By JOHN RABY AP Sports Writer

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Emmitt Matthews’ last regular-season home game at West Virginia was even better than he had envisioned.

Matthews played for Washington a year ago before returning to West Virginia, where he had spent his first three seasons. When Washington's Senior Day ceremony was held almost a year ago to the day, Matthews said he closed his eyes and imagined being back in Morgantown.

On Saturday his eyes were wide open and his smile went from ear to ear as he and five other seniors walked onto the court with loved ones during pregame introductions. And their energy eventually translated into one of their best efforts of the season.

Matthews, Erik Stevenson and Kedrian Johnson led an offensive onslaught in their home finale Saturday and West Virginia gave its NCAA Tournament hopes a big boost with an 89-81 victory over No. 11 Kansas State.

Matthews, who played all 40 minutes, then joined Stevenson, Johnson and West Virginia’s other seniors to sing John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” one last time in their own arena before going into the student section to celebrate.

“This is everything I imagined and then some,” Matthews said.

Stevenson finished with 27 points, Johnson added 23, Matthews had 20 points and Tre Mitchell scored 14 for West Virginia (18-13, 7-11 Big 12), which has won three of four heading into the conference tournament.

“That was special, for sure,” said Stevenson, who made 11 of 22 field goal tries, including five 3-pointers, and has averaged nearly 25 points over his last five games. “I can tell you that basket gets bigger and bigger every time I make one. I've just got to credit my teammates for finding me.”

Before a sellout crowd, West Virginia rallied from 10 points down to take a 39-37 halftime lead and never trailed after that, shooting 58% (15 of 26) from the floor in the second half.

Kansas State (23-8, 11-7) was within 61-57 when Johnson blocked Markquis Nowell’s layup attempt, and Stevenson hit a 3-pointer at the other end of the court. Stevenson hit another 3 less than 2 minutes later for a 69-59 lead with 8:49 remaining.

Kansas State went scoreless over a nearly three-minute stretch and the Mountaineers padded their lead at the free-throw line, going 7 of 8 en route to their largest lead, 84-69, with 2:42 left.

“They played like seniors on Senior Night are supposed to play, so credit to them,” Kansas State coach Jerome Tang said. “What they were able to do, especially in the second half, we couldn't guard them. They were really good.”

Kansas State saw its four-game winning streak snapped. Nowell and Keyontae Johnson each scored 24 points for the Wildcats and Cam Carter finished with 13.

Kansas State guard Desi Sills missed the game because he was attending a funeral. Tang said he'll be back for the Big 12 tournament.

Kansas State could drop a few spots in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll">AP Top 25</a>&nbsp;poll.

Kansas State: The Wildcats scored the first eight points of the game but couldn’t keep the momentum going. Despite the loss, Kansas State capped its best regular season since 2018-19, when they went 24-7.

West Virginia: The Mountaineers had a 22-9 advantage at the free-throw line and forced 20 turnovers. West Virginia committed four turnovers in the second half after committing 12 before halftime.

“That was pretty much the focus at halftime was to stop turning the ball over," West Virginia coach Bob Huggins said. "I think the majority of our turnovers led to their scoring in the first half.

”We've gotten a lot better. Our older guys have really stepped up."

Both teams play in the Big 12 tournament that starts Wednesday in Kansas City, Missouri. The Wildcats have a first-round bye.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677974140498.jpeg" alt="Kansas State forward Keyontae Johnson (11) drives to the basketball in a Big 12 basketball game vs. West Virginia on March 3, 2023 in Morgantown, W.Va. (Kansas State athletics photo)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State forward Keyontae Johnson (11) drives to the basketball in a Big 12 basketball game vs. West Virginia on March 3, 2023 in Morgantown, W.Va. (Kansas State athletics photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN RABY AP Sports WriterMORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Emmitt Matthews’ last regular-season home game at West Virginia was even better than he had envisioned.Matthews played for Washington a year ago before returning to West Virginia, where he had spent his first three seasons. When Washington's Senior Day ceremony was held almost a year ago to the day, Matthews said he closed his eyes and imagined being back in Morgantown.On Saturday his eyes were wide open and his smile went from ear to ear as he and five other seniors walked onto the court with loved ones during pregame introductions. And their energy eventually translated into one of their best efforts of the season.Matthews, Erik Stevenson and Kedrian Johnson led an offensive onslaught in their home finale Saturday and West Virginia gave its NCAA Tournament hopes a big boost with an 89-81 victory over No. 11 Kansas State.Matthews, who played all 40 minutes, then joined Stevenson, Johnson and West Virginia’s other seniors to sing John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” one last time in their own arena before going into the student section to celebrate.“This is everything I imagined and then some,” Matthews said.Stevenson finished with 27 points, Johnson added 23, Matthews had 20 points and Tre Mitchell scored 14 for West Virginia (18-13, 7-11 Big 12), which has won three of four heading into the conference tournament.“That was special, for sure,” said Stevenson, who made 11 of 22 field goal tries, including five 3-pointers, and has averaged nearly 25 points over his last five games. “I can tell you that basket gets bigger and bigger every time I make one. I've just got to credit my teammates for finding me.”Before a sellout crowd, West Virginia rallied from 10 points down to take a 39-37 halftime lead and never trailed after that, shooting 58% (15 of 26) from the floor in the second half.Kansas State (23-8, 11-7) was within 61-57 when Johnson blocked Markquis Nowell’s layup attempt, and Stevenson hit a 3-pointer at the other end of the court. Stevenson hit another 3 less than 2 minutes later for a 69-59 lead with 8:49 remaining.Kansas State went scoreless over a nearly three-minute stretch and the Mountaineers padded their lead at the free-throw line, going 7 of 8 en route to their largest lead, 84-69, with 2:42 left.“They played like seniors on Senior Night are supposed to play, so credit to them,” Kansas State coach Jerome Tang said. “What they were able to do, especially in the second half, we couldn't guard them. They were really good.”Kansas State saw its four-game winning streak snapped. Nowell and Keyontae Johnson each scored 24 points for the Wildcats and Cam Carter finished with 13.SILLS OUTKansas State guard Desi Sills missed the game because he was attending a funeral. Tang said he'll be back for the Big 12 tournament.POLL IMPLICATIONSKansas State could drop a few spots in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll">AP Top 25</a>&nbsp;poll.BIG PICTUREKansas State: The Wildcats scored the first eight points of the game but couldn’t keep the momentum going. Despite the loss, Kansas State capped its best regular season since 2018-19, when they went 24-7.West Virginia: The Mountaineers had a 22-9 advantage at the free-throw line and forced 20 turnovers. West Virginia committed four turnovers in the second half after committing 12 before halftime.“That was pretty much the focus at halftime was to stop turning the ball over," West Virginia coach Bob Huggins said. "I think the majority of our turnovers led to their scoring in the first half.”We've gotten a lot better. Our older guys have really stepped up."UP NEXTBoth teams play in the Big 12 tournament that starts Wednesday in Kansas City, Missouri. The Wildcats have a first-round bye.

🏀 No. 11 Kansas State drops regular season finale at West Virginia

By TYLER HENRY Salina Post contributor

The Salina Liberty will kick off their 2023 season on Saturday when they host the Topeka Tropics, officially beginning their title defense.

It’s been almost a year since Salina hoisted the Champions Bowl Trophy, and the Liberty players, as well as the Liberty faithful, will be eager to see Salina back on the gridiron in a live game.

“I know the guys are excited to get back on the field,” Liberty head coach Heron O’Neal said. “Seeing how the Salina community has responded to our championship win and to our guys has been amazing. Excitement has spread throughout the city and it’s been humbling to see the response.”

Much like in any Champions Indoor Football season, each of the league’s eight teams has undergone significant turnover, and as a result, info and film on early-season opponents are sparse, giving an edge to teams willing and able to adapt in the heat of battle.

“Topeka has a good mix of young ballplayers and veterans and some are just now getting an opportunity at this level,” O’Neal said. “There’s no film to see what kind of stuff they’ll run this year and they’ve got a new offensive coordinator as well so we’re going in blind like everyone else. We just have to be ready to make adjustments on the fly.”

With their game-one focus squarely on themselves, Salina will look to race out of the gates and take advantage of the early-season chaos, with their own veteran-heavy roster in tow.

“I want to see our guys play four full quarters and make sure our conditioning level is where it needs to be,” he said. “I’m also looking forward to seeing how our guys execute, that’s a big thing for me.”

While many things around the league change from year to year, the goals around the Liberty locker room do not, and Salina will take the first step towards achieving those aspirations when the season kicks off on Saturday.

“Our goal is to win every game every season so getting off to a good start is big,” O’Neal said. “It’s not a playoff game so nothing is critical but the only way to go undefeated is to win that first game.”

