If the Kansas Jayhawks were still looking for guard play, they should have attended the fourth-grade Bulls and Team Six game Saturday at Holcom Park Center.

Both teams’ uptempo style of offense created a shootout as both teams stormed up and down the court all afternoon. However, the Bulls were able to take advantage of fresh legs, since Team Six had no substitutes, winning 54-38.

“We’re playing really well together and playing good team defense,” Bulls head coach Carter Waite said.

Working with the minimum number of players, Team Six hopped to an early lead. Thomas Irick led the attack at the point. With his good handling and passing ability, Irick effectively set up his teammates for several easy scoring opportunities. Irick also used an outside shot to contribute to Team Six’s offensive attack.

Austin Johanning was on the receiving end of many Irick passes. Unafraid of a little contact, Johanning aggressively attacked the hoop, hoping to draw contact or take advantage of his positioning down low. Johanning also contributed to the rebounding total, leading Team Six with eight rebounds on the day.

However, the uptempo pace tired Team Six as the Bulls took advantage with their fresh legs. Blake Winslow stunned the fans after connecting on a handful of deep shots, forcing Team Six to defend the perimeter. Winslow used a quick first step to create enough spacing to get off the deep shot.

With open space to move, Bull big man Sami Safadi took control of the game. Safadi was everywhere, using his size to attack the boards, run the court and score at will against his tired opponents. Safadi used a little shake-and-bake to lose his defender, mimicking Hakeem Olajuwon with an amazing turnaround jumper and extending the Bulls’ lead.

Looking to put away the pesky opponent, Triston Pete teamed up with Winslow, taking advantage of the outside shot. However, it was Pete’s ability to attack the rim that sealed the victory for the Bulls. Team Six had no answer for Pete’s inside, outside game that eventually enabled the Bulls to pull away.