The Emporia High School boys basketball team began the Ralph Miller Classic with a convincing opening-round win over Coffeyville on Thursday. “We got off to a really good start and had a lot of guys contribute,” head coach Lee Baldwin said. 

“This was a fun one to watch and our guys were happy for each other.” Emporia began the game on an 11-0 run before Coffeyville scored the final six points of the first quarter. The Spartans outscored the Golden Tornado, 21-4, in the second quarter to take a 32-10 lead into the half. 

The Spartans outscored Coffeyville 16-6 in the third quarter to activate the running clock for the final frame. Baldwin was happy with what he saw from his team defensively. “We had a pretty good idea of what they were going to do to try to beat our 1-3-1,” Baldwin said. “For two days of practice, we prepared for what we thought they were going to do. Fortunately for us, they tried to do exactly what we thought and we were ready for it.” 

Parker Leeds led Emporia with 17 points. Drew Hess was also in double figures with 14. “That was really good to see because Parker cares a lot and this matters a lot to him,” Baldwin said. “Anybody that works hard and cares as much as he does is obviously someone you want to root for. It was good to see Parker play well and I'm really happy for him.” 

Emporia (9-2) will play Andover Central in the semifinals on Friday at 8:15 p.m. Baldwin knows they will have their work cut out for them. “They're really good,” Baldwin said. “They’re explosive and big. This will be the best team we’ve played this year, but it should be an exciting game for us to get an opportunity for a chance to play for a championship. I'm excited to see our guys perform.”