BOYS
6A Final
Wichita Heights 56,
Blue Valley Northwest 40
EMPORIA — Sophomore Perry Ellis scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, as top-seeded Wichita Heights repeated as Class 6A state champions, beating Blue Valley Northwest Saturday night in the final at White Auditorium.
Ellis, an unprecedented 6A player of the year last year as a freshman, is the highest-recruited sophomore in the nation. Ellis made 7 of 10 field goals, 5 of 7 free throws and seven of his rebounds came on the defensive end. Dreamius Smith added 10 points, and Evan Wessel and Terrance Moore scored seven apiece for the Falcons (23-2).
Northwest, which upset No. 2 seed Dodge City in the opening round, had its magic carpet ride come to a halt against the Falcons. Northwest was led by guards Tyler Brashears and Brett Fisher with 16 points apiece. Fisher had four 3-pointers.
BOYS
6A Consolation
Blue Valley North 60,
Leavenworth 57
EMPORIA — Weston Ehler poured in a game-high 26 points, including hitting a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 3.7 seconds left, to lift Blue Valley North (17-8) past Leavenworth.
After Ehler’s 3-pointer, time expired. But officials huddled and put 4.3 seconds back on the clock. Leavenworth’s shot at sending the game into overtime went by the wayside, when Kyle Wiggins, who led the Pioneers (17-8) with 21 points, missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Ehler finished 10-for-16 from the floor and made 6 of 9 free throws. Wiggins made 8 of 14 field goals, including 5-for-7 on 3s.
GIRLS
6A Final
Olathe South 54, Wichita Heights 49
EMPORIA — Junior guard Natalie Knight helped Olathe South head coach Steve Ingram finally get his first state championship in the South’s sixth straight state tournament appearance and 10th overall.
Knight hit 7 of 11 field goals and 8 of 9 free throws for a game-most 23 points and teammate Kelsey Balcom added 14 points, leading Olathe South (24-1) over Wichita Heights (23-2) for the girls’ 6A crown.
Jhasmin Bowen had a team-high 17 points, Kamisha Richard added 14 and Mary Sims scored 11 for Heights (23-2) .
