By TYLER HENRY
Little Apple Post contributor
The Wamego girls basketball team will begin their sub-state run on Tuesday as they prepare to host a Tonganoxie team that they defeated earlier this season 63-22.
The Red Raiders enter bracket play as the two-seed, ranked #4 in Class 4A with an overall record of 18-2 while the Chieftans come in at 6-14.
While Wamego won the first meeting comfortably, both teams have come a long way since then, and tonight's matchup should look much different.
“We beat them early in the season but they’re a very well-coached team that will have a plan tonight,” Red Raider head coach Brian McIntosh said. “They take better care of the ball than they did and they’ve been shooting it a lot better recently.”
Tonganoxie followed up that loss to Wamego with the best stretch of their season, winning four of their next six games, but followed that with a six-game losing streak that they will carry into this tournament.
The Red Raiders meanwhile, have been playing some of their best basketball down the stretch, winning eight of their last nine contests ahead of the postseason.
“Our team chemistry has been really good this season on both sides of the ball and they’re a really tight group which has helped us on and off the floor,” McIntosh said. “Our game really starts on the defensive end and we really try not to let people breathe which translates into our offense.”
That defensive unit for Wamego has held opponents to 36 points per game while the offense has averaged just shy of 60.
Much of that success has rested on the shoulders of senior Paige Donnelly, who has averaged 17 points per game to add to four steals in each contest.
While Tonganoxie has struggled on paper, their team is still loaded with veterans who bring composure and postseason experience with them.
“They have a team full of seniors who know that this is their last chance so they’re going to battle,” he said. “They have some good guards that can handle the ball and we’ll have to do some good things against them.”
While a deep state-playoff run could very well be in Wamego’s future, the Red Raiders are laser-focused on taking things one day at a time.
“I know this team's goal is to make the state tournament and we’ve had a terrific season up to this point but basketball is a crazy thing and anything can happen,” McIntosh said. “We’re just trying to control what we can control and that’s our mindset.”
Tip-off between the Red Raiders and Chieftans is set for 7 pm at Wamego High School with the winner advancing to the sub-state final to take on 13-7 Holton or 12-8 Independence.
For continuing coverage of both Wamego basketball teams throughout sub-state stay tuned to the Little Apple Post.