HUTCHINSON, Kan. – TMP-Marian has a habit of being a giant killer at the Class 3A state tournament, most notably knocking off No. 1 seed Maur Hill in a 22-point rout in the 2019 state quarterfinals.
It took awhile for the Monarchs to spring the upset in Wednesday's quarterfinals of 22-1 Galena, but TMP eventually got it done. Dylan Werth's putback in double-overtime just before the buzzer gave the Monarchs a 68-67 victory.
With the win, TMP-Marian (20-4) earned a rematch with the team that denied it a shot at playing for the state championship last year. In Friday's 6 p.m. quarterfinal the Monarchs face defending champion Hesston (23-1), which topped them in last year's semifinals 64-55.
Galena, last year's runner-up to Hesston, looked like it might be the team getting the rematch it craved when Brett Sarwinski drilled a 3-pointer from the corner with roughly 16 seconds left in the second overtime to give the Bulldogs a 67-66 lead.
Instead of calling a timeout, TMP let the final 15 seconds play out. Gavin Unrein flashed open on the baseline and drove in for the winner. His shot was long off the back iron, but Werth was there on the backside and the 6-foot-7 junior snagged the board and put it back at the buzzer for the win.
TMP led for much of regulation before Galena forced it to overtime tied 51-51. After the Monarchs took a 59-56 lead with less than a minute left in the first overtime, Galena's Jackson Perry nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the key to send the game to a second overtime.
Werth's game-winner capped a 17-point night, leading four Monarchs in double figures. Jace Wentling added 14 while Unrein and Kenton Ginther each added 12.
Sarwinski had a monster game in the losing effort for the Bulldogs (22-2), torching the Monarchs for 32 points. The senior guard was 10 of 22 from the field, 5 of 8 from beyond the arc and 7 of 10 at the line. Maverick Harmon and Tyler Little each added 10 points.
HESSTON 46, HUGOTON 34
Defending champion Hesston had a hard time shaking free from Hugoton in its quarterfinal game. But the Swathers' balance won out over Hugoton's dynamic duo.
Carson Bennett and Ryle Riddlesperger combined for 31 points with Bennett leading the way with 18 points. But the tandem couldn't get much help in the scoring department from their supporting cast with an Isaac Martin 3-pointer the only points coming from the rest of the Eagles.
Hesston, meanwhile, got at least eight points from four players, led by 13 from Jake Proctor. Cason Richardson added 12 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists.
The Swathers (23-1) led by just one at the end of the first quarter and by five at halftime before steadily pulling away in the second half. Proctor hit a pair of big 3-pointers in the second half to help Hesston gain separation and finished 3 of 6 beyond the arc.
Hugoton finished 19-5.
ROYAL VALLEY 60, GIRARD 56
The first state tournament win in Royal Valley boys' basketball history didn't come easy.
Not one bit.
Eighth-seeded Girard, which won a state title in Hutchinson just three years ago, looked more than ready to spoil the Panthers' first true visit to a state-tournament venue. The Trojans hung with high-powered Royal Valley every step of the way.
But in the end, Royal Valley start Nahcs Wahwassuck was simply too much for the Trojans. The senior and Emporia State signee hit a pair of big 3-pointers in the third quarter to give the Panthers a slight bit of separation and closed out the historic program victory with a huge performance at the free-throw line.
Wahwassuck hit 14 of 15 free throws in the game and combined with three 3-pointers, dropped 29 points to send the Panthers (23-1) to the state semifinals where they will take on Southeast of Saline (21-3), a 62-53 winner over Osage City, in Friday's 2 p.m. game.
Wahwassuck was just 2 of 7 from the floor at halftime, but hit 4 of 6 shots in the second half. He also had five rebounds and three assists.
KJ Miller added 11 points and 9 rebounds and Brady Klotz had 10 points and 8 boards for the Panthers.
Girard, which finished the season 16-6 was led by Brahm Born's 22 points, coming on 8-of-19 shooting from the floor and 5 of 8 at the line. William Troike added 15, hitting three 3-pointers, and Aiden Damman scored 10.