Kickoff between the Liberty and Tropics is set for 6:35 at Tony’s Pizza Events Center and the game can be streamed live with audio and video on the Salina Post.

By TYLER HENRY Salina Post contributor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618021366432.png" alt="Coverage of Liberty football is presented by Ryan Roofing" />
 <figcaption>Coverage of Liberty football is presented by Ryan Roofing</figcaption>
 </figure>The Salina Liberty will kick off their 2023 season on Saturday when they host the Topeka Tropics, officially beginning their title defense.It’s been almost a year since Salina hoisted the Champions Bowl Trophy, and the Liberty players, as well as the Liberty faithful, will be eager to see Salina back on the gridiron in a live game.“I know the guys are excited to get back on the field,” Liberty head coach Heron O’Neal said. “Seeing how the Salina community has responded to our championship win and to our guys has been amazing. Excitement has spread throughout the city and it’s been humbling to see the response.”Much like in any Champions Indoor Football season, each of the league’s eight teams has undergone significant turnover, and as a result, info and film on early-season opponents are sparse, giving an edge to teams willing and able to adapt in the heat of battle.“Topeka has a good mix of young ballplayers and veterans and some are just now getting an opportunity at this level,” O’Neal said. “There’s no film to see what kind of stuff they’ll run this year and they’ve got a new offensive coordinator as well so we’re going in blind like everyone else. We just have to be ready to make adjustments on the fly.”With their game-one focus squarely on themselves, Salina will look to race out of the gates and take advantage of the early-season chaos, with their own veteran-heavy roster in tow.“I want to see our guys play four full quarters and make sure our conditioning level is where it needs to be,” he said. “I’m also looking forward to seeing how our guys execute, that’s a big thing for me.”While many things around the league change from year to year, the goals around the Liberty locker room do not, and Salina will take the first step towards achieving those aspirations when the season kicks off on Saturday.“Our goal is to win every game every season so getting off to a good start is big,” O’Neal said. “It’s not a playoff game so nothing is critical but the only way to go undefeated is to win that first game.”Kickoff between the Liberty and Tropics is set for 6:35 at Tony’s Pizza Events Center and the game can be streamed live with audio and video on the Salina Post.

Liberty kick off 2023 title defense at home hosting Topeka Tropics

BEAUMONT, Texas — Teddy Allen led five double-figure scorers with 22 points to aid the Wichita Sky Kings to their first TBL (The Basketball League) win over the SouthEast Texas Panthers in Beaumont, Texas, on Friday night 114-99.

The TBL has been around for a few years, but the Wichita Sky Kings is a new franchise based out of Wichita.

The Sky Kings will compete in the Central Division of the TBL.

Allen paced the Sky Kings with red hot 53.3% shooting, including 3 for 6 three-point shooting.&nbsp; As a team, the Sky Kings shot 60% on 48 of 80 shooting from the field.

Allen was aided by 18 Brandon Watkins' points. Derrick Colter, Matthew Cerruti and Terrell Brown each had 17. Jachai Simmons added seven points. Charles Marquardt and Kameron Willams had six points each. D'von Andrews and Johnny McCants wrapped up the scoring with two points each.

Next action for the Wichita Sky Kings will be Sunday night at 7 as they travel to Pearland to take on the Pearland Texas Warriors. Wichita will finish out its start-of-the-season road trip with games in Rockwall, Texas, on March 11 and Enid, Oklahoma, on March 12.&nbsp;&nbsp;

They return home to open the home part of the season at Koch Arena on the campus of Wichita State University on March 17 versus the Shreveport Mavericks.

Kids 10 and under are admitted free with a paying adult. Season Tickets are $99 for 13 games. Tickets are available at <a href="http://www.wichitaskykings.com">www.wichitaskykings.com</a>.

<a href="https://www.wichitaskykings.com/tickets">TICKETS</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677944561991.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BEAUMONT, Texas — Teddy Allen led five double-figure scorers with 22 points to aid the Wichita Sky Kings to their first TBL (The Basketball League) win over the SouthEast Texas Panthers in Beaumont, Texas, on Friday night 114-99.The TBL has been around for a few years, but the Wichita Sky Kings is a new franchise based out of Wichita.The Sky Kings will compete in the Central Division of the TBL.Allen paced the Sky Kings with red hot 53.3% shooting, including 3 for 6 three-point shooting.&nbsp; As a team, the Sky Kings shot 60% on 48 of 80 shooting from the field.Allen was aided by 18 Brandon Watkins' points. Derrick Colter, Matthew Cerruti and Terrell Brown each had 17. Jachai Simmons added seven points. Charles Marquardt and Kameron Willams had six points each. D'von Andrews and Johnny McCants wrapped up the scoring with two points each.Next action for the Wichita Sky Kings will be Sunday night at 7 as they travel to Pearland to take on the Pearland Texas Warriors. Wichita will finish out its start-of-the-season road trip with games in Rockwall, Texas, on March 11 and Enid, Oklahoma, on March 12.&nbsp;&nbsp;They return home to open the home part of the season at Koch Arena on the campus of Wichita State University on March 17 versus the Shreveport Mavericks.Kids 10 and under are admitted free with a paying adult. Season Tickets are $99 for 13 games. Tickets are available at <a href="http://www.wichitaskykings.com">www.wichitaskykings.com</a>.<a href="https://www.wichitaskykings.com/tickets">TICKETS</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677944350544.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

🏀 Wichita Sky Kings win first game vs SouthEast Texas in TBL

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributor

After obliterating the Iola Lady Mustangs in the sub-state semifinals in a 73-17 rout, the Wamego girl's basketball team will return home for one final game in front of the Raider faithful, looking to punch their ticket to this year's 4A state tournament.

Standing in their way is the 8-seed in this year's bracket in the 12-9 Bishop-Miege Lady Stags, who defeated Ottowa 57-17 on Wednesday to advance to the final.

It's hard to put into words just how dominant the Lady Raiders have been this season, but the stats tell the story of a team rightfully deserving of the #1 ranking in Class 4A going into the playoffs.

Wamego is just one point shy of doubling their opponent's point totals on the season, outscoring 21 foes by a combined 1,329-665.

That dominance held up in a 56-point decimation of Iola on Wednesday, and showcased just how ready this Lady Raider team is for this playoff run.

"The girls were locked in and ready for the postseason," Raider head coach Brian McIntosh said. Once you get to the playoffs, everything is more important. I was very pleased with how we executed our game plan, attacked on both sides of the ball, and made it difficult for [Iola] to get anything going."

While Wamego has the advantage of playing the lowest possible seed as the 1-seed themselves, Miege will prove to be far from a pushover, and the Lady Raiders will need to continue playing their best basketball to earn a trip to Salina next week.

"They play fast on both ends of the floor and between the free-throw lines in a similar style of basketball to us," McIntosh said. "They want to pressure you on defense and be very aggressive on offense by spreading you out."

Much like their football team, Bishop Miege also plays a schedule loaded with 5 and 6A opponents, and is nothing like your typical 8-seed, without a single loss to a 4A opponent on their resume.

To win their 13th consecutive game and make a triumphant return to the 4A state tournament, the Lady Raiders will need to take care not to give the Lady Stags any easy looks in transition, while also playing the brand of excellent defense that got them this far.

"They rely heavily on turning teams over and scoring off those mistakes," McIntosh said. "We'll need to value the basketball and be assignment-sound on defense."

Tip-off between the Lady Raiders and Stags is set for 6:00 at Wamego High School.

For continuing coverage of Wamego boys' and girls' hoops all postseason long, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post, and follow us on Twitter @spostsports.

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorAfter obliterating the Iola Lady Mustangs in the sub-state semifinals in a 73-17 rout, the Wamego girl's basketball team will return home for one final game in front of the Raider faithful, looking to punch their ticket to this year's 4A state tournament.Standing in their way is the 8-seed in this year's bracket in the 12-9 Bishop-Miege Lady Stags, who defeated Ottowa 57-17 on Wednesday to advance to the final.It's hard to put into words just how dominant the Lady Raiders have been this season, but the stats tell the story of a team rightfully deserving of the #1 ranking in Class 4A going into the playoffs.Wamego is just one point shy of doubling their opponent's point totals on the season, outscoring 21 foes by a combined 1,329-665.That dominance held up in a 56-point decimation of Iola on Wednesday, and showcased just how ready this Lady Raider team is for this playoff run."The girls were locked in and ready for the postseason," Raider head coach Brian McIntosh said. Once you get to the playoffs, everything is more important. I was very pleased with how we executed our game plan, attacked on both sides of the ball, and made it difficult for [Iola] to get anything going."While Wamego has the advantage of playing the lowest possible seed as the 1-seed themselves, Miege will prove to be far from a pushover, and the Lady Raiders will need to continue playing their best basketball to earn a trip to Salina next week."They play fast on both ends of the floor and between the free-throw lines in a similar style of basketball to us," McIntosh said. "They want to pressure you on defense and be very aggressive on offense by spreading you out."Much like their football team, Bishop Miege also plays a schedule loaded with 5 and 6A opponents, and is nothing like your typical 8-seed, without a single loss to a 4A opponent on their resume.To win their 13th consecutive game and make a triumphant return to the 4A state tournament, the Lady Raiders will need to take care not to give the Lady Stags any easy looks in transition, while also playing the brand of excellent defense that got them this far."They rely heavily on turning teams over and scoring off those mistakes," McIntosh said. "We'll need to value the basketball and be assignment-sound on defense."Tip-off between the Lady Raiders and Stags is set for 6:00 at Wamego High School.For continuing coverage of Wamego boys' and girls' hoops all postseason long, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post, and follow us on Twitter @spostsports.

