Here’s which Wichita-area teams punched a ticket to Kansas high school state basketball
When Bryan Chadwick took over the Derby girls basketball team, he knew the program was accustomed to winning.
But he wanted to put a new spin on how the team pursued its ninth straight bid for the state tournament.
So the Panthers switched to a full-court press, 5-out-5-in system that took some getting used to, but ended up producing a familiar result — with the Panthers hoisting a sub-state championship on Friday night after a 69-38 win over Wichita East.
Derby punched its ticket to its ninth straight state tournament with a 19-3 record and expected No. 3 seed at next week’s Kansas high school state basketball tournament in Wichita.
“We wanted to create something different here,” Chadwick said. “They’ve always won and we knew we had a nice squad back, but I wanted them to play in a different way. In the beginning, nobody really understood it, but then we started winning and trusting our teammates and it’s been so much fun.”
Derby’s up-tempo style has made for more scores, more stops and more playing time for more players. After a season-opening, 56-53 loss at McPherson, a Class 4A state title contender, Chadwick said the team was encouraged by the potential of the new system. The Panthers haven’t looked back, as they split the AV-CTL Div. I league title with Maize South this season.
Chadwick said credit goes to the five seniors in the rotation for embracing their roles. Destiny Smith has led with her play and with her words, Jaden Wilson has been a steady presence in the post, Kyler Demel has been the defensive stopper, Madison Smith has been the glue to the team and Avery Kelley has been an uplifting presence for the underclassmen.
Sophomore post Macayla Askew averages 13.9 points and 7.3 rebounds, while Carsen Carpenter, Kallie Rickords, Maliyah Lansang, Aysia Fox, Karlie Demel, Teagan Grady and Natalie Wilson have all played a role this season.
“(The up-tempo style) fits this group because they’re hungry,” Chadwick said. “They know it’s a great way to get a layup or a steal and just a fun way to play. We get our sophomores and freshmen in the game and now they’re getting experience. We know if we play hard, everyone gets in the game.”
Below is a list of KSHSAA state qualifiers and scores from sub-state finals in Class 6A and 4A girls and Class 5A boys brackets.
Kansas high school basketball state qualifiers
Class 6A girls
Shawnee Mission South (21-1)
Wichita Heights (20-2)
Derby (19-3)
Olathe South (18-4)
Blue Valley North (18-4)
Shawnee Mission Northwest (16-6)
Washburn Rural (15-7)
Manhattan (11-10)
Class 5A boys
Maize South (22-0)
Topeka Highland Park (21-1)
Kapaun Mt. Carmel (19-3)
Kansas City Piper (19-3)
Shawnee Heights (19-3)
Andover (18-4)
De Soto (18-4)
Great Bend (17-5)
Class 4A girls
Wellington (21-1)
Fort Scott (21-1)
Bishop Miege (19-3)
McPherson (18-4)
Ottawa (17-5)
Labette County (16-6)
Clearwater (15-7)
Andale (14-8)
KSHSAA sub-state championship scores
Class 6A girls
Blue Valley North 39, Blue Valley Northwest 35
Derby 69, Wichita East 38
Manhattan 45, Liberal 39
Olathe South 59, Blue Valley 33
Shawnee Mission Northwest 56, Olathe West 51 (OT)
Shawnee Mission South 47, Olathe North 32
Washburn Rural 47, Wichita South 34
Wichita Heights 43, Wichita Southeast 25
Class 5A boys
Andover 69, Topeka West 61
De Soto 68, Pittsburg 48
Great Bend 69, Hutchinson 54
Highland Park 80, Bonner Springs 48
Kansas City Piper 67, Blue Valley Southwest 57
Kapaun Mt. Carmel 72, Goddard 42
Maize South 56, Andover Central 31
Shawnee Heights 64, St. Thomas Aquinas 62 (OT)
Class 4A girls
Andale 42, Circle 36
Bishop Miege 48, Eudora 25
Clearwater 45, Concordia 33
Fort Scott 50, Independence 39
Labette County 62, Chanute 44
McPherson 68, Clay Center 55
Ottawa 45, Baldwin 28
Wellington 58, Scott City 22
