by joanna

*Follow me on Twitter, @joannachadwick

The Heights-Leavenworth boxscore is below.

Heights wins 83-78. Helluva game. If you weren’t here, get the DVD. Two of the best teams in the state playing right here. Amazing. Impressive. I’m at a loss for exactly how to describe what I’ve seen.

Heights plays Blue Valley Northwest at 6:15 p.m. Saturday.

Leavenworth (17-7) 23 16 12 27 _ 78

Wichita Heights (22-2) 17 22 17 27 _ 83

LEAVENWORTH: Zeck 0-1 1-2 1, Dean 3-5 3-4 9, Wiggins 8-15 1-1 19, Greenberg 2-4 6-8 10, Williams 10-17 5-8 29, Padgett 2-3 0-0 5, Brundy 0-1 0-0 0, Simanowitz 0-0 0-0 0, Dougherty 0-0 0-0 0, Banach 1-1 2-2 4. Totals 26-47 18-25 78.

HEIGHTS: Dobbins 1-2 6-10 9, Wessel 6-10 2-4 15, Smith 7-11 8-9 23, Moore 3-3 4-6 11, Ellis 6-12 11-18 23, DeGrafenread 1-2 0-0 2, Countee 0-0 0-0 0, Bradley 0-0 0-0 0, Riley 0-0 0-0 0, Cross 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-40 31-47 83.

Three-point shooting _ Leavenworth 8-16 (Padgett 2-3, Wiggins 2-4, Williams 4-7, Greenberg 0-1, Brundy 0-1), Heights 4-6 (Dobbins 1-1, Moore 1-1, Wessel 1-2, Smith 1-2).

10:03 p.m. — Heights 82-74 with 14.6 seconds to go. There’s been 157 fouls in the last 28 seconds of game time. No exaggeration.

9:56 p.m. — Leavenworth won’t go away, as expected. Wiggins hits a jumper and it’s Heights 76-69 with 48 seconds to go. Leavenworth will press. Both teams are beat.

9:50 p.m. — Ellis at the line. He has 20 points, 7 rebounds. Heights up 72-63, 1:30 to go.

9:48 p.m. — It’s 70-63, 2 minutes to go. Wessel just shot a jumper, knew it was off, went in for his own rebound and scored.

9:44 p.m. — Did I say something about Wiggins? It might have been on Twitter. But he scores to get Leavenworth within 66-63.

Evan Wessel at the line, he hits both. 68-63, 3:34 to go.

This game isn’t over.

9:38 p.m. — It’s 61-60, 5:18 to go. Nino Williams just hit one of two free throws and he has 29 points.

E.J. Dobbins just hit a three from the right wing. 4:58 to go.

9:29 p.m. — Heights leads 56-51 after three quarters. Nino Williams picked up his fourth foul late in the third. He had just hit a three-pointer and now has 22 points.

9:26 p.m. — Heights up 54-48. Nino Williams just scored over Dreamius Smith, a mismatch in height, for sure.

9:21 p.m. — To all those people who have talked to me during the season that Perry Ellis is soft. What have you been watching? This is a tough kid who is strong and runs the floor well and dribbles well.

Nino Williams is hurting, tired. Leavenworth calls timeout. 2:32 to go in the third. 52-43 Heights.

9:20 p.m. — Heights is up 48-43 with 3:54 to go in the third quarter. Seriously, great game.

Great athletes, great performances, athleticism, smart basketball. It’s times like this when I adore my job. Of course, I’m trying to write a story here and this is distracting me.

9:02 p.m. — If you’re not here, I’m sorry. This is a great game. And I’m not even paying complete attention to it. I do have to write a story here.

Anyway. Dreamius Smith takes the inbounds pass and dribbles up to the left wing and shoots a three-pointer that drops through at the buzzer.

I laughed. You wouldn’t believe what we’re seeing here. Nino Williams has 17 points, 4 rebounds. Perry Ellis has 12 points, 2 rebounds. Dreamius Smith has 11 points, Terrance Moore has 7 points, Evan Wessel 6.

8:58 p.m. — Nino Williams gives Leavenworth the lead back at 35-34, 1:53 to go. Heights turnover. Kyle Wiggins three, up 38-34.

8:53 p.m. — Evan Wessel gives Heights the lead at 32-30, 4:15 to go in the second quarter.