Lady Raiders host Bishop-Miege for sub-state title bout

After defending their home floor in a 62-51 victory over Pratt in Wednesday's semifinal, the Rock Creek girl's basketball team will hit the road for a sub-state final in McPherson on Saturday against the #2 team in Class 4A.

The Lady Bulldogs will come into this contest at 19-2 after wrecking El Dorado 71-12 on Wednesday while the Lady Mustangs enter at 14-7 after snapping a four-game losing streak to end their regular season.

If that streak was a cause for concern it didn't show in the opening round of sub-state as Rock Creek cruised into the finals with a big home win.

"We've continued to climb out of our low point this season," Lady Mustang head coach Adam Plummer said. "We had been playing better the past few weeks, it just didn't show up on the scoreboard. We shot the ball well, mostly because&nbsp;we competed before&nbsp;the catch to get our feet ready."

That 62-point output was Rock Creek's highest watermark in over a month and was every bit as much a product of communication as it was of technique.

"I really liked the way Brynn McFall verbally competed against Pratt," Plummer said. "She was definitely an extension of me on the court, which allowed for us to be in the right offense every possession."

Now, the Lady Mustang's focus shifts to one of the best teams in Class 4A, and Rock Creek's schedule has perfectly prepared them for a game like this, with previous matchups against teams like Wamego, Silver Lake, and Rossville.

"McPherson is a tough, gritty team," he said. "You can tell that they play confidently and with a strong belief that they will win. They don't take possessions off, so we will have to be willing to compete for 32 minutes. They have great balance in their ability to score on the perimeter, mid-range, and in the paint."

While this game will prove to be an exceptionally difficult test for Rock Creek, the Lady Mustangs have built a reputation for finding ways to grit out wins all season long, and that success has brought with it the confidence needed in a game like this.

"We don't see this as an upset opportunity," Plummer said. "We have an expectation to play at a high level, and if we do, we always feel good about our chances to be successful. Like most teams, the ball has to go through the basket consistently, we can't score in the 30s and expect to win. We also have to make sure that we do a great job of stopping dribble penetration and helping each other on backside rotations."

Tip-off between the Lady Mustangs and Bulldogs is scheduled for 6:00 at McPherson High School and the winner will walk away with a punched ticket to the 4A state tournament in Salina next week.

For continuing coverage of Rock Creek boys' and girls' basketball throughout the postseason, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post, and follow us on Twitter @SPostSports.

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorAfter defending their home floor in a 62-51 victory over Pratt in Wednesday's semifinal, the Rock Creek girl's basketball team will hit the road for a sub-state final in McPherson on Saturday against the #2 team in Class 4A.The Lady Bulldogs will come into this contest at 19-2 after wrecking El Dorado 71-12 on Wednesday while the Lady Mustangs enter at 14-7 after snapping a four-game losing streak to end their regular season.If that streak was a cause for concern it didn't show in the opening round of sub-state as Rock Creek cruised into the finals with a big home win."We've continued to climb out of our low point this season," Lady Mustang head coach Adam Plummer said. "We had been playing better the past few weeks, it just didn't show up on the scoreboard. We shot the ball well, mostly because&nbsp;we competed before&nbsp;the catch to get our feet ready."That 62-point output was Rock Creek's highest watermark in over a month and was every bit as much a product of communication as it was of technique."I really liked the way Brynn McFall verbally competed against Pratt," Plummer said. "She was definitely an extension of me on the court, which allowed for us to be in the right offense every possession."Now, the Lady Mustang's focus shifts to one of the best teams in Class 4A, and Rock Creek's schedule has perfectly prepared them for a game like this, with previous matchups against teams like Wamego, Silver Lake, and Rossville."McPherson is a tough, gritty team," he said. "You can tell that they play confidently and with a strong belief that they will win. They don't take possessions off, so we will have to be willing to compete for 32 minutes. They have great balance in their ability to score on the perimeter, mid-range, and in the paint."While this game will prove to be an exceptionally difficult test for Rock Creek, the Lady Mustangs have built a reputation for finding ways to grit out wins all season long, and that success has brought with it the confidence needed in a game like this."We don't see this as an upset opportunity," Plummer said. "We have an expectation to play at a high level, and if we do, we always feel good about our chances to be successful. Like most teams, the ball has to go through the basket consistently, we can't score in the 30s and expect to win. We also have to make sure that we do a great job of stopping dribble penetration and helping each other on backside rotations." Tip-off between the Lady Mustangs and Bulldogs is scheduled for 6:00 at McPherson High School and the winner will walk away with a punched ticket to the 4A state tournament in Salina next week.For continuing coverage of Rock Creek boys' and girls' basketball throughout the postseason, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post, and follow us on Twitter @SPostSports.

Lady Mustangs travel to McPherson for sub-state title match

After eliminating Abilene 54-50 in front of the Mustang faithful, the Rock Creek boys' basketball team will make the trek to Hugoton on Friday to battle the #5 team in Class 4A for a ticket to this year's state tournament.

The Mustangs enter this matchup as the 8-seed at 13-8 while the Eagles come in as the 1-seed at 19-2 after knocking off Winfield in a 97-61 outburst on Tuesday evening.

Rock Creek has now won four of their last five games, and looked exceptionally sharp against a budding rival in Abilene as they avenged the loss that ended their season a year ago.

"I thought our intensity and willingness to defend throughout the game made the difference," Mustang head coach Justin Smith said. "We made some mistakes offensively but defensively we were good."

The Mustangs will need that same level of defensive excellence on Friday night against an Eagles offense averaging just shy of 70 points per game and coming off a new high watermark this Tuesday.

"[Hugoton] is extremely talented," Smith said. "They have two guys that are as good of offensive players as we have seen all year. They also do a great job rebounding the ball."

In order to pull off the upset of this year's bracket 1-seed, Rock Creek must find an answer for the dynamic duo of&nbsp;Ryle Riddlesperger and&nbsp;Carson Bennett, who have terrorized opposing defenses all season long.&nbsp;

"We are going to have to try to limit their two best players and compete on the boards," Smith said. "If we do that we will stay in the game."

Tip-off between the Mustangs and Eagles is scheduled for 6:00 at Hugoton High School, with the winner officially punching one of eight tickets to the 4A state tournament in Salina next week.

For continuing coverage of Rock Creek boys' and girls' basketball all postseason long, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post, and follow us on Twitter @spostsports.

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorAfter eliminating Abilene 54-50 in front of the Mustang faithful, the Rock Creek boys' basketball team will make the trek to Hugoton on Friday to battle the #5 team in Class 4A for a ticket to this year's state tournament.The Mustangs enter this matchup as the 8-seed at 13-8 while the Eagles come in as the 1-seed at 19-2 after knocking off Winfield in a 97-61 outburst on Tuesday evening.Rock Creek has now won four of their last five games, and looked exceptionally sharp against a budding rival in Abilene as they avenged the loss that ended their season a year ago."I thought our intensity and willingness to defend throughout the game made the difference," Mustang head coach Justin Smith said. "We made some mistakes offensively but defensively we were good."The Mustangs will need that same level of defensive excellence on Friday night against an Eagles offense averaging just shy of 70 points per game and coming off a new high watermark this Tuesday."[Hugoton] is extremely talented," Smith said. "They have two guys that are as good of offensive players as we have seen all year. They also do a great job rebounding the ball."In order to pull off the upset of this year's bracket 1-seed, Rock Creek must find an answer for the dynamic duo of&nbsp;Ryle Riddlesperger and&nbsp;Carson Bennett, who have terrorized opposing defenses all season long.&nbsp;"We are going to have to try to limit their two best players and compete on the boards," Smith said. "If we do that we will stay in the game."Tip-off between the Mustangs and Eagles is scheduled for 6:00 at Hugoton High School, with the winner officially punching one of eight tickets to the 4A state tournament in Salina next week.For continuing coverage of Rock Creek boys' and girls' basketball all postseason long, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post, and follow us on Twitter @spostsports.

