Andover heads to their third semifinal since 2020.
BY CHARLES CHANEY
EMPORIA, Kan. — Andover did what really good teams do.
They put the foot on the gas and never let up.
Third-seeded Andover led wire-to-wire in a 76-60 win over Bonner Springs to take home the quarterfinal win in the 5A state tournament.
“Having the experience of being here last year with the same guys, and then the year before they got to see it makes a big difference,” Andover head coach Martin Shetlar said. “Whenever you get here, when it’s your first time, it makes it tough.”
Andover’s list of seniors have been here before. It’s their third consecutive trip to the state tournament and they’re itching to repeat their 2022 success.
“We’ve been here before,” senior Josh Kim said. “We’re hoping we can win another state championship.”
Not many players and teams can say another and that’s what Andover is aiming for.
They’ll have to go through Kapaun Mt. Carmel (19-3) on Friday night. They’re the same team the Trojans beat in the 2022 state championship game. Kapaun was able to win a ring last year. Kapaun beat Topeka West, 64-50, to advance to the semifinals on Thursday night.
The last two champions throwing down in the Big E, it doesn’t get better than that.
“They all know those kids from Kapaun,” Shetlar said. “They play with them in the summer and stuff. So, it’s one of those things when you’re playing, you’re playing friends.”
Andover had to take care of business first.
The Trojans scored the first 11 points and it was a smothering defense that kept Bonner Springs (18-5) shell shocked. By the time Bonner Springs had called a timeout, the Trojans were up by double digits.
There was no looking back.
“It means a lot we came out so hot because last year everyone said we didn’t have experience,” Kim said. “We only brought one person back, but our whole team is back, and now we don’t have no excuses to do anything wrong.”
“All year we’ve either gotten off to slow starts and then we’ve came back,” Shetlar said. “We talk about it all the time that teams are going to go on runs in basketball. We just don’t panic and stay under control. When you’ve had Josh who has been there for four years, it makes a big difference.”
Bonner Springs pushed back within eight but then Andover would go on another run. This time Paul Evans came off the bench, getting fouled on a three, sinking all three free throws. Senior Ezekiel McCaskill would follow up with a wide open three. Evans capped it off with a lay up from the baseline, putting Andover ahead 18-6 right before the end of the end of the first quarter.
“It’s a bit disrespectful,” McCaskill said when teams try and leave him open. “I’m just here to help the team out however I can.”
McCaskill highlighted one of Andover’s strength, their ability to switch and not create a mismatch when on defense. McCaskill showed his ability to limit drives from the point guard and then he was able to bang down low, grabbing rebounds and defending shots.
“I’m here for defense, rebounding everything,” he said. “I’m just the glue to the team. Try to do as much as I can to help out teams.”
Shetlar said it’s the best he’s played.
“He had a really good game,” Shetlar said. “It’s probably the best game he’s had at Andover. So it’s a great night to have a good night.”
In all, he finished with 12 points on 5 of 7 shooting and had an assist and a steal.
Bonner Springs was able to cut the deficit to 32-22 at the break, the closest they had been since the opening minutes of the game.
Owen Allman and McCaskill said that was enough. Allman hit a three and McCaskill scored on a floater as Andover took a 37-22 lead with 6:15 to go in the third.
Andover had an answer for anything and everything Bonner Springs tried to throw at them. While Kelan Gruver was able to get some success, it was few and far between for the rest of the Braves. They struggled to get open shots and when they got to the rim, they were often out of control.
The lead ballooned to 19 when Kim completed the old school and-one opportunity with 1:17 to go in the third quarter. They’d reach their largest lead in the fourth when Walker McClellan had a lay up to put the Trojans ahead 61-40.
Bonner Springs was able to keep it respectable late but there was no light at the end of the tunnel for them. Andover had slammed the door and nailed it shut.
Andover had four players in double figures in the win. Kim led the way with 24 points on an efficient 24 points on 8 of 11 shooting, with eight rebounds and six assists and only one turnover. He also had two blocks. Allman had 10 points with five rebounds and four assists. He also had two blocks. McClellan had 19 points on 9 of 14 shooting and seven rebounds.
Gruver led Bonner Springs with 28 points on 8 of 15 shooting.
Their opponent is no one new. They know what’s at stake on Friday night.
“We just got to come out and play our style basketball,” Shetlar said. “It’s going to be a tough game. They’re really good.”
CLASS 5A BOYS STATE TOURNAMENT
WL WHITE AUDITORIUM
EMPORIA, KANSAS
Bon. Spr. 8 14 16 22—60
Andover 19 13 25 19—78
Bonner Springs (18-5) 60: Donnell 1-2 0-0 1-3 – 3; Morrison 0-2 0-0 0-0 – 0; Rolfe 2-4 0-3 2-3 – 6; Jason Jones 5-11 0-1 3-4 – 13; Gruver 5-9 3-6 9-9 – 28; Jaiden Jones 4-5 0-0 2-3 – 10. TOTALS: 17-34 3-10 17-22 – 60.
Andover (20-3) 78: Kim 5-6 3-5 5-7 – 24; Allman 1-2 2-5 2-2 – 10; Baker 2-2 0-0 0-0 – 4; hand 1-2 0-2 0-0 – 2; McClellan 9-12 0-0 1-3 – 19; Evans 1-1 0-1 3-3 – 5; Lee 0-0 0-1 0-0 – 0; McCaskill 3-4 2-3 0-0 – 12. TOTALS: 22-29 7-19 11-15 – 76.
– EVERT NELSON
– EVERT NELSON
– EVERT NELSON
-EVERT NELSON
-EVERT NELSON
– EVERT NELSON
– EVERT NELSON
