CLASS 2A BOYS STATE QUARTERFINALS PREVIEW
STERLING BLACK BEARS (1: 25-0) VS. DOUGLASS BULLDOGS (8: 13-11)
6 p.m. Wednesday, Koch Arena, Wichita
STATE TOURNAMENT HISTORY
State championships -- Douglass: 0; Sterling: 2 (2012, 2025).
State tournament appearances – Douglass: 0 (first appearance); Sterling: 14 (last appearance: 2025).
TOP PLAYERS
Douglass: Brody Rush, 6-3, so., G (13.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg); Kemper Cox, 5-10, jr., G (10.5 ppg); Bronsyn Knisley, 6-1, jr., G (10 ppg, 3.8 rpg); Kane Ast, 5-10, jr., G (7.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.6 apg, 2.3 spg).
Sterling: Boston Ekart, 6-6, sr., F (22.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg); Blake Smith, 6-0, sr., G (13.3 ppg), Jacob Lewis, 6-1, so., G (10.7 ppg); Wyatt Newberry, 5-10, sr., G (7 ppg); Zane Farney, 6-0, sr., PG (6.6 ppg, 3.2 apg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Douglass: beat Northeast-Arma, 57-39; beat Cedar Vale-Dexter, 68-60; beat Uniontown, 74-73 2OT.
Sterling: beat Hoxie, 100-40; beat Sublette, 75-34; beat Ell-Saline, 36-25.
TEAM TIDBITS
Douglass: First trip to state in school history came in wild fashion as Bulldogs won thrilling double overtime sub-state championship game with Kemper Cox hitting game-winning 3-pointer in final seconds of second OT. … Bulldogs had knocked off sub-state’s top seed, Cedar Vale-Dexter in semifinals. … Douglass entered sub-state on seven-game losing streak before postseason run. … Bulldogs only have two seniors in rotation.
Sterling: Black Bears are defending state champions and went 23-3 a year ago, beating Heart of America League rival Moundridge 56-45 in championship game. … Sterling set 2A state tournament scoring record with 97 points in quarterfinal win over Chase County only to have Ell-Saline break it with 109 points in third-place game. … Black Bears returned all five starters from title team. … Sterling has qualified for state six of last seven years and in addition to state titles in 2025 and 2012 also have a runner-up finish in 1958. … Black Bears are one of four undefeated teams left in the state along with 5A Kapaun and 4A’s Atchison and Rock Creek. … Only one win has been by less than 10 points, a 59-50 win over fellow 2A qualifier Berean Academy, and only three wins are by less than 20 points as Black Bears average 74 points per game and allow 39.4 per game.
TMP-MARIAN MONARCHS (4: 20-5) VS. ST. MARYS BEARS (5: 19-7)
2 p.m. Wednesday, Tony’s Pizza Events Center, Salina
STATE TOURNAMENT HISTORY
State championships – St. Marys: 1 (2009); TMP-Marian: 2 (2005, 2007).
State tournament appearances – St. Marys: 11 (last appearance: 2023); TMP-Marian: 28 (last appearance: 2023).
TOP PLAYERS
St. Marys: Ben DeVader, 5-10, sr., G (19 ppg, 4 rpg); Zach Sommars, 6-3, sr., G/F (10 ppg, 5 rpg, 3 apg); Jace Hurla, 5-10, jr. PG (10 ppg, 4 rpg, 3 apg).
TMP-Marian: Ty Schmeidler, 6-0, jr., G (17 ppg 3 rpg); Grant Nehls, 6-4, so., F (12 ppg, 7 rpg); Jacob Seib, 6-0, jr., PG (9 ppg, 4 rpg, 7 apg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE
St. Marys: beat Northern Heights, 88-43; beat Valley Falls, 89-65; beat Cair Paravel, 67-47.
TMP-Marian: beat Smith Center, 60-46; beat Plainville, 52-48; beat Stanton County, 52-49.
TEAM TIDBITS
St. Marys: DeVader holds the Bears’ school record for 3-pointer made in a single season and career and went over 1,000 career points during sub-state. … Four of Bears’ losses came to state-qualifiying teams – 3A Silver Lake (twice), 4A Rock Creek and fellow 2A qualifier Rossville. … Bears also beat Rossville 65-49 in late February. … Two other starters average at least 6 points per game.
TMP-Marian: Monarchs swept the Mid-Continent League regular-season and tournament titles. … Monarchs have won 17 of last 18 games after starting season 3-4 with only loss in that stretch coming to Class 5A Great Bend. … Only losses to 2A schools or lower came to Sacred Heart in overtime and to 1A Division I state qualifier Central Plains. … Another loss came to 4A qualifier Hugoton.