Rock Creek boys head to Hugoton looking to upset Eagles and clinch 4A tourney berth

After dispatching the Ottawa Cyclones 52-45 on their home floor on Tuesday, the Wamego boys' basketball team finds themselves one win away from a spot in this year's 4A state tournament.

Standing in their way is the #3 team in Class 4A in the Eudora Cardinals, who will host this game in front of a ruckus home crowd on Friday night.

The Raiders come into this contest at 13-8 now having won three of their last four while the Cardinals enter at 17-4, riding an eight-game winning streak after bouncing Independence 57-39 on Tuesday.

Defense would win the day for the Raiders in the semifinals, as Ottawa became the tenth team this season to fail to put up 50 or more on Wamego.

"We played pretty solid man-to-man defense and handled their zone well," Raider head coach Troy Hemphill said. "We didn't shoot it particularly well but we got the ball where we wanted to get it and got good shots.  We did well at the free throw line late in the game to hold them off and win."

Now, the Raiders turn all of their attention to a rematch with the Cardinals, who defeated them 46-33 in Eudora earlier this year.

The Eudora offense has proven to be ruthless at times throughout their campaign, posting scores of 73 and 75 early in their season.

"They are extremely efficient offensively and have some tremendous shooters," Hemphill said. "All of their guys seem to understand their roles and they get good shots for good shooters."

Meanwhile, on the Wamego side of this matchup efficiency will be the name of the game as the Raiders can't afford to let opportunities go to waste against such a high-caliber opponent.

&nbsp;"We have to maximize our possessions by getting good shots each trip," Hemphill said. "They pressure pretty well on the perimeter and can cause you to bail out and panic offensively if you let them.  I think our experience against them the first time will serve us well."

Tip-off between the Raiders and Cardinals is set for 7:00 at Eudora High School with the winner punching their ticket to the 4A state tournament in Salina next week.

For continuing coverage of Wamego boys and girls basketball all postseason long, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post, and follow us on Twitter @spostsports.

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorAfter dispatching the Ottawa Cyclones 52-45 on their home floor on Tuesday, the Wamego boys' basketball team finds themselves one win away from a spot in this year's 4A state tournament.Standing in their way is the #3 team in Class 4A in the Eudora Cardinals, who will host this game in front of a ruckus home crowd on Friday night.The Raiders come into this contest at 13-8 now having won three of their last four while the Cardinals enter at 17-4, riding an eight-game winning streak after bouncing Independence 57-39 on Tuesday.Defense would win the day for the Raiders in the semifinals, as Ottawa became the tenth team this season to fail to put up 50 or more on Wamego."We played pretty solid man-to-man defense and handled their zone well," Raider head coach Troy Hemphill said. "We didn't shoot it particularly well but we got the ball where we wanted to get it and got good shots. We did well at the free throw line late in the game to hold them off and win."Now, the Raiders turn all of their attention to a rematch with the Cardinals, who defeated them 46-33 in Eudora earlier this year.The Eudora offense has proven to be ruthless at times throughout their campaign, posting scores of 73 and 75 early in their season."They are extremely efficient offensively and have some tremendous shooters," Hemphill said. "All of their guys seem to understand their roles and they get good shots for good shooters."Meanwhile, on the Wamego side of this matchup efficiency will be the name of the game as the Raiders can't afford to let opportunities go to waste against such a high-caliber opponent.&nbsp;"We have to maximize our possessions by getting good shots each trip," Hemphill said. "They pressure pretty well on the perimeter and can cause you to bail out and panic offensively if you let them. I think our experience against them the first time will serve us well."Tip-off between the Raiders and Cardinals is set for 7:00 at Eudora High School with the winner punching their ticket to the 4A state tournament in Salina next week.For continuing coverage of Wamego boys and girls basketball all postseason long, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post, and follow us on Twitter @spostsports.

Wamego boys travel to Eudora looking to punch ticket to state

LAWRENCE (AP) — Offsetting a milestone night from No. 23 Iowa State's Ashley Joens, Zakiyah Franklin scored a career-high 31 points and Wyvette Mayberry added 22 as Kansas ended a 16-game losing streak to the Cyclones with a 98-93 victory on Wednesday night.

Joens scored 33 points to jump two spots to 16th place on the Division I all-time scoring list with 2,935. Joens moved past LSU's Joyce Walker (2,906) and Penn State's Kelly Mazzante (2,919). Next on the list is Appalachian State's Valorie Whiteside with 2,944.

Franklin shot 12 of 20, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range, and made all four of her free throws for the Jayhawks (18-10, 8-9 Big 12 Conference). Mayberry made four 3-pointers adding six assists. Taiyanna Jackson finished with 15 points and eight rebounds.

Freshman Denae Fritz scored a career-high 26 points — 12 more than her previous high — and made 9 of 10 shots with four 3-pointers for the Cyclones (18-9, 10-7). Lexi Donarski added 14 points and Emily Ryan had 10 assists. Joens made three 3-pointers and 14 of 15 free throws, adding 14 rebounds for her 12th double-double of the season.

Mayberry scored 12 points, sinking all four of her shots with three 3s, and Kansas led 26-19 after one quarter. The Jayhawks upped their lead to 39-26 before Iowa State rallied to get within 48-43 at halftime.

Kansas pushed its lead to double digits in the first 1:29; 55-45. Joens hit two free throws with 3:39 left in the period to move past Mazzante. The Cyclones trailed 66-51 at the time. Fritz and Joens teamed up to score every point and Iowa State finished with a 9-2 run to get within 72-62.

Kansas led 85-68 with 5:39 left to play, but Morgan Kane's layup capped a 19-5 spurt as Iowa State pulled within 90-87 with 1:07 remaining. Chandler Prater and Joens traded baskets before Joens picked up her fifth foul, leading to Mayberry making 1 of 2 foul shots. Ryan's layup cut the Cyclones' deficit in half, but Franklin and Prater both hit two foul shots in the final 18 seconds to preserve the win.

Iowa State has made a 3 in an NCAA-record 889 straight games.

Iowa State: The Cyclones close out the regular season at home against Texas Tech.

Kansas: The Jayhawks travel to play TCU in a regular-season finale.

LAWRENCE (AP) — Offsetting a milestone night from No. 23 Iowa State's Ashley Joens, Zakiyah Franklin scored a career-high 31 points and Wyvette Mayberry added 22 as Kansas ended a 16-game losing streak to the Cyclones with a 98-93 victory on Wednesday night.Joens scored 33 points to jump two spots to 16th place on the Division I all-time scoring list with 2,935. Joens moved past LSU's Joyce Walker (2,906) and Penn State's Kelly Mazzante (2,919). Next on the list is Appalachian State's Valorie Whiteside with 2,944.Franklin shot 12 of 20, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range, and made all four of her free throws for the Jayhawks (18-10, 8-9 Big 12 Conference). Mayberry made four 3-pointers adding six assists. Taiyanna Jackson finished with 15 points and eight rebounds.Freshman Denae Fritz scored a career-high 26 points — 12 more than her previous high — and made 9 of 10 shots with four 3-pointers for the Cyclones (18-9, 10-7). Lexi Donarski added 14 points and Emily Ryan had 10 assists. Joens made three 3-pointers and 14 of 15 free throws, adding 14 rebounds for her 12th double-double of the season.Mayberry scored 12 points, sinking all four of her shots with three 3s, and Kansas led 26-19 after one quarter. The Jayhawks upped their lead to 39-26 before Iowa State rallied to get within 48-43 at halftime.Kansas pushed its lead to double digits in the first 1:29; 55-45. Joens hit two free throws with 3:39 left in the period to move past Mazzante. The Cyclones trailed 66-51 at the time. Fritz and Joens teamed up to score every point and Iowa State finished with a 9-2 run to get within 72-62.Kansas led 85-68 with 5:39 left to play, but Morgan Kane's layup capped a 19-5 spurt as Iowa State pulled within 90-87 with 1:07 remaining. Chandler Prater and Joens traded baskets before Joens picked up her fifth foul, leading to Mayberry making 1 of 2 foul shots. Ryan's layup cut the Cyclones' deficit in half, but Franklin and Prater both hit two foul shots in the final 18 seconds to preserve the win.Iowa State has made a 3 in an NCAA-record 889 straight games.UP NEXTIowa State: The Cyclones close out the regular season at home against Texas Tech.Kansas: The Jayhawks travel to play TCU in a regular-season finale.

Kansas women stun No. 23 Iowa State 98-93

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Basketball Writer

MANHATTAN — Keyontae Johnson and Markquis Nowell have been the savvy seniors leading Kansas State's basketball renaissance all season, a nearly inseparable duo helping to put the No. 11 Wildcats in position to make a deep March run.

Desi Sills shined every bit as bright as them Wednesday night.