8:50 p.m. — Heights is within 28-26 with 5:59 to go in the second.

8:47 p.m. — Ellis scores inside, then Preston Padgett hits a three. Leavenworth up 28-21 with 6:24 to go in the third. E.J. Dobbins at the line. He hits the first.

No doubt who the top two teams in 6A — and the state — are.

Dobbins misses the second. Moore gets the rebound, is fouled.

8:44 p.m. — Kyle Wiggins hits layup at the buzzer for 23-17 lead at the end of the first quarter, seconds after Terrence Moore hit a three for Heights.

8:40 p.m. — Perry Ellis has four points at the free-throw line.Heights trails Leavenworth 14-12, 2:16 to go in the first.

8:36 p.m. — Nino Williams hits a three, has 7 straight points for 11-4 lead over Heights. Wessel inside for basket. 11-6 midway through the first.

8:34 p.m. — Heights ties it at 4-all with Terrence Moore steal and basket. Nino Williams scores. Heights down 6-4.

8:32 p.m. — Somehow I need to blog this game, transcribe interviews and write a story from the last game. How can I do this?

6:15 to go in first, Leavenworth up 4-0 over Heights.

8:06 p.m. — Heights wins 63-49 over Rural and will play Olathe South for the Class 6A girls titles. The past two years Heights has finished fourth. Rural won the title last year.

7:59 p.m. — Heights leads 58-42 with 1:56 to go in the game.

The box is below:

Washburn Rural (20-4) 8 16 8 17 _ 49
Wichita Heights (23-1) 18 12 11 22 _ 63

WASHBURN RURAL: Lane 4-5 2-4 11, Bordewick 3-13 3-4 11, Zordel 0-2 6-6 6, Lewis 0-0 0-0 0, Holmberg 4-10 0-0 11, Michaelis 0-0 0-0 0, Ladenburger 2-4 1-2 6, Aschenbrenner 0-0 0-0 0, Scott 1-3 1-2 3, Singer 0-0 1-1 1. Totals 14-37 14-19 49.
WICHITA HEIGHTS: Chandler 2-6 0-2 4, Pope 4-9 2-4 13, Chisom 4-10 1-2 11, Richard 2-9 7-8 11, Jhas. Bowen 6-9 5-10 17, Lynch 0-1 0-0 0, Jhar. Bowen 0-0 0-0 0. Palmer 0-2 0-0 0, Harding 0-0 0-0 0, Ivy 0-1 0-0 0, Sims 2-11 2-2 7, Cyphers 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-58 17-28 63.
Three-point shooting _ Washburn Rural 7-18 (Holmberg 3-8, Bordewick 2-8, Lane 1-1, Ladenburger 1-1), Wichita Heights 6-18 (Pope 3-6, Chisom 2-4, Sims 1-5, Palmer 0-1, Chandler 0-2). Rebounds _ Washburn Rural 24 (Holmberg 5), Wichita Heights 45 (Bowen 16).

7:52 p.m. — Jhasmin Bowen is killing Rural inside. Have I said that before? She’s got 17 and 15, one foul. Heights up 53-41 with 3:25 to go. And Rural’s Maggie Holmberg just fouled out. Unbelievable. Rural’s problems with Bowen — that’s why Rural had so many problems with fouls.

7:46 p.m. — Heights is up 45-37. Rural is getting the loose balls right now. Heights has to go back inside. Which is what it has done on the last two possessions. Kamisha Richard to the line. 5:34 to go. Time out Rural.

7:42 p.m. — Heights has a 41-32 lead after three quarters.

7:40 p.m. — Heights has left Maggie Holmberg wide open two straight possessions, and she’s made them pay with 5 straight points.

7:37 p.m. — Kelsey Lewis just fouled out for Rural. Fouling Jhasmin Bowen, a popular move. Bowen is just unstoppable tonight. She only has 11 points, but the kid is so strong to the basket that you have to stop her. And Rural is struggling with her strength.

It’s 41-27 Heights, 2 minutes to go in the third.

7:33 p.m. — I usually jinx people. Like when I said Heights hasn’t had a turnover, and it had three straight. Well, Chisom had been struggling — but she just hit a three. Heights is up 39-24 with 3:51 to go in the third.

7:27 p.m. — Heights is up 34-24. Chisom is struggling. But the team is playing well. Good defense, strong inside game.

