Topeka

The Emporia High School boys basketball team led wire to wire in a 56-37 win over Topeka High on Tuesday night.

Both teams traded buckets three times to start the game, with Emporia getting a 3-pointer from Nolan Jacob to take a 7-6 lead. The quarter ended with the Spartans up 12-6 after River Peters went 4-for-4 from the free throw line.

Emporia scored 13 points in the second quarter, with Cooper Rech netting seven of those as they led 25-18 at the half. Head coach Lee Baldwin was glad to see Rech have a big game. “Hopefully that’s something that continues because when he plays like that, it takes us to another level,” Baldwin said.

Topeka High made it a five-point game at the beginning of the second half, but the Spartans responded with an 8-0 run, and would lead by at least eight points for the rest of the way.

Rech led Emporia with 22 points, tying a career-high. He was joined in double-figures by River Peters with 17.

Baldwin said he wanted his team to pound the ball inside, and they were successful in doing so. “We really wanted to pound them in the paint,” Baldwin said. “We felt like we had an advantage there with Cooper and River and I thought we did a really good job of force feeding those two guys. Cooper was fantastic and River had an efficient game, and I think that’s why we were able to be efficient offensively.”

Emporia (9-4) will host Washburn Rural on Friday night as Centennial League play continues, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Emporia JV 65

Topeka High JV 40

JV Record: 5-4

Emporia C 52

Topeka High C 10 

C Record: 4-5