The often-overlooked Arkansas State transfer flirted with a triple-double in his own Bramlage Coliseum farwell, joining Johnson and Nowell in leading the Wildcats to an 85-69 victory over Oklahoma. Sills finished with 15 points, nine rebounds and eight assists before riling up the student section with a fiery postgame speech.

"I wanted to leave a legacy. Leave it all on the floor," Sills said afterward. "I was shy of a triple-double but that doesn't matter. I'm just glad we got the win."

Johnson finished with 16 points and Nowell added 11 points and 10 assists, helping the Wildcats (23-7, 11-6 Big 12) end a three-game skid against the Sooners. Nae'Qwan Tomlin also scored 19 points for Kansas State, which led by as many as 20 early in the second half before holding on down the stretch.

Then the party started: Jerome Tang sent his entire team pouring into the student section, where they danced the "Wabash Cannonball," while the first-year coach headed to the pep band and joined right in.

"I was just so thankful and grateful that I decided to finish my career here at k-state," Nowell said. "I've been on both sides of the deal, the losing side and now the winning side, so I'm just thankful for it all."

The Sooners (14-16, 4-13) applied a little pressure late, getting within 75-65 with just under 2 minutes to go. But that's when Tanner Groves was ejected for hitting Sills with an errant elbow, and his free throws put the game away.

"It definitely wasn't intentional," Oklahoma coach Porter Moser said. "It was an unfortunate play. I don't think it was malicious. I know the kid; that's not who he is. It was a high-elbow play. An unfortunate play."

Milos Uzan had 20 points to lead the Sooners. Otega Oweh finished with 18.

Oklahoma spent most of the first half mired in foul trouble. Groves and Oweh took a seat with two apiece 5 minutes into the game, and Kansas State spent the last 15 minutes parading to the line in the bonus.

Yet it wasn't until the closing stretch that the Wildcats established some breathing room.

The game was tied 25-all when Tomlin began a 9-0 run to carry Kansas State into the locker room. David N'Guessan added a bucket a couple of minutes later, Johnson drilled a 3-pointer off a nifty behind-the-back pass from Sills, and N'Guessan added a punctuating dunk off Nowell's feed for a 34-25 advantage.

"The wheels fell off," Moser said. "Not that you can't overcome a 9-0 run to end the half, but we were up and up, and back and forth. Next thing we know we're down nine."

It wasn't long until they were down much more than that.

After a bucket by Groves to start the second half, the Wildcats ripped off seven straight points — dunks by Tomlin bookending Nowell's 3-pointer. And after Nowell hit another 3 from well beyond the arc, he saved a steal as he fell out of bounds, starting a fastbreak that ended with Sills' reverse layup for a 48-31 lead with 16 minutes to go.

The lead stretched to 53-33 before the Oklahoma began to mount its failed comeback bid.

We all bought in," Sill said. "We all committed on the defensive end, we got easy transition buckets. I thought that was the key to the game. We took off from there."

Oklahoma is the only Big 12 team that must win next week's conference tournament to earn an NCAA tourney berth, though three others are teetering on the brink. But the Sooners proved in wins over the Wildcats, Iowa State and No. 2 Alabama that they are capable, and they showed glimpses of it again Wednesday night.

Kansas State remains in the mix for a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, which would match the 2010 team for its best since seeding began in 1979. But the Wildcats likely have to beat West Virginia on Saturday and win a couple of Big 12 tourney games to make that happen.

The regular season wraps Saturday when Oklahoma plays No. 22 TCU and Kansas State visits West Virginia.

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Basketball WriterMANHATTAN — Keyontae Johnson and Markquis Nowell have been the savvy seniors leading Kansas State's basketball renaissance all season, a nearly inseparable duo helping to put the No. 11 Wildcats in position to make a deep March run.Desi Sills shined every bit as bright as them Wednesday night.The often-overlooked Arkansas State transfer flirted with a triple-double in his own Bramlage Coliseum farwell, joining Johnson and Nowell in leading the Wildcats to an 85-69 victory over Oklahoma. Sills finished with 15 points, nine rebounds and eight assists before riling up the student section with a fiery postgame speech."I wanted to leave a legacy. Leave it all on the floor," Sills said afterward. "I was shy of a triple-double but that doesn't matter. I'm just glad we got the win."Johnson finished with 16 points and Nowell added 11 points and 10 assists, helping the Wildcats (23-7, 11-6 Big 12) end a three-game skid against the Sooners. Nae'Qwan Tomlin also scored 19 points for Kansas State, which led by as many as 20 early in the second half before holding on down the stretch.Then the party started: Jerome Tang sent his entire team pouring into the student section, where they danced the "Wabash Cannonball," while the first-year coach headed to the pep band and joined right in."I was just so thankful and grateful that I decided to finish my career here at k-state," Nowell said. "I've been on both sides of the deal, the losing side and now the winning side, so I'm just thankful for it all."The Sooners (14-16, 4-13) applied a little pressure late, getting within 75-65 with just under 2 minutes to go. But that's when Tanner Groves was ejected for hitting Sills with an errant elbow, and his free throws put the game away."It definitely wasn't intentional," Oklahoma coach Porter Moser said. "It was an unfortunate play. I don't think it was malicious. I know the kid; that's not who he is. It was a high-elbow play. An unfortunate play."Milos Uzan had 20 points to lead the Sooners. Otega Oweh finished with 18.Oklahoma spent most of the first half mired in foul trouble. Groves and Oweh took a seat with two apiece 5 minutes into the game, and Kansas State spent the last 15 minutes parading to the line in the bonus.Yet it wasn't until the closing stretch that the Wildcats established some breathing room.The game was tied 25-all when Tomlin began a 9-0 run to carry Kansas State into the locker room. David N'Guessan added a bucket a couple of minutes later, Johnson drilled a 3-pointer off a nifty behind-the-back pass from Sills, and N'Guessan added a punctuating dunk off Nowell's feed for a 34-25 advantage."The wheels fell off," Moser said. "Not that you can't overcome a 9-0 run to end the half, but we were up and up, and back and forth. Next thing we know we're down nine."It wasn't long until they were down much more than that.After a bucket by Groves to start the second half, the Wildcats ripped off seven straight points — dunks by Tomlin bookending Nowell's 3-pointer. And after Nowell hit another 3 from well beyond the arc, he saved a steal as he fell out of bounds, starting a fastbreak that ended with Sills' reverse layup for a 48-31 lead with 16 minutes to go.The lead stretched to 53-33 before the Oklahoma began to mount its failed comeback bid.We all bought in," Sill said. "We all committed on the defensive end, we got easy transition buckets. I thought that was the key to the game. We took off from there."THE TAKEAWAYOklahoma is the only Big 12 team that must win next week's conference tournament to earn an NCAA tourney berth, though three others are teetering on the brink. But the Sooners proved in wins over the Wildcats, Iowa State and No. 2 Alabama that they are capable, and they showed glimpses of it again Wednesday night.Kansas State remains in the mix for a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, which would match the 2010 team for its best since seeding began in 1979. But the Wildcats likely have to beat West Virginia on Saturday and win a couple of Big 12 tourney games to make that happen.UP NEXTThe regular season wraps Saturday when Oklahoma plays No. 22 TCU and Kansas State visits West Virginia.

Sills, seniors lead No. 11 K-State to 85-69 win over Sooners

After sending Oskaloosa packing on Monday in a resounding 67-34 quarterfinal victory, the Wabaunsee boys' basketball team will turn their attention to a familiar foe as they prepare to face St. Mary's for a third time this year.

The Chargers will enter this semifinal matchup at 14-6 having won seven of their last eight while the Bears come in at 13-7 fresh off a 69-37 victory over KC Christian in their quarterfinal bout.

St. Mary's took both of the regular season meetings between these two, knocking off Wabaunsee 67-64 in Alma back in early January, and 58-43 at home just a few weeks ago.

Despite falling in both regular season games, the Chargers have seen the formula for beating the Bears play out before their eyes, and will look to match pace on Thursday night.

"The simple answer is we have to put the ball in the hoop," Wabaunsee head coach Christian Ulsaker said. "I know what Hurla is doing is special, but they still only scored 67 in 2OT and 58 the two times we played them. You can’t hope St. Mary’s is going to have an off-night shooting. We have to counter their blows with a blow of our own and remember that players win games."

On the other side of the bracket, the #1 team in the state in Lyndon (20-1) will square off with the 5-seed in Cair Paravel (9-12) for the other ticket to the sub-state final at 5:30 on Saturday.

Tip-off between the Chargers and Bears is set for 7:30 at St. Mary's High School.

For continuing coverage of Wabaunsee hoops all throughout sub-state stay tuned to the Little Apple Post and follow us on Twitter @spostsports.

