5A State Quarterfinals Deliver a Wild Night of Hoops Action

With only four teams remaining in 5A, let's rewind to Tuesday night and recap the action. The quarterfinals delivered plenty of excitement, including two intense matchups that went back and forth all night — one of which even needed overtime to decide a winner. We'll break down the results, highlight the top performers, and take a look at what each team did well. Then we'll shift our focus to the Final Four and what each team will need to do if they want to bring a state championship home.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Kapaun Mt. Carmel 53, Shawnee Heights 38</h3>   Kapaun continued its quest for another state title on Tuesday night with a convincing victory over Shawnee Heights. The Crusaders were able to slow down the Thunderbirds offensively while also taking advantage of their opportunities in the paint and on the glass.   Blaise Dalian and [player_tooltip player_id='2211346' first='Rocco' last='Keller'] both led the way with 16 points each, with Keller also pulling down a game-high 11 rebounds. Their presence inside helped Kapaun control the tempo and maintain an advantage throughout.   The Crusaders will now face Seaman with a trip to the state title game on the line. It should be an intriguing matchup, but Kapaun is the deeper team and will likely look to lean on that depth in an effort to wear down the Vikings over the course of the game. If they're able to do that, it should give the Crusaders a legitimate shot to advance.   Expect Kapaun to focus heavily on limiting [player_tooltip player_id='2211343' first='KaeVon' last='Bonner'] while continuing to play the unselfish brand of offensive basketball that has defined its season. If the Crusaders can stay connected defensively and continue sharing the ball on offense, they'll put themselves in a strong position to move on.   Next Game: Kapaun Mt. Carmel vs. Seaman | Thursday, March 12th at 6:00 PM | Koch Arena   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Bonner Springs 68, Washington 49</h3>   In what was a highly anticipated matchup played in front of a great crowd, Bonner Springs once again showed why it has been mentioned among the top teams in 5A throughout the season. While the game was tight at halftime — with Washington leading for much of the first two quarters — it was the Braves who took control in the second half.   Bonner Springs had three players finish in double figures, led by [player_tooltip player_id='2820802' first='Jaiden' last='Jones'], who took over at key moments and finished with 22 points and six rebounds. Jones used his size and length effectively and scored at a very efficient rate, making a major impact whenever the Braves needed a basket.   Nate Ferrell also came up big, knocking down several important threes and finishing with 18 points, while [player_tooltip player_id='2211348' first='Kelan' last='Gruver'] added 12 points and 11 rebounds to give the Braves another strong all-around performance. For Washington, [player_tooltip player_id='2327569' first='Jamari' last='Williams'] led the way with 14 points and had several flashes throughout the game.   Bonner Springs will now face Topeka West in what should be another great matchup. The Braves will likely be tested physically, as the Chargers bring more size and length — especially up front and along the wings. For Bonner Springs, the key will be leaning into what has worked all season: their unselfish style of play and their ability to space the floor offensively.   Expect Gruver, Ferrell, [player_tooltip player_id='2820802' first='Jaiden' last='Jones'], and [player_tooltip player_id='2327571' first='Jason' last='Jones Jr']. to once again pace the team, particularly in crunch time when the Braves will need their top players to step up and make winning plays.   Next Game: Bonner Springs vs. Topeka West | Thursday, March 12th at 8:00 PM | Koch Arena   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Seaman 57, Maize South 46</h3>   For much of the first half, this game played out exactly how many expected — a back-and-forth battle with both teams competing on both ends of the floor. As the game moved toward the end of the first half and into the second, however, Seaman began to seize momentum and eventually took control with a big run sparked by defensive stops and transition scoring.   [player_tooltip player_id='2211343' first='KaeVon' last='Bonner'] was clearly the best player on the floor and backed it up with a dominant stat line, finishing with 24 points, five rebounds, four assists, and five steals. As he has done all season, Bonner impacted winning in ways few other players have, consistently leading and guiding the Vikings.   [player_tooltip player_id='1965355' first='Landon' last='Wiltz'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2245738' first='Griffin' last='Zuniga'] also stepped up in key moments, helping support the offense with 13 and 10 points respectively. For Maize South, [player_tooltip player_id='2816224' first='Jalen' last='Batiste'] led the way with 19 points, capping off what has been an impressive season for him.   Seaman now moves on to face Kapaun in the Final Four, and they'll need to duplicate the kind of performance they delivered Tuesday night if they want to advance. Bonner gives them a legitimate chance in any matchup, especially with the way he allows the game to come to him and rarely forces the action.   He will likely need to once again be the best player on the floor, but if Zuniga and Wiltz can help carry some of the offensive load, Seaman should give itself an opportunity to be in the game late. Kapaun certainly won't give them anything — the Vikings will have to go out and take it.   Next Game: Seaman vs. Kapaun Mt. Carmel | Thursday, March 12th at 6:00 PM | Koch Arena   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Topeka West 86, Piper 78</h3>   Hands down the best game of the night, this one had everything. It started as a game of runs early before turning into a near shot-for-shot battle in the second half and into overtime. Both teams traded big plays and momentum swings, making it a fight all the way to the end.   [player_tooltip player_id='2209781' first='DJ' last='Jackson'] delivered some huge moments for Piper, hitting clutch shots at the end of regulation and again at the end of the first overtime to keep the Pirates alive. Time and time again, he put the team on his back and willed them to keep playing.   But in the second overtime, Topeka West was able to make the plays that mattered most. The Chargers executed down the stretch, took the lead for good, and ultimately punched their ticket to the Final Four.   [player_tooltip player_id='2209783' first='Keimani' last='Paul'] was outstanding, finishing with 30 points while doing most of his damage in the second half and overtime. Malakyah Duncan also had a big night, scoring 17 points and coming up with several key plays to supplement Paul.   With Bonner Springs now waiting in the next round, Topeka West won't have much time to celebrate. The Chargers will need to quickly turn their attention to preparation. Expect them to lean heavily once again on Paul and Duncan while continuing to get valuable contributions from Prince Lassiter, Gad Munganga, and Jay'Veon Traylor. Their size and length could be a major advantage against the Braves, and it's something they'll likely look to emphasize on both ends of the floor.   Next Game: Topeka West vs. Bonner Springs | Thursday, March 12th at 8:00 PM | Koch Arena

With only four teams remaining in 5A, let's rewind to Tuesday night and recap the action. The quarterfinals delivered plenty of excitement, including two intense matchups that went back and forth all night — one of which even needed overtime to decide a winner. We'll break down the results, highlight the top performers, and take a look at what each team did well. Then we'll shift our focus to the Final Four and what each team will need to do if they want to bring a state championship home.