Johnson County well-represented in Kansas state basketball tournaments
The brackets are set for the Kansas boys and girls state basketball tournaments, and once again those brackets will feature several Johnson County teams.
Blue Valley Northwest has been the No. 1-ranked team in Class 6A most of the season, and the Huskies lived up to their billing in routing Gardner-Edgerton 72-35 in their substate final Friday night at BV Northwest. The Huskies, 19-3, have the No. 1 seed and will play Garden City Wednesday in the first round at Charles Koch Arena in Wichita.
Blue Valley North beat Blue Valley 58-55 Friday at Blue Valley to win its substate and reach the Class 6A state tournament for the first time since 2014. BV North, 16-6, will play Olathe Northwest in the first round.
Olathe Northwest’s boys, 17-5, advanced by knocking off Shawnee Mission West 56-38 in a substate final at Northwest. Olathe Northwest’s girls also moved on with a 46-31 win over Shawnee Mission Northwest. Olathe Northwest, 15-7, takes on Manhattan on Thursday in the first round of the 6A girls tournament.
Olathe East’s girls qualified by rolling over Blue Valley North 41-25. Olathe East, 18-4, will play Derby on Thursday night. Olathe South’s girls, 18-4, advanced out of the other half of the same substate with a 35-31 win over Gardner Edgerton and will meet Lawrence in Thursday’s first round.
The St. Thomas Aquinas boys are in the Class 5A bracket after holding off St. James Academy 60-53 Saturday in a substate final at Aquinas. The Saints, 18-4, face Shawnee Heights in the first round of the 5A boys tournament Thursday at the Topeka Expocentre. Aquinas’ girls, 19-3 also advanced with a 46-34 win over Mill Valley and will open state Wednesday against Wichita Bishop Carroll.
Bishop Miege earned the chance at a second-straight Class 4A Division-I title with a 49-40 victory over Eudora Saturday at Bonner Springs. Miege, 19-3, is making a third consecutive trip to state and will face Louisburg Wednesday in the first round at Salina.
Miege’s girls will also get to go after another crown after beating Baldwin 59-42 in their substate final. Miege, 19-3, will meet Wellington in the first round Thursday.
This story was originally published March 6, 2017 at 9:18 AM with the headline "Johnson County well-represented in Kansas state basketball tournaments."