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorAfter sending Oskaloosa packing on Monday in a resounding 67-34 quarterfinal victory, the Wabaunsee boys' basketball team will turn their attention to a familiar foe as they prepare to face St. Mary's for a third time this year.The Chargers will enter this semifinal matchup at 14-6 having won seven of their last eight while the Bears come in at 13-7 fresh off a 69-37 victory over KC Christian in their quarterfinal bout.St. Mary's took both of the regular season meetings between these two, knocking off Wabaunsee 67-64 in Alma back in early January, and 58-43 at home just a few weeks ago.Despite falling in both regular season games, the Chargers have seen the formula for beating the Bears play out before their eyes, and will look to match pace on Thursday night."The simple answer is we have to put the ball in the hoop," Wabaunsee head coach Christian Ulsaker said. "I know what Hurla is doing is special, but they still only scored 67 in 2OT and 58 the two times we played them. You can’t hope St. Mary’s is going to have an off-night shooting. We have to counter their blows with a blow of our own and remember that players win games."On the other side of the bracket, the #1 team in the state in Lyndon (20-1) will square off with the 5-seed in Cair Paravel (9-12) for the other ticket to the sub-state final at 5:30 on Saturday.Tip-off between the Chargers and Bears is set for 7:30 at St. Mary's High School.For continuing coverage of Wabaunsee hoops all throughout sub-state stay tuned to the Little Apple Post and follow us on Twitter @spostsports.

Sub-State Snapshot Preview: Wabaunsee boys vs. St. Mary's

SURPRISE, Ariz. — Royals Hall of Famer&nbsp;Mike Sweeney&nbsp;and 2015 World Series champion&nbsp;Jeremy Guthrie&nbsp;will join the Royals’ broadcast team, the club announced today.

Sweeney and Guthrie will appear on Bally Sports Kansas City on select pregame and postgame shows, and as guests in the booth. Sweeney and Guthrie will also call games on Royals Radio. Both will begin calling games during Spring Training.

“Like all Royals fans, I have great memories of Mike’s Royals Hall of Fame career and Jeremy’s contributions to our World Series championship in 2015,” Chairman and CEO&nbsp;John Sherman&nbsp;said. “And like all Royals fans, I’m excited to have them contribute to an already beloved broadcast team.

“We were happy to add Jake earlier this offseason, and are so appreciative of the ways Denny, Ryan, Hud, Monty, Joel and Stew already connect with our fans. I’m thrilled with how they’ve already embraced Mike and Jeremy, working together to tell the story of our team.”

The additions of Sweeney and Guthrie provide fresh voices and different perspectives for fans, as well as depth, creating a more dynamic broadcast.

Sweeney spent 13 of his 16 Major League seasons in Kansas City (1995-2007) and was inducted into the Royals Hall of Fame in 2015. He is one of five Royals to be selected to five All-Star Games or more, was Royals Player of the Year three times, and ranks among the club’ all-time leaders in many offensive categories. He has broadcasting experience with MLB Network and Fox Sports and will remain part of the Royals front office as Special Assistant to Baseball Operations/Leadership Department.

“Two things that I enjoy doing are growing and giving,” Sweeney said. “I’m excited about growing as a member of the Kansas City Royals, and I’m excited about giving back to fans and sharing my passion for the game and my love for the players as a member of the incredible broadcast team that I’m blessed to join.”

Guthrie pitched 13 seasons in the Major Leagues, including 2012-15 with the Royals. He led the 2013 Royals with 15 wins, and pitched more than 200 innings in both 2013 and 2014. He was the winning pitcher in Game 3 of the 2014 World Series, and started Game 7 of that series against the Giants. His broadcasting experience includes MLB Network and other local and national outlets.

“I love the Royals, have great memories of playing in Kansas City, and am excited for the opportunity to help bring the game to life for all of our fans,” Guthrie said. “As a player, the Royals’ broadcast team was one of my favorites because of their deep understanding and passion for the game. My hope is to bring a mix of insight and modern interpretation of the game in working with some of the best in the business.”

All other roles in the Royals broadcast team are unchanged.

SURPRISE, Ariz. — Royals Hall of Famer&nbsp;Mike Sweeney&nbsp;and 2015 World Series champion&nbsp;Jeremy Guthrie&nbsp;will join the Royals’ broadcast team, the club announced today.Sweeney and Guthrie will appear on Bally Sports Kansas City on select pregame and postgame shows, and as guests in the booth. Sweeney and Guthrie will also call games on Royals Radio. Both will begin calling games during Spring Training.“Like all Royals fans, I have great memories of Mike’s Royals Hall of Fame career and Jeremy’s contributions to our World Series championship in 2015,” Chairman and CEO&nbsp;John Sherman&nbsp;said. “And like all Royals fans, I’m excited to have them contribute to an already beloved broadcast team.“We were happy to add Jake earlier this offseason, and are so appreciative of the ways Denny, Ryan, Hud, Monty, Joel and Stew already connect with our fans. I’m thrilled with how they’ve already embraced Mike and Jeremy, working together to tell the story of our team.”The additions of Sweeney and Guthrie provide fresh voices and different perspectives for fans, as well as depth, creating a more dynamic broadcast.Sweeney spent 13 of his 16 Major League seasons in Kansas City (1995-2007) and was inducted into the Royals Hall of Fame in 2015. He is one of five Royals to be selected to five All-Star Games or more, was Royals Player of the Year three times, and ranks among the club’ all-time leaders in many offensive categories. He has broadcasting experience with MLB Network and Fox Sports and will remain part of the Royals front office as Special Assistant to Baseball Operations/Leadership Department.“Two things that I enjoy doing are growing and giving,” Sweeney said. “I’m excited about growing as a member of the Kansas City Royals, and I’m excited about giving back to fans and sharing my passion for the game and my love for the players as a member of the incredible broadcast team that I’m blessed to join.”Guthrie pitched 13 seasons in the Major Leagues, including 2012-15 with the Royals. He led the 2013 Royals with 15 wins, and pitched more than 200 innings in both 2013 and 2014. He was the winning pitcher in Game 3 of the 2014 World Series, and started Game 7 of that series against the Giants. His broadcasting experience includes MLB Network and other local and national outlets.“I love the Royals, have great memories of playing in Kansas City, and am excited for the opportunity to help bring the game to life for all of our fans,” Guthrie said. “As a player, the Royals’ broadcast team was one of my favorites because of their deep understanding and passion for the game. My hope is to bring a mix of insight and modern interpretation of the game in working with some of the best in the business.”All other roles in the Royals broadcast team are unchanged.

🎙 ⚾ Sweeney, Guthrie join Royals broadcast team

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State guard Caleb Grill, who started all but three games and was the Cyclones' third-leading scorer, has been dismissed from the team, coach T.J. Otzelberger announced Wednesday.

"We hold our players to high standards and there are expectations that our student-athletes are held accountable for," Otzelberger said in a statement.

The fourth-year player from Maize, Kansas, averaged 9.5 points, four rebounds and 1.4 assists. He started 22 straight games before coming off the bench in a Feb. 15 game against TCU. Otzelberger said at the time Grill needed to rest his sore back.

Grill didn't appear in road games at Kansas State and Texas and came off the bench in the last two games against Oklahoma and West Virginia.

Grill played at Iowa State as a freshman and transferred to UNLV the following season when Otzelberger was head coach there. Grill moved back to Ames last year when Otzelberger got the head coaching job with the Cyclones.

He averaged 6.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists over 116 career games at UNLV and Iowa State.

<figure>
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 </figure>AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State guard Caleb Grill, who started all but three games and was the Cyclones' third-leading scorer, has been dismissed from the team, coach T.J. Otzelberger announced Wednesday."We hold our players to high standards and there are expectations that our student-athletes are held accountable for," Otzelberger said in a statement.The fourth-year player from Maize, Kansas, averaged 9.5 points, four rebounds and 1.4 assists. He started 22 straight games before coming off the bench in a Feb. 15 game against TCU. Otzelberger said at the time Grill needed to rest his sore back.Grill didn't appear in road games at Kansas State and Texas and came off the bench in the last two games against Oklahoma and West Virginia.Grill played at Iowa State as a freshman and transferred to UNLV the following season when Otzelberger was head coach there. Grill moved back to Ames last year when Otzelberger got the head coaching job with the Cyclones.He averaged 6.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists over 116 career games at UNLV and Iowa State.___

🏀 MBB: Iowa State dismisses Grill for failing to meet expectations

<a href="https://kuathletics.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3846a6408b9536a51afeabac1&amp;id=3e6a016c37&amp;e=33e05464a3" target="_blank">Box Score</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3846a6408b9536a51afeabac1&amp;id=af04b473a4&amp;e=33e05464a3" target="_blank">Season Stats</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3846a6408b9536a51afeabac1&amp;id=f16bd9c34e&amp;e=33e05464a3" target="_blank">Postgame Notes</a>

