photo by: Conner Becker

Eudora sophomore Errol Siemon (10) sets a screen for teammate Cole Parker (13) against Hugoton's Emmett Gaskill (22) on Friday, March 3, 2023, at Tony's Pizza Events Center in Salina, Kansas.

Salina – The No. 4-seeded Eudora boys basketball team couldn’t shake off No. 1 Hugoton in the Class 4A state semifinal round on Friday at Tony’s Pizza Event Center. Getting within single digits early in the third quarter, the Cardinals didn’t reach any further in the 55-35 loss.

Senior Conor Dunback led Eudora (19-5) with 14 points on 7 of 12 shooting. Junior Logan Sullivan added nine points to the effort, with six more coming from senior Kale Hammerschmidt. Eudora struggled especially from behind the arc, finishing 0 of 15.

Eudora coach Kyle Deterding said Dunback has been a pillar for the group throughout the state tournament.

“His effort was unbelievable,” Deterding said of Dunback. “He’s really been a spark plug.”

Starting hot from three-point land, Hugoton cruised to a 9-2 lead and forced a Eudora timeout with just under four minutes left in the first. Sullivan scored all four of the Cardinals’ first-quarter points, sending Eudora into the second quarter down 11.

In the second quarter, Hugoton senior Ryle Riddlesperger kept the Eagles rolling with a second 3-pointer midway toward halftime. Eudora, trailing 26-13 at the half, kept the Eagles off the scoreboard during the final two minutes of the quarter.

Hugoton opened the third quarter 0 of 3 from the field, coughed up a turnover and let Eudora cut within 9 all in the first three minutes back. Deterding felt his team seized the opportunity as well as they could.

“Our defense was really good on a couple of those misses,” Deterding said. “Those guys are really good. Those guys are physical and we had trouble getting to the lane.”

Dunback and senior Maddox Votaw generated a rhythm offensively, and the Cardinals added 10 points to the score card, but Eudora still trailed Hugoton 37-23 heading into the fourth quarter thanks to a 3 by Eagles senior Carson Bennett to close the third.

photo by: Conner Becker

Hugoton senior Carson Bennett (5) searches for an open teammate against Eudora on March 3, 2023, at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina, Kansas.

Up to 11 turnovers with seven minutes remaining, Eudora’s Micah Barron grabbed his first points of the game on a contested layup, but a personal foul on Hammerschmidt allowed the Eagles to grab a 17-point lead.

Another 3 by Riddlesperger, his fifth of the afternoon, effectively punched Hugoton’s ticket to the state title late in the fourth. The Eagles will meet the winner of No. 2 McPherson (20-3) and No. 6 Bishop Miege (17-6) on Saturday in the championship game. The loser will play Eudora for third place at noon.

Deterding, wrapping up his 16th year as head coach of Eudora, said his senior leaders can stand tall after this week.

“Those seniors have nothing to hang their head about,” Deterding said. “They’ve put in a ton of time to get to this point. I want them to be proud that they made it here.”

BOXSCORE:

Eudora (35): Dunback 7-12, 0-1, 14, Sullivan 3-15, 3-6, 9, Hammerschmidt 3-7, 0-3, 6, Parker 1-6, 0-0, 2, Barron 1-2, 0-0, 2, Votaw 1-2, 0-0, 2. Totals: 14-46, 3-10, 35.

Hugoton (55): Riddlesperger 7-16, 0-0, 19, Bennett 6-13, 0-0, 14, 3-5, 0-3, 7, Gaskill 2-2, 2-2, 6, Martin 1-3, 2-2, 4, Heger 1-1, 0-0, 3, Jimnez 0-2, 2-2, 2. Totals: 20-40, 6-9, 55.

3FGs: Eudora 0-15; Hugoton 9-24 (Riddlesperger 5, Bennett 2, Lewis 1, Heger 1). TOs: Eudora 10; Hugoton 13. Fouled out: none.

photo by: Conner Becker

The Eudora boys basketball team