Shawnee Heights girls win defensive battle

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Feb 14, 2004 by Rick Dean Capital-Journal

By Rick Dean

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Bob Wells jokingingly says he just hates playing the Highland Park girls.

"Their defense," the Shawnee Heights said appreciatively, "is a mirror image of ours."

Understand something here. Wells really likes the way his 15-1 T- Bird girls play defense, which they did pretty well in their 44-32 Centennial League victory over the Scots on Friday night in the Highland Park gym.

Shawnee Heights forced turnovers on four of the Scots first five possessions, which is a nice way to get things started.

But here's the rub. The Scots were equally aggressive on the defensive end, and Heights ended up turning it over five times in its first nine possessions. The 4-4 first quarter was a thing of beauty only to people who work at the Pentagon.

"Highland Park does a great job on defense," Wells said of the sluggish start by both teams. "They're very quick in getting in the passing lanes and denying the ball, and they're very aggressive on the ball. They have a way of taking you out of whatever you're trying to do."

Heights finally found a solution. Leading only 15-14 late in the first half, Jessica Mainz hit back-to-back 3-pointers at the end of the first half to give the T-Birds a 21-14 halftime cushion. Mainz had eight points in a 12-3 T-Birds run that extended into the third quarter and opened a 25-17 lead that never got closer than six the rest of the way.

"That was huge when we hit those outside shots," Wells said of the Mainz shots that effectively opened up a high-low game for the T- Birds.

Mainz finished with 16 points with 3-of-5 accuracy from 3-point range. Julia Hale worked her way to the foul line to hit all eight free throws as part of her 12. The T-Birds as a team hit a sizzling 19 of 21 foul shots, a marked contrast to Highland Park's 4-of-15 difficulty.

LaTisha James came off the bench to lead the Scots with nine.

HP boys 54, Heights 41

Highland Park hit 10 of 19 shots by halftime with 4-of-7 accuracy from the arc in building a 25-8 halftime lead. They were never threatened the rest of the way.

Joe Kingcannon hit the first three treys he tried, with his third one giving the Scots their biggest lead at 35-12 in the third quarter.

The game was blown open during a 14-0 Scots run that spanned a long halftime ceremony honoring the school's seniors in all winter activities. Hank Harris, who hit his last five attempts to finish 6- of-8 from the field, had six of his 16 points during that stretch.

Shawnee Heights, with reserve Garrett Smith leading the way with 10 points, used an 8-0 run against Scot reserves to get as close as 40-27 late in the third quarter. The Highland Park starters rushed back in, Harris completed a conventional three-point play and whatever hint of a threat was vanquished.

SHAWNEE HEIGHTS GIRLS 44, HIGHLAND PARK 32

Shawnee Heights 4 17 12 11 --- 44Highland Park 4 10 8 10 --- 32 Shawnee Heights (15- 1, 5-1) --- Lawson 3 0-0 6, Stinson 0 6-6 6, Mainz 4 5-6 16, Hale 2 8- 8 12, White 1 0-1 2, Tetuan 1 0-0 2, Hilderman 0 0-0 0, Warta 0 0-0 0. Totals 11 19-21 44.

Highland Park (9-8, 2-6) --- Roberts 3 2-5 8, Gray 1 0-3 2, Parker 1 0-0 2, Swopes 2 0-0 5, Hunt 2 1-3 5, Spann 0 0-0 0, Wright 1 0-0 2, Middleton 0 0-0 0, James 3 2-4 9, Downing 0 0-0 0, Lewis 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 4-15 32.

3-point goals --- Heights 3 (Mainz 3), Park 1 (Swopes). Total fouls --- Heights 13, Park 17.

JV score --- Heights 48, Park 36.

HIGHLAND PARK BOYS 54, SHAWNEE HEIGHTS 41

Shawnee Heights 4 4 21 12 --- 41Highland Park 9 16 18 11 --- 54 Shawnee Heights (4- 12, 2-4) --- l. Orton 0 2-2 2, Jones 3 2-2 8, Shandy 0 2-2 2, Mills 3 0-0 6, Martin 3 3-4 9, Smith 3 4-5 10, Barranco 1 0-0 2, Tomes 0 1-2 1, O'Neill 0 1-2 1, Cordell 0 0-0 0, R. Orton 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 15- 19 41.

Highland Park (12-5, 5-3) --- Kingcannon 3 0-0 9, Harris 6 3-4 16, Spann 1 3-3 5, Wilson 3 1-2 7, Williams 4 3-4 12, Arnold 1 0-0 2, Austin 0 0-0 0, Redmond 1 0-0 3, Taylor 0 0-0 0, Bradberry 0 0-0 0, Weems 0 0-0 0, Fields 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 10-13 54.

3-point goals --- Heights none, Park 6 (Kingcannon 3, Harris, Williams, Redmond). Total fouls --- Heights 10, Park 15.

JV score --- Park 64, Heights 53.