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Behind a career-high 31 points from senior Zakiyah Franklin, the Kansas Jayhawks took down No. 23 Iowa State, 98-93 on Senior Night at Allen Fieldhouse. The win is No. 100 for Coach Brandon Schneider at KU and the Jayhawks' first victory over Iowa State since 2015.&nbsp;

Franklin led the way with a career-high 31, but the Jayhawks got contributions from a variety of players as KU scored a season-high 98 points. Wyvette Mayberry had 22 points and six assists, while Taiyanna Jackson finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots. Zsofia Telegdy also set a new career-high with 10 points in 13 minutes of action off the bench. "It was a lot of fun. There’s a big difference between beating yourself and being really hard to beat, and I think we have been really hard to beat these past two games," Kansas Coach Brandon Schneider. "There’s ups and downs where your chemistry, on or off the court, can take a dip. I hope that we’ve shown that we have recovered from that and we’re excited for the team we have going into March. I don’t care what the date is, but we need our March team to show up." The Jayhawks started strong in the first quarter, scoring the first five points of the game, which included a layup by Franklin and a three-point basket by Chandler Prater. Iowa State was able to add points of their own, but a pair of short scoring runs helped KU keep the advantage throughout the first quarter. Mayberry hit three threes in the first, the final one of which capped off the quarter with KU leading 26-19.&nbsp;

The Jayhawks continued their strong play into the second quarter, using strong play from Franklin and Mayberry to lead 48-43 at the half. Both players had 17 first-half points as KU took the lead into halftime.&nbsp;

Kansas stayed hot out of the locker room and put up 11 points within the first three minutes of the second half to lead 59-47. A three-pointer from Telegdy at the 5:58 mark started a 7-0 run that put KU up 66-49 with less than five minutes to play in the third. ISU closed to within 10 at the end of the quarter, which ended with KU leading 72-62.&nbsp;

KU again build the lead back to 17 on a basket by Franklin that made it 85-68 with 5:39 to play, but the Jayhawks would have to hold off a late rally by the Cyclones, who got as close as two in the final 20 seconds of the game. Franklin, Prater and Holly Kersgieter combined to hit 5-of-6 free throws in the final 18 seconds to help the Jayhawks put the game away.

Kansas shot 52% from the field, hitting 34-of-66 field goals and 11-of-20 three-pointers (55%). The Jayhawks had an advantage of 44-to-38 on points in the paint and the Kansas bench outscored the Cyclone bench 18-to-11.&nbsp;

Up Next Kansas concludes the regular season on Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas, taking on TCU. The Jayhawks will look for the season sweep of the Horned Frogs after defeating TCU 73-55 on Feb. 8 in Lawrence. Tipoff of that game is set for 1:00 p.m. CT on Big 12 NOW.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677756512777.jpeg" alt="KU WBB VS IOWA STATE.jpg" />
 <figcaption>KU WBB VS IOWA STATE.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://kuathletics.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3846a6408b9536a51afeabac1&amp;id=3e6a016c37&amp;e=33e05464a3" target="_blank">Box Score</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3846a6408b9536a51afeabac1&amp;id=af04b473a4&amp;e=33e05464a3" target="_blank">Season Stats</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3846a6408b9536a51afeabac1&amp;id=f16bd9c34e&amp;e=33e05464a3" target="_blank">Postgame Notes</a>LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Behind a career-high 31 points from senior Zakiyah Franklin, the Kansas Jayhawks took down No. 23 Iowa State, 98-93 on Senior Night at Allen Fieldhouse. The win is No. 100 for Coach Brandon Schneider at KU and the Jayhawks' first victory over Iowa State since 2015.&nbsp;Franklin led the way with a career-high 31, but the Jayhawks got contributions from a variety of players as KU scored a season-high 98 points. Wyvette Mayberry had 22 points and six assists, while Taiyanna Jackson finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots. Zsofia Telegdy also set a new career-high with 10 points in 13 minutes of action off the bench. "It was a lot of fun. There’s a big difference between beating yourself and being really hard to beat, and I think we have been really hard to beat these past two games," Kansas Coach Brandon Schneider. "There’s ups and downs where your chemistry, on or off the court, can take a dip. I hope that we’ve shown that we have recovered from that and we’re excited for the team we have going into March. I don’t care what the date is, but we need our March team to show up." The Jayhawks started strong in the first quarter, scoring the first five points of the game, which included a layup by Franklin and a three-point basket by Chandler Prater. Iowa State was able to add points of their own, but a pair of short scoring runs helped KU keep the advantage throughout the first quarter. Mayberry hit three threes in the first, the final one of which capped off the quarter with KU leading 26-19.&nbsp;The Jayhawks continued their strong play into the second quarter, using strong play from Franklin and Mayberry to lead 48-43 at the half. Both players had 17 first-half points as KU took the lead into halftime.&nbsp;Kansas stayed hot out of the locker room and put up 11 points within the first three minutes of the second half to lead 59-47. A three-pointer from Telegdy at the 5:58 mark started a 7-0 run that put KU up 66-49 with less than five minutes to play in the third. ISU closed to within 10 at the end of the quarter, which ended with KU leading 72-62.&nbsp;KU again build the lead back to 17 on a basket by Franklin that made it 85-68 with 5:39 to play, but the Jayhawks would have to hold off a late rally by the Cyclones, who got as close as two in the final 20 seconds of the game. Franklin, Prater and Holly Kersgieter combined to hit 5-of-6 free throws in the final 18 seconds to help the Jayhawks put the game away.Kansas shot 52% from the field, hitting 34-of-66 field goals and 11-of-20 three-pointers (55%). The Jayhawks had an advantage of 44-to-38 on points in the paint and the Kansas bench outscored the Cyclone bench 18-to-11.&nbsp;Up Next Kansas concludes the regular season on Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas, taking on TCU. The Jayhawks will look for the season sweep of the Horned Frogs after defeating TCU 73-55 on Feb. 8 in Lawrence. Tipoff of that game is set for 1:00 p.m. CT on Big 12 NOW.

🏀 WBB: Franklin fuels Jayhawks' Senior Night victory

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Keyontae Johnson and Markquis Nowell have been the savvy seniors leading Kansas State's basketball renaissance all season, a nearly inseparable duo helping to put the No. 11 Wildcats in position to make a deep March run.

“I wanted to leave a legacy. Leave it all on the floor,” Sills said afterward. “I was shy of a triple-double but that doesn't matter. I'm just glad we got the win.”

Then the party started: Jerome Tang sent his entire team pouring into the student section, where they danced the “Wabash Cannonball,” while the first-year coach headed to the pep band and joined right in.

“I was just so thankful and grateful that I decided to finish my career here at k-state,” Nowell said. “I've been on both sides of the deal, the losing side and now the winning side, so I'm just thankful for it all.”

“It definitely wasn't intentional,” Oklahoma coach Porter Moser said. “It was an unfortunate play. I don't think it was malicious. I know the kid; that's not who he is. It was a high-elbow play. An unfortunate play.”

“The wheels fell off,” Moser said. "Not that you can't overcome a 9-0 run to end the half, but we were up and up, and back and forth. Next thing we know we're down nine.”

