The Emporia Gazette

February 14, 2012

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When Brandon Childs stole a pass near midcourt and raced toward the goal during the second half of the Flint Hills Optimist Club All-Star basketball game on Saturday night, nearly everyone inside White Auditorium inched to the edge of their seats in anticipation of what was to come.

An excited chatter rose from the stands, the fans ready to explode as soon as Childs threw down a rim-rattling dunk.

So when the Emporia High senior, playing for the Red team, put up a routine layup off the glass, the people released their energy in a different way.

They booed.

“The only time I’ve ever been booed for not dunking a ball was in practice,” Childs said with a laugh. “I’d have a breakaway and not dunk it and my teammates would boo me a little bit, but it had never happened in a game.”

Northern Heights’ Haydon Parks, playing for the Blue squad, got the same treatment later when he passed up a dunk for a shot off the glass, though he later appeased the masses with a dunk late in the second half of the game, which the Red team won, 127-119.

If Parks and Childs learned one thing, it was that in an All-Star game, give the people what they want.

“I’ve never been booed for not dunking,” Parks said. “But this it was a lot of fun — getting up and down the court in a high-scoring game. It’s good for the fans.”

Of course, no one could really be mad at Childs or Parks.

They each turned in All-Star worthy performances for their respective teams to earn co-MVP honors.

Childs scored a game-high 32 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. At one point in the second half, he went on a personal 13-point run to help the Red squad take the lead for good, hitting three 3-pointers and another pair of long jumpers in a 2-minute span to get the crowd on its feet.

Parks, meanwhile, scored the first eight points for the Blue team, as he went on to finish with 25 points and 11 rebounds.

For Childs, who has signed to compete in track and field at Wichita State, it was quite possibly his last competitive basketball game.

“It was fun getting to do your own thing and getting to play with people you don’t usually play with,” he said. “It was just fun, friendly competition. It’s fun to go out on this one.”

The game itself certainly followed the typical format for All-Star games — a lot of offense and very little defense.

The Blue team led at halftime, 65-61, and held a lead as large as nine points in the second half before Childs helped lead the Red team’s comeback. The Red team topped 100 points first with a free throw from Waverly’s Matt Hevel with 8 1/2 minutes remaining, and the Blue team cracked the century mark less than a minute later when Parks scored on a driving layup.

A combined 12 players scored in double figures in the boys game. Burlingame’s Chris Patterson was the game’s second-leading scorer, pouring in 26 points for the Red team, including six 3-pointers. Madison’s Kaleb Schankie scored 24 for the Red squad and Wabaunsee’s Dan Terrell went for 22 for the Blue team.

Also reaching double figures for the Blue team were Emporia’s Troy Pierce (16), Marais des Cygnes Valley’s Dennis Becker (13) Madison’s Eric Porter (11) and Lebo’s Cameron Smith (10). Cracking double digits for the Red team were Hartford’s Justin Farr (12), Marion’s Calvin Jeffrey (11) and Herington’s Dustin Geissert (10).

Earlier, in the girls game, the Red team defeated the Blue team, 73-66.

The game was dominated by a pair of Emporia High seniors, as Sadie Webb for the Red team and Nichole Naab for the Blue team combined to score 41 points, with Webb’s game-high 22 points enough to earn her the MVP distinction.

After leading EHS to the Class 5A State Tournament, Webb and Naab oftentimes looked a step quicker against the competition despite having not played a game since the State Tournament.

“We haven’t played an actual game since the end of the season, so it was fun to play again,” Naab said. “I’ve been trying to run a little bit myself, but nothing can compare to a game and the actual running you do in a game.”

Olpe’s Kylie Haag, after helping Olpe run through the regular season undefeated, also put on a show. She scored 12 points but looked at her best rebounding the ball, as she ended with a game-high 16 rebounds.

“It was really fun just playing with all the other girls, because usually were playing against each other,” Haag said. “I actually really enjoyed the game because I missed playing a lot. I missed going to practice after school, so it was kind of nice.”

The Red team never trailed in the game, though the gap did close to two points late in the game on a basket by Madison’s Abby Kile that made it 60-58, but the Red team closed the game on a 13-8 run to take the victory.

Joining Webb and Haag in double-figure scoring for the Red team were Burlington’s Kristi Kesler (12) and Emporia’s Brittany Meza (10), while Megan Steward (15) was the only other Blue player in double figures.

Before the start of the girls game, a three-point shooting contest was held, with Osage City’s Andrew Ginzel winning the boys contest while Naab won the girls contest.