SOUTHEAST OF SALINE 62, OSAGE CITY 53
Eli Sawyers filled up the stat sheet in just about every way possible and helped Southeast of Saline open up a 21-point lead in the second half before settling for the nine-point win.
Sawyers scored, hitting 9 of 15 shots for a game-high 22 points. He rebounded, tying Nakari Morrical-Palmer for team-high honors. He dished, handing out a team-high six assists. And he played defense, picking up four of Southeast's 17 steals.
The performance was too much for Osage City, which trailed just 13-11 at the end of the first quarter and was still within one midway through the second quarter. But a fadeaway jumper by Sawyers jump-started a big close to the first half as the Trojans outscored Osage City 14-5 in the final four-plus minutes for a 32-22 halftime lead.
Southeast then poured it on in the second half, building a 21-point lead on an alley-oop dunk by Morrical-Palmer on an assist from Sawyers. Morrical-Palmer finished with 12 points, while Luke Gebhardt added 13.
Osage City standout Landon Boss capped a big junior season with 19 points, while Kaden Kirkpatrick added 14. The two combined to go 12 of 22 from the field and for 14 rebounds.
ROYAL VALLEY 60, GIRARD 56
Girard … 9 … 8 … 17 … 22 … -- … 56
Royal Valley … 9 … 10 … 19 … 22 … -- … 60
Girard (16-6) – Born 8-19 5-8 22, Niggemann 0-2 2-4 2, Coester 0-2 0-1 0, Damman 4-8 0-0 10, W. Troike 5-11 2-2 15, A. Troike 1-3 0-0 3, O'Rand 2-5 0-0 4, Davenport 0-0 0-0 0, McDowell 0-0 0-0 0, Droessler 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-50 9-15 56.
Royal Valle (23-1) –Thomas 3-10 0-0 7, Wahwassuck 6-13 14-15 29, Kelly 0-0 0-0 0, Klotz 1-4 8-8 10, Miller 5-7 1-2 11, Murata 0-1 0-0 0, Coleman 0-0 0-0 0, Neuner 0-0 0-1 0, Franks 0-0 0-0 0, Hammes 1-1 0-0 3. Totals 16-36 23-26 60.
3-point goals – Girard 7-22 (W. Troike 3-6, Damman 2-6, Born 1-4, A. Troike 1-1, Niggemann 0-1, O'Rand 0-2, Coester 0-2); Royal Valley (5-15 (Wahwassuck 3-6, Thomas 1-5, Hammes 1-1, Miller 0-1, Klotz 0-1, Murata 0-1). Rebounds – Girard 24 (Born, Niggemann, W. Troike 5), Royal Valley 27 (Miller 9). Assists – Girard 10 (Born 3), Royal Valley 10 (Wahwassuck, Kelly, Klotz 3). Turnovers – Girard 4, Royal Valley 7. Total fouls – Girard 20, Royal Valley 14. Fouled out – none.
SOUTHEAST OF SALINE 62, OSAGE CITY 53
Osage City … 11 … 11 … 11 … 20 … -- … 53
Southeast of Saline … 13 … 19 … 20 … 10 … -- … 62
Osage City (20-4) – Moon 0-3 2-2 2, Brenner 2-3 0-1 4, Sage 2-6 0-2 4, Kirkpatrick 5-7 3-5 14, Boss 7-15 3-5 19, Bowin 0-1 0-0 0, Davies 2-2 0-0 6, Parsons 0-1 2-2 2, Patterson 0-0 0-0 0, Schaefer 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 19-39 10-17 53.
Southeast of Saline (21-3) – Sawyers 9-15 4-6 22, Morrical-Palmer 6-9 0-0 12, Augustine 2-3 1-3 5, Kejr 0-2 0-0 0, L. Gebhardt 5-7 2-2 13, Richardson 3-3 0-0 8, J. Gebhardt 0-0 0-0 0, Lilley 1-3 0-0 2, Allen 0-0 0-0 0, Davis 0-0 0-0 0, Isaacson 0-0 0-0 0, Heller 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-42 7-11 62.