We all bought in," Sill said. “We all committed on the defensive end, we got easy transition buckets. I thought that was the key to the game. We took off from there.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677751084912.jpeg" alt="K-State MBB vs OU.jpg" />
 <figcaption>K-State MBB vs OU.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Keyontae Johnson and Markquis Nowell have been the savvy seniors leading Kansas State's basketball renaissance all season, a nearly inseparable duo helping to put the No. 11 Wildcats in position to make a deep March run.Desi Sills shined every bit as bright as them Wednesday night.The often-overlooked Arkansas State transfer flirted with a triple-double in his own Bramlage Coliseum farwell, joining Johnson and Nowell in leading the Wildcats to an 85-69 victory over Oklahoma. Sills finished with 15 points, nine rebounds and eight assists before riling up the student section with a fiery postgame speech.“I wanted to leave a legacy. Leave it all on the floor,” Sills said afterward. “I was shy of a triple-double but that doesn't matter. I'm just glad we got the win.”Johnson finished with 16 points and Nowell added 11 points and 10 assists, helping the Wildcats (23-7, 11-6 Big 12) end a three-game skid against the Sooners. Nae'Qwan Tomlin also scored 19 points for Kansas State, which led by as many as 20 early in the second half before holding on down the stretch.Then the party started: Jerome Tang sent his entire team pouring into the student section, where they danced the “Wabash Cannonball,” while the first-year coach headed to the pep band and joined right in.“I was just so thankful and grateful that I decided to finish my career here at k-state,” Nowell said. “I've been on both sides of the deal, the losing side and now the winning side, so I'm just thankful for it all.”The Sooners (14-16, 4-13) applied a little pressure late, getting within 75-65 with just under 2 minutes to go. But that's when Tanner Groves was ejected for hitting Sills with an errant elbow, and his free throws put the game away.“It definitely wasn't intentional,” Oklahoma coach Porter Moser said. “It was an unfortunate play. I don't think it was malicious. I know the kid; that's not who he is. It was a high-elbow play. An unfortunate play.”Milos Uzan had 20 points to lead the Sooners. Otega Oweh finished with 18.Oklahoma spent most of the first half mired in foul trouble. Groves and Oweh took a seat with two apiece 5 minutes into the game, and Kansas State spent the last 15 minutes parading to the line in the bonus.Yet it wasn't until the closing stretch that the Wildcats established some breathing room.The game was tied 25-all when Tomlin began a 9-0 run to carry Kansas State into the locker room. David N'Guessan added a bucket a couple of minutes later, Johnson drilled a 3-pointer off a nifty behind-the-back pass from Sills, and N'Guessan added a punctuating dunk off Nowell's feed for a 34-25 advantage.“The wheels fell off,” Moser said. "Not that you can't overcome a 9-0 run to end the half, but we were up and up, and back and forth. Next thing we know we're down nine.”It wasn't long until they were down much more than that.After a bucket by Groves to start the second half, the Wildcats ripped off seven straight points — dunks by Tomlin bookending Nowell's 3-pointer. And after Nowell hit another 3 from well beyond the arc, he saved a steal as he fell out of bounds, starting a fastbreak that ended with Sills' reverse layup for a 48-31 lead with 16 minutes to go.The lead stretched to 53-33 before the Oklahoma began to mount its failed comeback bid.We all bought in," Sill said. “We all committed on the defensive end, we got easy transition buckets. I thought that was the key to the game. We took off from there.”THE TAKEAWAYOklahoma is the only Big 12 team that must win next week's conference tournament to earn an NCAA tourney berth, though three others are teetering on the brink. But the Sooners proved in wins over the Wildcats, Iowa State and No. 2 Alabama that they are capable, and they showed glimpses of it again Wednesday night.Kansas State remains in the mix for a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, which would match the 2010 team for its best since seeding began in 1979. But the Wildcats likely have to beat West Virginia on Saturday and win a couple of Big 12 tourney games to make that happen.UP NEXTThe regular season wraps Saturday when Oklahoma plays No. 22 TCU and Kansas State visits West Virginia.

🏀 MBB: Sills, seniors lead No. 11 K-State to 85-69 win over Sooners

With the start of the Champions Indoor Football season just days away, the Salina Liberty has been hard at work as they prepare to defend their title in 2023.

After years of coming up just short, Salina finally sealed the deal back in 2022, knocking off a hated rival in the Omaha Beef to bring the elusive title back to the Salina Community.

While that feeling of jubilation has lingered over the city of Salina since that fateful day in June, the team hasn’t spent a ton of time thinking about it, focusing instead on keeping the crown in their possession.

“It feels good to be the champs,” Liberty head coach Heron O’Neal said. “The confetti came down and we got the trophy and our rings but as soon as I had that in my hand my attention shifted to this year and I haven’t looked back. Now it’s time to reload and try to run it back.”

This year’s Salina roster will feature a healthy mix of returning veterans and newcomers alike, as the Liberty look to further cement their status as the top dog in the CIF.

One of the biggest changes this season will be at quarterback, where a preseason battle still rages on between two newcomers in Javonte Johnson and Jerod Evans

Johnson is fresh off a championship-winning season with the Tri-City Rush of the AWFC, which saw him collect the league’s MVP award after earning himself, and his team a ring.

“Javonte can throw a football 75 yards,” O’Neal said. “He has that kind of ridiculous arm strength but I also love his competitive spirit. There was an adjustment period as he moved up to the CIF but he’s clicking on all cylinders now and discovering how he can be effective in this offense.”

On the other side of the battle, Jerod Evans brings more size to the table, as well as certified NFL experience.

“Jerod is a big kid from Virginia Tech who spent some time with the Eagles and Packers in the NFL,” he said. “We picked him up recently so he’s still learning things but he’s another dual threat with a rocket arm and a high quarterback IQ.”

While the Liberty will have a new signal caller this season, the rest of the offense will feature a host of familiar faces, with Tracy Brooks and Tristan Gould returning to the backfield, and Fast Ed Smith, D-Wash, and Anthony Love lining the receiving corps.

The Liberty also return both Kelvin McCoy and Aleki Tapa to the offensive line which should help bolster the confidence of a pair of rookies in running back De’Andra Sipp and receiver Caleb Mills.

Rounding out the scoring threats, Salina will also return a former Kansas Wesleyan product in kicker Michael Pursley.

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618021366432.png" alt="Coverage of Salina Liberty football is presented by Ryan Roofing" />
 <figcaption>Coverage of Salina Liberty football is presented by Ryan Roofing</figcaption>
 </figure>With the start of the Champions Indoor Football season just days away, the Salina Liberty has been hard at work as they prepare to defend their title in 2023.After years of coming up just short, Salina finally sealed the deal back in 2022, knocking off a hated rival in the Omaha Beef to bring the elusive title back to the Salina Community.While that feeling of jubilation has lingered over the city of Salina since that fateful day in June, the team hasn’t spent a ton of time thinking about it, focusing instead on keeping the crown in their possession.“It feels good to be the champs,” Liberty head coach Heron O’Neal said. “The confetti came down and we got the trophy and our rings but as soon as I had that in my hand my attention shifted to this year and I haven’t looked back. Now it’s time to reload and try to run it back.”This year’s Salina roster will feature a healthy mix of returning veterans and newcomers alike, as the Liberty look to further cement their status as the top dog in the CIF.One of the biggest changes this season will be at quarterback, where a preseason battle still rages on between two newcomers in Javonte Johnson and Jerod EvansJohnson is fresh off a championship-winning season with the Tri-City Rush of the AWFC, which saw him collect the league’s MVP award after earning himself, and his team a ring.“Javonte can throw a football 75 yards,” O’Neal said. “He has that kind of ridiculous arm strength but I also love his competitive spirit. There was an adjustment period as he moved up to the CIF but he’s clicking on all cylinders now and discovering how he can be effective in this offense.”On the other side of the battle, Jerod Evans brings more size to the table, as well as certified NFL experience.“Jerod is a big kid from Virginia Tech who spent some time with the Eagles and Packers in the NFL,” he said. “We picked him up recently so he’s still learning things but he’s another dual threat with a rocket arm and a high quarterback IQ.”While the Liberty will have a new signal caller this season, the rest of the offense will feature a host of familiar faces, with Tracy Brooks and Tristan Gould returning to the backfield, and Fast Ed Smith, D-Wash, and Anthony Love lining the receiving corps.The Liberty also return both Kelvin McCoy and Aleki Tapa to the offensive line which should help bolster the confidence of a pair of rookies in running back De’Andra Sipp and receiver Caleb Mills.Rounding out the scoring threats, Salina will also return a former Kansas Wesleyan product in kicker Michael Pursley.With so much firepower, the Liberty offense should be a force to be reckoned with this season, and Salina will be in good hands should they find themselves in any shootouts.“We have a lot of talent and a lot of experience in our quarterback room, in our backfield, and in our wide receiving corps,” O’Neal said. “Our defense carried us last year but this year that might be reversed. We have a lot of talent on both sides of the ball but the offense is looking good right now as we get things together defensively.”On the defensive side of things, Salina will have more holes to fill from their top-ranked, championship-winning unit a season ago, but should still be in good hands with veteran returners at two of the three levels.In the trenches opposing fronts will once again have to deal with the dynamic duo of Shaq Bradford and Travis Taylor, who wreaked havoc on opponent’s backfields last season.The linebacking corps will see the most turnover with a pair of newcomers stepping up in Darian Taylor and Adrian Johnson, while the secondary returns captain Deetray Matthews alongside more newcomers in Kevin Simmons, Ethan Owens, and Trevon Slayton.“I’ll be interested to see how well we play together on the defensive side of the ball since we only return three starters from that championship defense,” he said. “That’s going to be a big key for us and it’s not something we’re concerned about but we’ll be keeping an eye on it.”While hopes and expectations in the Salina community will be high entering this year’s title defense, those things haven’t changed over the first four years of Coach O’s time at the helm, and this year will be no different.“Our goals and aspirations never change, and for as long as God blesses me to be the coach of this team they never will,” he said. “We want to win every game, to be the #1 seed with home field throughout the playoffs, and to win the championship. Those three goals never change in addition to trying to help our guys move up to the next level.”The Liberty will open their season at home on Saturday when they host the Topeka Tropics to open CIF play at 6:35 pm.For coverage of Salina Liberty football all season long stay tuned to the Little Apple Post and follow us on Twitter @spostsports.