For the first time since January 2nd, the Emporia High basketball teams played a road doubleheader at Topeka High on Friday night.
It would be a Spartan sweep as the Spartans rallied from a seven-point halftime deficit and nine overall to defeat the Trojans, 56-47, to keep the Dean Smith Trophy in Emporia. Emporia High led 11-7 at the end of the first quarter before being outscored 14-3 in the second quarter and trailing 21-14 at halftime. The Spartans trailed 27-18 before rallying to cut the deficit to two, 36-34, heading into the fourth quarter. Emporia High gained the lead at 48-47 with 2:25 left on a 3-point play by Sheldon Stewart and did not give it back. Emporia High coach Lee Baldwin said his team found ways to get back to win a tough road game.
River Peters led Emporia High with a career-high 28 points. Stewart and Nolan Jacob each added 12. Emporia High improved to 11-5 on the season and 5-2 in the Centennial League.
Meanwhile, a slow start for the Emporia High girls turned into a lopsided victory for the Lady Spartans. After trailing 15-12 after the first quarter and by five, the Lady Spartans used a 45-6 run to defeat the Lady Trojans, 57-27, to win their 13th consecutive game. Emporia High led 34-19 at half and 57-21 at the end of the third quarter to trigger a running clock in the fourth. Ryan Peak led Emporia High with a career-high 18 points along with eight rebounds. Lexsey Dewitt added 12.
Emporia High assistant coach Brett Stewart said they didn’t come out the way they wanted to but found a way to respond.
Emporia High is now 15-1 on the season and 7-0 in the Centennial League.
Emporia High continues its two-game road swing on Tuesday at Manhattan. The RV-Doc Pregame Show begins at 5:40 p.m. on KVOE, as well as online at KVOE.com/listen and via the Audacy App.
