Kansas high school basketball game scores (December 3): Maize boys top Kapaun

Less than a week after playing in the Class 5A football state championship game, the core of the Maize boys basketball managed to pull off a win on the hardwood in a season-opening battle between ranked teams at Koch Arena.

The defending 5A basketball champions managed to pull away down the stretch, winning 48-43 over Kapaun Mt. Carmel to spoil the return of coaching legend Steve Eck in the high school ranks. Maize entered the game ranked No. 1, while Kapaun was ranked No. 6 and both teams had limited practice together due to deep runs in the football playoffs.

“What impressed me more than anything was how we finished,” Maize coach Chris Grill said. “We finished strong and rebounded well, which was big because they were a matchup problem for us on the inside. But our guys came up big with some plays late in the game. I’m just glad they had enough left in the tank to do that.”

Maize led by 10 at halftime, but Kapaun turned up the defensive pressure and outscored the Eagles 14-2 in the third quarter to take a two-point lead into the fourth quarter. Maize struggled to come up with an answer for 6-foot-6 post Will Anciaux, who scored a game-high 20 points.

With the game up for grabs, Maize surged back in front when Jaden Gustafson scored all three of his baskets in clutch situations in the fourth quarter. The shot that sealed it was a three-pointer from 6-foot-7 senior Mason Belcher, which extended Maize’s lead to five points. Kyle Grill (17 points) and Avery Johnson (nine points) combined to make 11 free throws in the fourth quarter to ice the win.

“That was a big shot from Mason and it was because we had really good ball movement,” Grill said. “Kapaun did a really good job of protecting the paint and I knew we were going to have to step up and make some shots. I remember Mason hitting two big threes in our first state game at Bishop Carroll. He’s a confident player and we want him shooting that when he’s set and ready to go. He knocked it down and it was a big shot for us.”

Maize 48, Kapaun Mt. Carmel 43

Kapaun 9 7 14 13 — 43

Maize 13 13 2 20 — 48

KAPAUN: Anciaux 8 4-5 20, Shibley 0 0-0 0, W. Thengvall 2 2-6 6, Porter 0 0-0 0, Schmitz 1 0-0 2, H. Thengvall 5 2-2 13, N. Thengvall 0 0-0 0, Charles 1 0-0 2, Johnson 0 0-0 0, Keller 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 (1) 8-13 43.

MAIZE: K. Grill 4 8-8 17, Johnson 3 3-5 9, Stephens 0 0-0 0, Williams 0 0-0 0, Belcher 3 0-0 7, Stover 0 0-0 0, Gustafson 3 0-2 6, Reyes 1 0-0 3, Schmidt 3 0-0 6. Totals 17 (3) 11-15 48.

Kansas high school basketball scores (Thursday, Friday games)

Boys

5A No. 4 Andover 57, 5A No. 3 Bishop Carroll 46

Andover Central 80, Wichita East 52

Arkansas City 57, Winfield 39

Augusta 52, Goddard 43

4A No. 7 Buhler 69, Nickerson 31

3A No. 8 Cheney 68, Conway Springs 41

Clearwater 41, Belle Plaine 26

Dodge City 62, 4A No. 5 McPherson 58

Goessel 59, Marion 26

3A No. 10 Haven 61, Hutchinson Trinity 28

3A No. 1 Hesston 53, Southeast of Saline 44

2A No. 1 Hillsboro 48, Sterling 30

2A No. 5 Inman 56, Minneapolis 48

5A No. 1 Maize 48, 5A No. 6 Kapaun Mt. Carmel 43

5A No. 9 Maize South 59, Wichita Southeast 50

Mulvane 57, Wellington 55

Norwich 55, Douglass 43

Remington 66, Bluestem 47

Salina South 57, Salina Central 35

6A No. 3 Wichita Heights 58, 6A No. 7 Derby 38

Wichita Independent 69, Kingman 68

Wichita North 36, Newton 27

Wichita Northwest 54, Campus 46

Wichita South 49, Goddard Eisenhower 35

3A No. 9 Wichita Trinity 37, Garden Plain 27

Wichita West 59, Goddard 46

Girls

5A No. 2 Andover Central 59, 5A No. 6 Bishop Carroll 53

Chaparral 49, Medicine Lodge 37

3A No. 2 Cheney 71, Conway Springs 18

4A No. 7 Clearwater 63, Belle Plaine 22

6A No. 7 Dodge City 45, 4A No. 2 McPherson 33

2A No. 3 Garden Plain 64, Wichita Trinity 27

Goddard 46, Augusta 28 (Friday)

Goddard 45, Wichita South 44 (Saturday)

Goddard Eisenhower 32, Wichita North 24

Goessel 53, Marion 40

Kingman 43, Wichita Independent 25

5A No. 5 Maize 55, 5A No. 9 Kapaun Mt. Carmel 35

5A No. 8 Maize South 44, Wichita East 35

Minneapolis 44, Inman 39

2A No. 10 Moundridge 37, Elyria Christian 26

3A No. 3 Nickerson 87, Buhler 27

Norwich 45, Douglass 40

Remington 67, Bluestem 37

5A No. 3 Salina Central 53, Salina South 24

Southeast of Saline 41, 3A No. 8 Hesston 33

2A No. 1 Sterling 51, 2A No. 6 Hillsboro 32

4A No. 8 Wellington 57, Mulvane 41

6A No. 3 Wichita Heights 58, 6A No. 6 Derby 38

Wichita Northwest 45, Campus 43

Wichita Southeast 31, Andover 30

Wichita West 26, Newton 25

Winfield 44, Arkansas City 37