Gonzales commentary: 1A tourney the last of its kind
Published on -3/17/2010, 11:29 AM
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There will never be another Class 1A state basketball tournament quite like the one that ended last week.
That's because starting next year, the 1A tourney will be divided in half, with the bigger schools staying in Hays and the smaller schools traveling to Emporia. The 6A tourney will be moving from Emporia to Wichita.
Last week's 1A tourney had its dramatic moments, most notably the overtime win by Montezuma-South Gray over Argonia in the girls' title game.
The Argonia girls came oh, so close, to winning the title, and many of the players were in tears during the medals presentation. But fret not Argonia, for with just one senior on this year's team, you might be holding the championship plaque next year.
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With no official all-tourney team in 1A, here is my unofficial all-boys' and all-girls' teams:
On the boys' side, I have Burrton senior guard Alex Santiago, South Gray senior guard Chase Clancy and three big men -- senior Charles Alexander of Hanover, junior Logan Haug of Baileyville-B&B and senior Zach Nemechek of Quinter.
Santiago scored a boys' record 53 points in his only game at state, a first-round loss to eventual state champion Hanover. Clancy averaged 23.7 points per game, mostly on driving layups from all angles. Alexander averaged 14 points and nine rebounds for the state champions, while Haug averaged 11 rebounds in three games and blocked 10 shots. Nemechek made up for a sub-par game in the semifinals with 20 points and eight rebounds in the opener and a double-double in the third-place game.
Honorable mention goes to Pretty Prairie's 6-foot-8 senior center, Joseph Lampe. The slender Lampe battled Quinter's two big men in the first round, finishing with 12 points, 15 rebounds and six blocked shots. Another HM mention goes to Quinter's other big man, senior Scott Ochs, who averaged 12 points and six rebounds.
On the girls' side, I have senior guards Mikayla Skidmore and Kayla Thomas of state champion South Gray. Up front, I have St. John sophomore center Teresa Wade and Argonia's 5-8 junior forward, Ashton Stansbury and St. Paul junior forward Morgan Westhoff.
Skidmore averaged 18.7 points for the Rebels, while the 5-10 Thomas averaged 14 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Skidmore could hit from long range or drive to the basket. Thomas hurt teams both by posting up inside, on drives to the basket and also with her outside shooting. The 6-0 Wade was the go-to player inside for St. John, averaging 14 points and seven rebounds. Stansbury also was too much inside for opponents, averaging 14 points and 10 rebounds, with two double-doubles. Westhoff, who averaged 15.7 points and 6.3 rebounds, showed true grit.
She fell and split open her forehead in the first game, with blood everywhere. She got stitched up and played the last two games with a headband covering her stitches, but not the big black eye she received.
Honorable mention goes to Lincoln freshman guard Jenna Farris and St. John senior guard Brooke Burgan. Farris, who averaged 23.5 points per game heading into state, scored 28 in a loss to Argonia. Burgan ran the offense and played pressure defense for St. John. She averaged 13.3 points in three games.
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Former Fort Hays women's basketball coach Annette Wiles, in her second year at Minnesota-Duluth, got her team into the NCAA Division II tournament this season, the first time since 2005.
Wiles' team lost to Augustana (S.D.) College 74-57 in Friday's quarterfinals of the North Central regional to finish 20-11 on the season. It was Wiles' 500th career game.
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Earnie Williams, daughter of former Fort Hays women's player Kammie Holmes, who was on the 1991 NAIA title team, is in her senior year at Texas.
Williams, who now has 1,005 career points, is averaging 6.5 points and recorded her first career double-double in a win over Missouri in the Big 12 tourney. Williams is the 35th player to score 1,000 points for the Texas women's program.
Texas (22-10) will play San Diego State on Sunday in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
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Most experts think Kansas -- the overall No. 1 seed -- got the toughest draw for the NCAA tournament. The Jayhawks shouldn't have too much trouble making the Sweet 16, but waiting for them there in the regional finals could be Ohio State or Georgetown.
Some analysts are even using a World Cup soccer term for the Jayhawks' path to the Final Four, calling it the Bracket of Death.
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With the NCAA TV contract up for grabs and ESPN hungry for at least part of the tourney -- and willing to spend millions to get it -- don't be surprised if the field of 65 is expanded, probably to 96 teams.
It's a pure money grab by the NCAA. The tourney is fine now, why ruin a good thing? I'm OK with expanding to three more teams, and having four play-in games (although the NCAA won't call them that) instead of one. But tweak it like ESPN's Any Katz has suggested, putting a power conference school in a play-in game. Have Illinois play Utah State for a No. 12 seed, he suggested.
But no, the NCAA will likely go and ruin everything with 96 teams. The only ones happy will be coaches on the bubble, who can save their jobs by saying they made the Big Dance. No matter that the punch will be watered down.
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Speaking of the not knowing when you have a good thing, I don't know if it was the NCAA's idea or somebody making big bucks at CBS, but the signature video montage at the end of the championship game will have a new person singing "One Shining Moment" on April 5. Instead of Luther Vandross, it will be Jennifer Hudson.
I am sure Hudson will do a fine job, but if it ain't broke, why fix it?
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Yes, I will be holed up at my place Thursday through Sunday, watching March Madness in all its glory. Don't even think about bothering me, unless you're the pizza guy.
My Final Four has in it Kansas, Syracuse, Kentucky and Baylor. Kansas beats Kentucky 76-71 in the title game.
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When Kaylee Hoffman tore up her left knee in the penultimate game of the regular season, just about everybody gave the Monarchs' chances of making state as either slim or none, with slim walking out the door.
Funny thing, somebody forgot to tell the Monarchs that. The Thomas More Prep-Marian girls' basketball team surprised Kismet-Southwestern Heights in the sub-state title game to make it to state for the first time since 1994.
That's where Hoffman had a surprise of her own. Thought to be out for the season, Hoffman strapped on a brace and played, helping her team win its first state girls' basketball title.
Look up the word "tough" in the dictionary, and you will find a picture of Hoffman.
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This was a true "team" in all aspects for the TMP-Marian girls.
The three seniors -- Hoffman, Jessa Stramel and Sophia Schippers -- provided the leadership every championship team has to have. Hoffman was a whirling dervish on the court, stealing the ball, dishing off for assists and dashing end-to-end for layups. Stramel developed an outside shot this year to go with her work inside. Schippers -- who didn't score much her previous years -- could have been overlooked. Instead, she hit killer 3-pointers and handled the ball under pressure, something coaches covet and fans sometimes take for granted.
Sophomore Rachel Jacobs came into her own down the stretch. She led the team in scoring in all six postseason games, including a career-high 27 in the sub-state opener. Jacobs could sink the 3-pointer or hit tough, mid-range jumpers, kissing them off the glass. And she was a force on the boards, leading the team in rebounding.
The Monarchs' role players also contributed. Freshman Heather Ruder got better as the season progressed, and sophomore Jenna Lang hit the biggest shot of her life late in the state championship game. Junior Shaunna Ruder also helped out, especially once the team was without Hoffman for four games late in the season.
Coach Alan Billinger molded this team into a champion. When Hoffman got hurt, he said other players had to get better. And they did. When Hoffman came back, the team was even better.
In a few weeks, at the end of the NCAA tournament, there will be a team cutting down the nets, with "One Shining Moment" playing in the background.
For the Monarch girls, they have already had their "One Shining Moment."









