37 in the quarterfinals, surviving 25% shooting from the field and 6-of-20 free-throw shooting.
 
Conway Springs advanced to the championship with a 44-35 victory over Arkansas City, getting 15 points from Hartman to lead the way.
 
In the final, Mulvane built a 14-4 lead in the first quarter. But the Cardinals, who got 14 points from Lanie Hartman, battled back and sent the game to overtime tied at 46.
 
Koester’s winning basket came after Mulvane’s Brittani Peschel hit 1 of 2 free throws with 12 seconds remaining to put the Wildcats up 55-54.
 
“The kids all stepped up and everyone had key moments throughout the tournament run,” Gunderson said. “There were so many big plays made by everyone at different times throughout the tournament that we can point to that got us there.”
 

MAIZE SOUTH RALLIES TO WIN FOURTH STRAIGHT LADY CAT CLASSIC
 
Maize South collected another El Dorado Lady Cat Classic championship plaque on Saturday, and displayed some resilience in getting its hands on the prize.
 
After yielding the championship game’s first nine points and trailing Hayden 17-6 at the end of the first quarter, the Mavericks tightened their defense and were more efficient on offense, rallying for a 42-32 victory.
 
Junior Jaela Thompson, the tournament’s MVP, scored a game-high 13 points, and Maize South won the title for the fourth consecutive year by holding the Wildcats to 15 points over the final three quarters.
 
“We learned a lot about our group seeing them have to respond to adversity with their backs against the wall early in that game,” said Maize South coach Ben Hamilton, whose team left the tournament with a 14-2 record and won its 15^th game of the season Tuesday over Hutchinson. “Our upperclassmen leadership played a big role as we re-grouped and got things back on track.”

 
Maize South, No. 3 in Class 5A, advanced to the championship game with a 56-19 quarterfinal victory over Augusta and a 69-53 semifinal win over Kapaun Mt. Carmel. That set up a rematch with Hayden, which the Mavericks defeated 50-48 in last year’s Lady Cat Classic final.
 
“I feel our basketball team is on an upward trend right now,” Hamilton said. “This starts with our improved daily approach at practices. Our focus, energy and competitiveness on the daily are driving this ship.”
 
Hayden, No. 8 in 4A, finished the title game with 11 field goals after scoring six in the first quarter. Alana Mitchell led the Wildcats with nine points.
 
In Maize South’s semifinal win over 5A No. 10 Kapaun, senior Kaylee Brunton scored 19 points and Thompson added 17. Kapaun’s standout guard Zoey Buckner-Franklin finished with a game-high 27, but missed key minutes with foul trouble.
 
“Seeing two ranked opponents in the second and third rounds was great for our team,” Hamilton said. “(Buckner-Franklin) is a special talent who is fun to watch as long as it is not from the opposing sideline.”
 
 
OTHER GIRLS BASKETBALL STANDOUTS
 

• El Dorado’s Jenna Hadley tied her mother’s program record with six 3-pointers as she finished with 25 points in the Wildcats’ 63-46 victory over Augusta in the Lady Cat Classic seventh-place game. Hadley’s long-range assault matched the six threes Keri Melcher-Hadley made in a game during the 1992-93 season.
• Udall junior Lilly Hoffman tallied her 1,000^th career point Tuesday in the Eagles’ 63-26 loss to Argonia.
• Hutchinson Trinity earned its first victory of the season Tuesday and snapped a 21-game losing streak, defeating Wichita Central Christian 36-34. Sophomore Emma Martin scored her only points with 35 seconds to play to put the Celtics on top for good.