3-point goals – Osage City 5-12 (Boss 2-2, Davies 2-2, Kirkpatrick 1-2, Moon 0-2, Sage 0-2, Bowin 0-1, Parsons 0-1); Southeast 3-9 (Richardson 2-2, L. Gebhardt 1-2, Sawyers 0-1, Morrical-Palmer 0-1, Kejr 0-1). Rebounds – Osage City 27 (Kirkpatrick 8), Southeast 17 (Sawyers, Morrical-Palmer 4). Assists – Osage City 11 (Brenner, Parsons 3), Southeast 18 (Sawyers 6). Turnovers – Osage City 22, Southeast 14. Total fouls – Osage City 13, Southeast 19. Fouled out – none.
HESSTON 46, HUGOTON 34
Hugoton … 8 … 5 … 8 … 13 … -- … 34
Hesston … 9 … 9 … 12 … 16 … -- … 46
Hugoton (19-5) – Lewis 0-1 0-0 0, Riddlesperger 4-10 3-3 13, Bennett 7-13 1-2 18, Martin 1-3 0-0 3, Williams 0-1 0-0 0, Heger 0-0 0-0 0, Acosta 0-0 0-0 0, Gaskill 0-1 0-0 0, Jimnez 0-0 0-0 0, Mecklenburg 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 12-30 4-5 34.
Hesston (23-1) – Schroeder 1-3 1-2 4, Proctor 4-12 2-2 13, Schilling 4-8 0-0 8, Richardson 4-11 3-3 12, Arnold 4-7 0-0 9, Werner 0-0 0-0 0, Waltner 0-0 0-0 0, Dahlsten 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-41 6-7 46.
3-point goals – Hugoton 6-17 (Bennett 3-6, Riddlesperger 2-8, Martin 1-1, Lewis 0-1, Gaskill 0-1); Hesston 6-15 (Proctor 3-6, Richardson 1-5, Arnold 1-2, Schroeder 1-1, Schilling 0-1). Rebounds – Hugoton 22 (Gaskill 7), Hesston 22 (Richardson 8). Assists – Hugoton 5 (Bennett 2), Hesston 11 (Richardson 4). Turnovers – Hugoton 21, Hesston 13. Total fouls – Hugoton 12, Hesston 11. Fouled out – none.
TMP-MARIAN 68, GALENA 67 2OT
TMP-Marian … 18 … 15 … 6 … 12 … 8 … 9 … -- … 68
Galena … 16 … 11 … 14 … 10 … 8 … 8 … -- … 67
TMP-Marian (20-4) – Harris 3-6 0-0 6, Wentling 6-11 2-3 14, Unrein 5-8 2-2 12, Ginther 4-6 0-0 12, Seib 1-4 0-0 3, Werth 7-13 3-4 17, Schumacher 0-0 0-0 0, Schwartz 0-1 2-3 2, Rome 0-1 2-2 2. Totals 26-50 11-16 68.
Galena (22-2) – Harmon 4-5 0-0 10, Sarwinski 10-22 7-10 32, Martin 0-3 0-0 0, Little 5-8 0-0 10, McGlothlin 3-6 2-5 8, Perry 1-1 0-0 3, Cockerel 0-0 0-0 0, Price 1-5 2-3 4, Hall 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-50 11-18 67.
3-point goals – TMP 5-12 (Ginther 4-6, Seib 1-3, Harris 0-2, Schwartz 0-1); Galena 8-17 (Sarwinski 5-8, Harmon 2-3, Perry 1-1, Price 0-3, Martin 0-2). Rebounds – TMP 25 (Werth 8), Galena 29 (McGlothlin 8). Assists – TMP 16 (Unrein 4), Galena 14 (Little 5). Turnovers – TMP 7, Galena 8. Total fouls – TMP 10, Galena 17. Fouled out – Galena: Little.
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