The Emporia High basketball teams split their final regular season doubleheader against Junction City on Friday night at Spartan Gymnasium.
The Lady Spartans won their game, 45-20, while Junction City won the boys game, 46-32.
In the girls game, Emporia High led for most of the game except for a 1-point lead for Junction City in the first quarter. Emporia High led 16-12 after one and 26-15 at halftime. The Lady Spartans outscored the Blue Jays, 19-5, in the second half. Bailey Wiltz tied a career-high with 13 points. Emporia High coach Taylor Scott was proud of her team’s performance on Senior Night.
Emporia High ends the regular season 4-16, 2-8 in the Centennial League. The Lady Spartans will play a non-bracketed postseason game at 7 p.m. Monday at home against Newton. The RV-Doc Pregame Show is at 6:45 p.m. on KVOE.
In the boys game, it was tight knit through 16 minutes. The two teams were knotted at 6 after one with the Blue Jays holding a 14-12 lead at halftime. Emporia High pulled within one twice in the third quarter, but trailed 29-22 heading to the fourth quarter. Junction City led by as many as nine before the Spartans pulled within four, 34-30, before the Blue Jays ended the game on a 12-2 run. Rylan Crowell led Emporia High with nine points. Emporia High coach Lee Baldwin was proud of his team’s defense, however, the Spartans couldn’t get a bucket or a stop down the stretch.
Emporia High finishes the regular season 12-8, 5-5 in the Centennial League. The Spartans are the 7-seed and will host Maize South at 7 p.m. Wednesday. In the 5A West Standings, the Spartans were one of four teams tied with a 12-8 record. Despite the Spartans having a win over Hays, who was seeded sixth, the tiebreaker was determined that if no school has wins over the other schools, it goes off marginal points.