Heights shot 32.3 percent in the first half, while Rural shot 50 percent. Heights had 4 turnovers, Rural 8. Heights has outrebounded Rural 21-11. Bowen had 9 rebounds and 8 points. Pope had nine. Bordewick led Rural with 9.

Right now it looks like one of the Rural players is hurt.

7:15 p.m. — Heights leads Washburn Rural 30-24 at the half. Heights played for the last shot, but it was off, and then fouled Rural’s Taylor Zordel with .5 seconds remaining. She hit both.

Rural is within six despite major problems inside. It had to go to zone because of foul trouble to Holmberg, Scott and Lewis, all had 3 fouls.

The zone had been put in before that because Jhasmin Bowen had been so strong in the lane, along with the other players driving. Heights has been shooting well, but several silly mistakes allowed Rural to stay close.

Curious to see how both will respond in the second half.

*Other area games: Andover Central beats Carroll girls in 5A semis; Cheney girls beat Holton in 4A semis, Marion girls beat Jeff North in 3A semis, Berean loses to Olpe in 2A semis. In 6A girls, Olathe South beats Dodge City to advance to semis. In 6A boys, Blue Valley Northwest beats BV North 69-63.

7:07 p.m. — Heights has a 25-17 lead with 2:51 to go in the first half.

Rural is at the line, Erika Lane, shooting 1 and 1. It’s good. She makes both. It’s 25-19.

7:03 p.m. — Rural’s three inside girls have a combined 8 fouls, with two who have three apiece.

7:02 p.m. 23-17 Heights, midway through the second quarter.

6:56 p.m. — Heights has an 18-8 lead after the first quarter. Heights’ defense looks great, Heights inside game forced Washburn Rural to go to a zone. Heights’ offense has been strong. Tahlia Pope hit a three at the end of the first, she has 6. Jhasmin Bowen has six, as well. Maggie Holmberg and Erika Lane both have three apiece for Rural.

6:53 p.m. — Heights’ Taylor Chandler picks up her second foul. Heights defense is frustrating for teams, fun to watch.

6:49 p.m. — Heights up 9-2. Washburn Rural’s only points on Bordewick’s free throws. Erika Lane hits a three. 9-5. Washburn Rural is now in a zone. Understandable. Bowen was killing them inside.

Now it’s 13-5 with 1:30 to go in the quarter.

6:43 p.m. — Heights’ Tahlia Pope opens the game with a three from the right corner. Jhasmin Bowen scores inside off a Kamisha Richard miss. Then Bowen makes a strong move in the lane, scores and is fouled. She’s at the line with a 7-0 lead, 5:55 to go in the first.

6:38 p.m. — Introductions currently.

The BV Northwest-BV North box score is below. In case you don’ follow me on Twitter, Cheney’s Merissa Quick broke a foot and won’t play tomorrow.

BV North (16-8) 14 11 13 25 _ 63
BV Northwest (17-7) 16 12 15 26 _ 69

BV NORTH: McCarthy 2-4 0-0 5, Lawless 0-2 0-0 0, Ehlers 7-15 2-2 19, McLerran 7-12 4-5 20, Crooker 3-5 0-0 6, Dolan 4-8 1-1 11, Alexander 1-3 0-0 2, Boehler 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-49 7-8 63.
BV NORTHWEST: Brashears 7-10 8-11 25, Smith 4-8 3-3 11, Fisher 3-7 2-2 10, Miller 0-0 0-0 0, Lang 0-1 0-0 0, Hatchett 1-1 2-2 4, Luebbert 0-0 0-0 0, Hooks 1-1 0-0 3, Bugarinovic2-4 3-4 7, Bond 3-5 3-4 9. Totals 21-37 21-26 69.
Three-point shooting _ BV North 8-18 (Ehlers 3-7, McLerran 2-3, Dolan 2-5, McCarthy 1-3), BV Northwest 6-10 (Brashears 2-4, Fisher 2-4, Hooks 1-1, Smith 0-1). Rebounds _ BV North 21 (McCarthy, Crooker 4), BV Northwest 23 (Smith 5).

6:17 p.m. — We’re 20 minutes from the Heights-Washburn Rural girls semifinal game. Can’t wait.

