The Cardinals boys basketball team steamrolled Atchison in the Tonganoxie tournament final, avenging a loss from earlier in the year to claim the championship.
The Cardinals weren’t the favorite entering the tournament, but found a way to hoist the gold basketball trophy anyway. Seeded fifth, they won their first round before claiming a huge semifinal win over top-seeded Bonner Springs, a team they had lost to earlier this year.
The trio of wins and tournament crown was a statement for a Cardinals team that has lost a handful of close games so far.
The Cardinals came out with a flurry of energy, diving for loose balls and lighting up the scoreboard with 21 first-quarter points.
The Cardinals were in the driver’s seat for most of the first half. Atchison struggled to match the Cardinals’ shooting and interior physicality.
“From Thursday on, I felt like we finally figured out some chemistry,” said head coach Tyler Cleveland. “I think that, defensively, I asked Errol Siemon, our senior, to guard the best player on every team. And, you know, he set the tone for us.”
A 7-0 run out of halftime led to an Atchison timeout as the Cardinals bench exploded in celebration. The Cardinals never looked back on their way to the big win.
“I thought we played good,” said freshman Sy Thomas, who was named the tournament’s most valuable player. “It took us a while to get used to each other again, but then we figured it out. I think it was pretty good.”
The Cardinals will use the momentum from the tournament to guide them into the second half of the season.
“I just told the team, you know, we can’t take steps backwards,” Cleveland said. “You got to just keep moving forward Monday. When we get back to practice, this is over with, you know, we just got to get to the next team.”
The Cardinals girls basketball team also made the Tonganoxie tournament championship but lost to the hot-shooting St. James Thunder 56-40.
The Cardinals battled defensively, but the St. James shooting attack did not relent as the Thunder drained one 3-pointer after another. The Cardinals found some good looks on offense, buoyed by sophomore Brynn Deterding, but couldn’t get many of their shots to fall.
Despite the loss, head coach Brandon Parker said the tournament was a success, showcasing the team and giving them more to work on as the season continues. The Cardinals are 8-1 to start the season.
“Even though the scoreboard wasn’t in our favor, we didn’t focus on that,” Parker said. “We focused on what we needed to do to get better, and I think we got better tonight.”
Parker said the Cardinals struggled some in their first two games of the tournament but came out with both wins to advance to the final against St. James. He said the lessons they learned in those first two games helped them come out ready to execute their game plan in the final.
Deterding led the Cardinals with 18 points. Senior Ally Reitchek tacked on 9 of her own with some solid minutes in the post.
“Tonight we were playing against a bigger five, a team that we know is a very talented team in the whole state,” Deterding said. “So, I think it was good for us to see it and know that we can compete with any team that we play in the postseason.”
Senior Ally Rietcheck said despite not coming away with the win, the game will help the Cardinals keep growing to reach their full potential.
“We’ve really struggled and been challenged, but we came out better on both sides,” Rietcheck said. “And I think that has really prepared us.”