BEREAN ACADEMY WARRIORS (2: 22-2) VS. ROSSVILLE BULLDAWGS (7: 17-7)
4 p.m. Wednesday, Friends University, Wichita
STATE TOURNAMENT HISTORY
State championships -- Rossville: 0; Berean Academy: 2 (2010, 2011).
State tournament appearances – Rossville: 7 (last appearance: 2025); Berean Academy: 16 (last appearance: 2020).
TOP PLAYERS
Rossville: Jack Donovan, 5-11, sr., G (21 ppg, 3.4 rpg); Cameron Miller, 6-4, sr., F (15.3 ppg, 9.4 rpg); Jacoby McDonnell, 5-5, sr., G (14.6 ppg, 6.9 apg, 3.3 spg).
Berean Academy: Nolan Sweazy, 6-5, sr., F (12 ppg, 6 rpg); Emory Kukula, 6-2, sr., G (10 ppg, 4 rpg, 3 apg); Jace Unruh, jr. G (9 ppg, 5 rpg, 3 apg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Rossville: beat McLouth, 90-28; beat Maur Hill, 67-51; beat Kansas City Christian, 60-49.
Berean Academy: beat Hillsboro, 64-35; beat Conway Springs, 55-43; beat Moundridge, 44-38.
TEAM TIDBITS
Rossville: Bulldawgs return to state after dropping tough 82-78 shootout with Ell-Saline in last year’s quarterfinals. … Donovan is school’s all-time leader in 3-pointers made and has made 75 this season and 240 in his career while shooting 37.7% beyond this arc. … Donovan also ranks No. 2 in career points with 1,439 and No. 5 in career steals. … McDonnell set program’s career assist mark and has 144 this season and 384 in his career, breaking a mark that had stood since 1995. … He’s also No. 2 all-time in steals. … Miller is fourth in career rebounds and sixth in career points. … Bulldawgs split with fellow 2A qualifier St. Marys and also with 3A qualifier Silver Lake, beating the Eagles on a buzzer-beater by McDonnell. … Rossville won Valley Falls Invitational title for third straight year.
Berean Academy: Warriors won back-to-back state titles in 2010 and 2011 in Class 2A and also had runner-up finishes in 1995 and 1999. … Only losses this year came to 2A unbeaten Sterling by 9 points and to Sacred Heart by 3 points. … Warriors won the title at their home midseason tournament. … Berean has two wins over fellow 2A qualifier Wichita Classical, beating the Saints 52-26 at the mid-season tournament and then 57-43 in late February. … Kukula scored 15 in sub-state championship win over Moundridge, the Warriors’ second win over last year’s 2A state runner-up this year.
WICHITA CLASSICAL SAINTS (3: 20-4) VS. ST. MARY’S COLGAN PANTHERS (6: 18-7)
2 p.m. Wednesday, Friends University, Wichita
STATE TOURNAMENT HISTORY
State championships -- Colgan: 5 (1996, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2008); Classical: 0.
State tournament appearances – Colgan: 32 (last appearance: 2025); Classical: 3 (last appearance: 2023).
TOP PLAYERS
Colgan: Jayden Brown, 6-3, sr. G (12.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.2 apg); Brady Bettega, 6-0, jr. G (12.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.8 apg); Brady Crossland, 6-2, sr. G (9.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.7 apg).
Classical: Abe Black, 6-2, jr., G (14.5 ppg, 2.2 spg, 2.3 apg); Mack Dolloff, sr., F (11.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg); Tylan Sinclair, 6-0, jr., G (9.6 ppg)
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Colgan: beat Eureka, 56-30; beat Udall, 51-39; beat Southeast-Cherokee, 67-36.
Classical: beat Wichita Central Christian, 57-34; beat Solomon, 53-24; beat Sacred Heart, 59-52 OT.
TEAM TIDBITS
Colgan: Panthers were outright CNC League champions. … Panthers have won 10 of last 12 games. … Seven players average at least 4.1 points per game. … Gabe Brown, Jayden Brown and Bettega all shoot at least 30% from 3-point range and have combined for 75 3-pointers this season. … In addition to five state titles, Panthers have finished seven runner-up finishes and program played in the state championship game 10 times in an 11-year stretch from 2000-10, winning four of five titles during that span as well.
Classical: Making just third state appearance in program’s brief history, Saints’ best finish is a runner-up showing in 2023 when they fell to Macksville 73-62 in the Class 1A Division I state championship game. … Only other appearance also came in 1A Division I and ended with quarterfinal loss to Olpe. … Saints started year 10-0 before losing to Moundridge. … Half of losses came to fellow 2A qualifier Berean Academy and another loss came to 2A unbeaten and defending state champion Sterling. … Saints upset top-seeded Sacred Heart in sub-state finals in overtime.