6:12 p.m. — I hear Cheney’s Merissa Quick got hurt — can anyone shed some light on that?

6:09 p.m. — Finally, it looks like this game is BV Northwest’s. Even though I’ve never felt like it was anything but. BV Northwest at the line for two from Bugarinovic. He hits first for 66-61 lead with 9 seconds to go.

6:07 p.m. — BV Northwest cannot make this easy on itself. It’s now 62-59 with 52 seconds to go. The Huskies had hit one of two free throws, then fouled Sean McLerran, who made both. Then BV Northwest turns it over and has a foul called. McLerran hits both.

Brashears is at the line, he makes one of two. 63-59. 37 seconds to go.

6:01 p.m. — and then, of course, BV North’s Weston Ehlers hits a three. He doesn’t care if he’s well defended or wide open. It’s 59-55 BV NW with 1:40 to go.

6 p.m. — BV Northwest just might be able to hang onto this lead. Morgan Smith is at the line, he hits the front end of the one and one. 1:52 to go, BV Northwest up 58-52. He hits the second. 7 point lead.

5:55 p.m. — BV Northwest’s Brett Fisher hit a three, BV Northwest up 56-50, 3:18 to go in the game.

5:50 p.m. — BV North will not go away. BV Northwest gets up on BV North 47-40 with 7 minutes to go, then BV North gets a three-point play, gives up a three-point play, but then gets a three from Devin McCarthy and a jumper from Sean McLerran.

50-48, 5:28 to go, BV Northwest leads.

5:42 p.m. — BV Northwest had a 43-34 lead after Morgan Smith scored by driving inside. But then BV North’s Kyle Crooker scored in the lane, BV North forced a five-second call with about 5 seconds to go and Weston Ehlers scored with no time on the clock to get within 43-38 heading into the fourth period. Ehlers has 14, Brashears 17.

5:37 p.m. — a little late on the halftime stats, but how good of shooting teams are these guys? BV Northwest was 47.6 percent, and so was BV North. Both shot 62.5 percent from three. Ridiculous.

5:35 p.m. — It’s 37-34 BV Northwest. Devin McCarthy just hit a three for BV North. 3:08 to go in the third.

5:15 p.m. – -Great shooting first half. So many offensive studs. It’s 28-25 at the half, BV Northwest leading. Brashears has 14 points. Weston Ehlers has 10.

5:10 pm. — Weston Ehlers hits a three, then BV NW’s Brashears hits another three (he has 14 points). It’s 26-20 BV Northwest with 3:05 to go.

5:06 p.m. — Just heard: Are you out of your freakin’ mind?

My oldest likes Tyler Brashears’ game, but he won’t be getting his hair like Brashears anytime soon. As Jeff Lutz said, he resembles Sideshow Bob in the Simpsons.

5:03 p.m. — BV Northwest just forced BV North to call a timeout when Shane Hooks, who got the ball after a BV Northwest steal, and hit a three in the right corner. It followed Tyler Brashears hitting from the top of the key. 22-14, 6:30 to go for BV Northwest.

Brashears is ridiculous. No lie. A ridiculous three-point shooter.

4:59 p.m. — Anyone out there following the blog? Feel free to let me know — I’ll work even harder for you.

It’s the end of the first quarter. BV Northwest leads BV North 16-14. A tightly contested game so far and both are shooting threes pretty well.

4:50 p.m. — BV North has opened the game with two straight threes and leads 6-2 with 5:45 to go. Oh my. BV Northwest’s Tyler Brashears just hit a shot from behind NBA range. Ridiculous, I say! Then BV North turnover. Breshears pulls up. No good. BV Northwest scores.

Then BV North’s Weston Ehlers scores. It’s 8-7 BV North in the first quarter. Breshears at the line. He hits the first one and the second for the 9-8 lead, 4:4o to go in the period.

The Olathe South-Dodge City box is below:

Dodge City (20-4) 11 11 11 8 – 41

Olathe South (23-1) 22 11 14 7 – 54

DODGE CITY: Ortiz 6-16 0-0 17, Briggs 3-9 2-2 10, Ehrlich 1-4 0-0 2, Buckner 1-3 0-2 3, Thompson 3-7 0-0 8, Stephenson 1-1 0-0 2, Estrada 0-0 0-0 0, Schinstock 0-0 0-0 0, Pencis 0-1 0-0 0, Lampe 0-0 0-0 0, Totals 15-41 2-4 41.

