Monthly Archives: March 2010

Santiago headed to Butler

March 29, 20105:51 p.m.
ALEX SANTIAGO (20)

ALEX SANTIAGO (20)

Burrton’s Alex Santiago — an all-state pick for The Eagle — is headed to Butler Community College to play for the defending Region VI champs and Mike Bargen. Now all Bargen has to do is replace Caleb Walker.  I was sort of joking right there. I think Santiago fits in perfectly in this system — and could be invaluable with his ability to stretch it out. Can he score in college like he did on the high-school level (29 ppg)? Probably not, but he doesn’t need to. Excited to see what he can do.

Here’s the link to the story by Pat Sangimino of the Hutch News … what do you think about that aside on Coach Eck saying he got outworked for the kid? Strange.

By Tony Adame | Filed under basketball, Butler | Comments

How bout ‘dem Hornets!!!

March 27, 201012:20 p.m.
ALLI VOLKENS

ALLI VOLKENS

They just got back to Emporia about an hour ago, but in case you didn’t know, the ESU women’s basketball team are your 2010 NCAA DII national champions. I watched the game in somewhat seclusion last night at the hotel … and I can’t say I thought they were going to win until about a minute-and-a-half left and up by 9.

What’s more amazing is that it broke a streak of six straight losses in the national title game for the Hornets — in four different sports. If there was ever a school that needed this, it was ESU.  And there’s your MVP, Alli Volkens, up top.

Here’s the full release from ESU:

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By Tony Adame | Filed under basketball, Emporia State | Comments Off

Region VI finals (day after)

March 9, 20102:20 p.m.
CALEB WALKER FOR TWO

CALEB WALKER FOR TWO

A lot of stuff going on last night at Region VI — here’s my article on the Butler men’s team winning their first title since 1996.

There’s a couple of things I’d like to share about what I saw after the Grizzlies won: Butler coach Mike Bargen did two things after the final buzzer sounded — he went and shook hands with Coffeyville coach Jay Herkelman then he made a beeline for his family, who were sitting on the front row to the right of the BuCo bench the entire game. He’s told me before how much it means to him that his team has embraced his two-year old son, John, because he remembers what it was like when his dad, Gary, was coaching basketball when he was a little kid. I didn’t realize how important this was to him until last night. You have no idea, as a little kid, how much an experience like that sticks with you. Bargen knows that his son’s first memories will be of a big group of people — regardless of race, creed or religion – coming together like a family to accomplish something great.

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By Tony Adame | Filed under basketball, Butler, Jayhawk | Comments

Live updates from Region VI finals

March 8, 20107:06 p.m.

Final day for Region VI Tournament at Koch Arena, and I have come to understand that I have no limit to the amount of basketball I can watch in any period of time. I also have that same no-limit policy with episodes of The Office and Lost. There is no ceiling.

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By Tony Adame | Filed under basketball, Jayhawk | Comments

Live updates from Region VI semifinals

March 7, 20102:08 p.m.

I’m back at the Region VI Tournament at Koch Arena for the semifinals — Hutch-Labette women’s game is up first. Entire WSU women’s coaching staff is here to watch HCC star Heather Robben. I asked Jody Adams what she thought about Robben as her starting shooting guard next year … Adams: “I’d really like that.” So would Shocker fans.

Labette women 26, Hutch 25 (halftime) I’m starting to wonder if the Cardinals might be too much for the defending Region VI champs. Kellindra Zachery is an unbelievable talent.

Labette women 54, Hutch 49 (final) Jayhawk East player of the year Sartoria Bell hist 3 with 10 seconds left and Cards trailing 51-49. HCC’s Sasha King turns ball over in backcourt. Region VI champs knocked off.

Seward County women 41, Cowley 23 (halftime) I’m stuck trying to figure out who the best women’s player at this tournament is. Is it Labette’s Kellindra Zachery or Satoria Bell? Or is it Seward’s Rachel Barnes? Barnes 21 points and 12 boards in the first half say she’s the one … Saints demolishing Cowley. Everybody wants to see Seward-Labette final, and I think they’re going to get it.

Seward County women 86, Cowley 64 (final) Barnes finishes with 41 points, 16 rebounds, 9 assists and 7 steals. What more can I say?

Coffeyville men 33, Hutchinson 21 (halftime) Blue Dragons look rattled. Started game on 7-0 run then Coffeyville just put the wood to them. Red Ravens attacking and getting production from a lot of different players, Hutch on its heels.

Coffeyville men 64, Hutchinson 51 (final) Red Ravens shock Hutch as Blue Dragons score a season-low 51 points. Hutch was never in this game.

Seward men 34, Butler 33 (halftime) Wichitan Mikey Nolen hits runner at buzzer to give Seward lead at half. Hard-fought game. Both teams getting after it.

BUTLER WINS 67-65 SEE YOU MANANA

By Tony Adame | Filed under basketball, Jayhawk | Comments

Live updates from Region VI men’s quarterfinals

March 6, 20102:05 p.m.

Back at Koch Arena for the Region VI men’s quarterfinals … seems like we’ve already got a spike in attendance from year’s past. First game is Coffeyville-Dodge City followed by Garden City-Hutchinson at 3 in a rematch of coaches from last year’s final, then Cowley-Seward County at 5 and then Butler-Cloud County at 7. Should be fun. I’ll update scores at halftime and finals just like yesterday. College coaches seem to make up a good percentage of the audience, and I’ll be keeping tabs on who I see here.

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By Tony Adame | Filed under basketball, Jayhawk | Comments Off

Live updates from Region VI women’s quarterfinals

March 5, 20103:00 p.m.

Courtside at Koch Arena for Region VI quarterfinals … caught second half of Labette’s 72-62 win over Fort Scott. FYI Newman AD Vic Trilli is at Koch today looking for a new women’s coach for the Jets — no surprise he’s here to see three games in a row with potential coaching candidates: Labette’s Jaime Green, Hutch’s John Ontjes and (dark horse) Garden City’s Alaura Sharp. Rank ‘em? Okay. 1) Green 2) Ontjes 3) Sharp. There you go.

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By Tony Adame | Filed under basketball, Jayhawk | Comments

Pair of Newman coaches resign

March 1, 20109:40 p.m.

Newman women’s basketball coach Tracy Anderson and Newman baseball coach Leonard Rau both resigned Monday. Anderson was to be expected — the Jets have been terrible the last two years and have shown zero improvement. I think with the right hire that could be one of the elite teams in the Heartland — Lord knows there’s enough talent between area high schools and the Jayhawk Conference to make put together a competitive team. But first they need to find a coach. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Newman AD Vic Trilli go after one of the elite Jayhawk coaches, either.

Rau was a little more surprising. Fifteen or so games into the season … that’s an unusual time to cut bait because of personal reasons. Assistant Zane Ehling is the interim guy.

I’ve got a story coming out in tomorrow’s Eagle about the whole deal, including a pretty insightful quote from Trilli. Regarding personell issues … these things are always touchy, and I was happy he was at least willing to talk to me.

TA

By Tony Adame | Filed under baseball, basketball, Newman | Comments