BY SCOTT PASKE
KSHSAA COVERED
SALINA – Andover’s Josh Kim spent a rough December evening in McPherson’s Roundhouse, struggling to keep the Trojans afloat against Gabe Pyle and the host Bullpups.
In March, Kim’s hopes for a second Class 5A boys title in three seasons were dashed by Corbin Johnson and Kapaun Mt. Carmel in the state semifinals in Emporia.
But on Saturday at Kansas Wesleyan’s Mabee Arena, Kim was tossing lobs to Pyle and laughing it up with Johnson as their Gold squad rolled to a 107-61 victory over the Blue in the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Game.
“It was great not having to worry about them anymore,” said Kim, who scored 13 points and handed out seven assists. “You only had to worry about the good stuff.”
There was plenty of good stuff for the Gold, which was coached by McPherson’s Kurt Kinnamon and Kapaun’s Steve Eck, both of whom guided their high school teams to successful state title defenses in March.
Their 12-player team drew largely from south central Kansas and featured a variety of foe-turned-friend lineup combinations.
Ellinwood's Landon Simpson, one of the state’s top scorers last season at more than 24 points per game, scored 10 points in the Gold’s 60-point second half.
Macksville’s Diego Esparza scored two points and hounded the Blue team’s guards with his quickness.
In fact, the Gold starting lineup featured Kim and players from teams responsible for three of Andover’s five losses last season – Pyle, Johnson and Derby’s Jack Ulwelling – as well as Wichita Heights forward Amalachi Wilkins.
Even the Gold reserves tapped into the unique partnerships. Reed Friesen of Class 3A champion Hesston was on the court with Moundridge’s Bear Moddelmog, whose Wildcats dealt the Swathers one of their two losses last season in the Hillsboro Trojan Classic title game.
But on Saturday, those combinations were lethal.
Pyle, who joined his older brothers Drew and Ben as recipients of the KBCA’s Mr. Kansas Basketball award prior to the contest, scored a game-high 19 points. McPherson Elyria Christian’s Ty Romero, the MVP of the Central Kansas All-Star Basketball Classic in March, added 14 points and Ellinwood’s Simpson added 10.
Ottawa’s Caleb Hepner, SM Northwest’s Tyler Salmon and Goodland’s Brady Brumbaugh each tallied 11 points for the Blue.
After building a 16-8 lead in five minutes, the momentum faded amid cold shooting and the Gold’s defensive pressure, which led to a flurry of fast-break points.
“It was really cool,” said Johnson, a KSHSAA Covered All-State Top 5 selection who will play at Wichita’s Sunrise Christian Academy next season. “There’s such good players from around the same city, so to team up and put our stuff together, the chemistry that we had was really fun.
“It’s what basketball is about, just building friendships.”
Romero led them to a 47-29 halftime lead with 12 first-half points. Galena’s Jack Perry added nine points on 4-of-7 shooting.
All those contributions made an impression on Kim, who will play collegiately at Washington University in St. Louis.
“Small-school guys can hoop,” Kim said. “I want people to know that. They can go.”
Kim scored seven points and Pyle added four in the Gold’s 15-4 run to start the second half that pushed the lead to 62-33. The Gold made 27 of 47 shots in the second half (57.4%) to stretch its margin. Meanwhile, the Blue finished 19 of 80 from the field and 7 of 43 from 3-point range.
Moddelmog, who helped Moundridge to Class 2A titles as a sophomore and junior, pushed the Gold over the 100-point mark with a 3-pointer that made it 101-59 with two minutes remaining.
“I’ve had a past with Bear,” said Friesen, who scored eight points. “We’ve played baseball together in the past and we played together last summer. We’ve become pretty good friends. It makes it fun when you can get out on the court together.”
The crossover on Saturday wasn’t limited to player-to-player.
After Eck watched from the bench Saturday, he recalled splitting two state tournament battles against Kim and Andover – who defeated Kapaun for the 2023 5A title – and several Greater Wichita Athletic League battles against Wilkins and Heights.
In Kapaun’s most recent meeting with Heights, Johnson hit a fadeaway 3-pointer at the buzzer that gave the Crusaders a 56-53 victory, spoiling the Falcons’ senior night.
“For me, it was fun that I could sit on the same bench with them instead of coaching against them,” Eck said. “I told Josh and Amalachi, I’m glad you guys are on the same side with me this time because I’m tired of seeing your face.
GOLD 107, BLUE 61
Blue 29 32 – 61
Gold 47 60 – 107
BLUE (FG 3 FT TP)– Hepner 4-6 (1-2) 2-2 11, Salmon 5-15 (1-7) 0-0 11, Jones 1-8 (0-1) 2-7 4, Rowley (1-3) 0-0 3, Broxterman 0-6 (0-2) 0-0 0, Burgess 2-9 (0-4) 2-2 6, Otott 0-1 3-4 3, Brumbaugh 4-20 (2-14) 1-2 11, VanHoutan 1-5 (1-4) 2-2 5, Skocny 1-7 (1-6) 4-4 7. Totals 19-80 (7-43) 16-23 61.
GOLD( FG 3 FT TP)– Ulwelling 1-6 (0-5) 0-0 2, Wilkins 4-6 (0-1) 0-0 8, Kim 6-9 (1-2) 0-0 13, Pyle 9-16 (1-4) 0-0 19, Johnson 4-11 (1-5) 0-0 9, Esparza 1-3 0-0 2, Baalmann 2-4 (0-2) 0-0 4, Perry 4-7 (1-3) 0-0 9, Friesen 4-7 0-0 8, Moddelmog 4-5 (1-2) 0-0 9, Simpson 4-7 (1-2) 1-2 10, Romero 5-9 (2-6) 2-2 14. Totals 48-90 (8-32) 3-4 107
Rebounds–Blue 46 (Hepner 7); Gold 60 (Johnson 13). Assists–Blue 11 (Jones 3); Gold 28 (Kim 7).