OLATHE SOUTH: Palu 1-1 0-0 2, K. Balcom 8-14 0-0 16, Bell 1-5 1-2 4, Rinehart 4-6 0-0 8, Knight 7-9 5-6 21, Dolan 0-0 0-0 0, M. Balcom 1-4 0-0 2, McKnight 0-0 0-0 0, Jacobson 0-0 0-0 0, Hugo 0-0 0-0 0, White 0-0 0-0 0, Burleson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-39 6-8 54.

Three-point shooting _ Dodge City 9-21 (Thompson 2-3, Briggs 2-6, Ortiz 5-12), Olathe South 4-12 (Knight 2-2, M. Balcom 1-3, Bell 1-5, K. Balcom 0-1, Rinehart 0-1). Rebounds _ Dodge City 21 (Thompson 8), Olathe South 23 (Rinehart 12).

4:13 p.m. – -Olathe South returns to the Class 6A title game. It lost to Washburn Rural a year ago. The Falcons will face the winner of the Heights-Washburn Rural game at 6:30 tonigh.

4:11 p.m. — 35 seconds to go and Olathe South leads 54-41.

4:05 p.m. –Dodge City’s Valerie Ortiz hits two threes and Dodge is within 51-41 with 1:40 to go.

This game felt like it was over in the second quarter.

4:01 p.m. — Olathe South is up 49-35 with 5 minutes to go. Can Heights get past Washburn Rural to set up the final we’ve been expecting to see since last season?

3:56 p.m. — Olathe South leads Dodge City 47-33 after three.

The Olathe South band is playing Hey, Baby, and the Dodge City band is singing. I like it!

3:52 p.m. — Interesting. Coach Ingram just told his team on offense, just like Wichita Heights. Dodge is sitting in a zone, trailing 46-30, so Olathe South spreads the floor and is willing to hold the ball (and why not). So Dodge isn’t moving and Ingram says to Natalie Knight, like Wichita Heights.

Knight then drives between two defenders coming at her and there’s an opening.

3:48 p.m. — Kelsey Balcom now has 12 points for Olathe South for 42-26 lead. Kesha Buckner answers on the other end for Dodge City.

It’s pretty quiet in here. Not a lot of fans. No student sections to speak of. Disappointing.

I got to see my boys at halftime of this game. They came to the game with the grandparents. They’re so cute. I have one who watches the game the whole time. Every game that they’re at — and they’ll be here for all four — and the other two focus on writing, coloring, playing and watching. All three focus on a whole lot of food.

3:40 p.m. — Third quarter is about to start. Olathe South is up 33-22.

Natalie Knight has 14 points on 5 of 6 shooting, 2 of 2 from three. Kelsey Balcom has 10 points. Valerie Ortiz leads Dodge City with 9 points, on 3 of 7 shooting from three. Brenna Briggs has six. While Olathe South has two turnovers, Dodge has eight.

3:28 p.m. — Olathe South is now up 28-19 with 2:28 to go in the half. Last three Olathe South baskets from Balcom, Knight and Palu.

3:22 p.m. – -Olathe South takes a timeout with 3:55 to go in the first half. It’s 24-19 Olathe South.

3:20 p.m. — Brenna Briggs and Valerie Ortiz have hit two straight three-pointers. Within 22-19 of Olathe South. 4:35 to go in the second quarter.

3:15 p.m. — Olathe South’s Natalie Knight, with less than four seconds, gets the ball at the top of the key and drives inside for a sweet lay-in. Olathe South has a 22-11 lead after the first quarter. Dodge City isn’t playing poorly, it’s just that Olathe South is the superior team.

3:10 p.m. — Olathe South scored 8 unanswered to go up 8-3. Valerie Ortiz added a three for Dodge,which now trails 13-8 after a three by Natalie Knight. 3:42 to go. Dodge City had three turnovers in that 8-0 run by Olathe South.

3 p.m. — It’s tip-off time at White Auditorium for Dodge City and Olathe South. I just finished a chat with Jeffrey Lutz and earlier I wrote a preview for all classes today.

Should be a great day here at 6A.

Dodge City’s Brenna Briggs just hit a three to get the scoring started. Kelsey Balcom answered on the other end with a basket inside and was fouled.