Andover will play for third place for the third consecutive year

EMPORIA, Kan. — Andover’s title hopes will have to wait at least another year.

Topeka Seaman beat Andover, 55-49, for the second straight season, ending their hopes of winning a state title.

“They’re a good team,” assistant coach Ryan Bennett said about Seaman. “They didn’t miss any shots. We did everything we could and played good defense. Shots went down for them and they didn’t for us tonight.”

Andover appeared to be in a tight one until halftime was over. They trailed 30-22 coming out of the break and Seaman went on a tear, scoring the first points of the second half and creating a margin that was too much for the young Trojans to overcome. They went down swinging behind senior Aliyah Green.

Green was dominating the post and was able to get to the line time after time. While not as efficient as she’d like, the Lady Trojans were in the game because of her.

“She’s the heart and soul of this team,” Bennett said. “She did everything she could to keep us in this game. How many opportunities she gave us? She played, laid her butt off and did it without fouling, did everything that we could ask of her. Just sometimes, the ball doesn’t fall in the hole.”

Whether Green was blocking out and grabbing rebounds or playing stellar defense on the other side, she laid it all out for a school she didn’t call home two years ago. Since then, she’s bled blue and white. She finished with 20 points and 15 rebounds. 11 points and eight boards came in the second half.

Seaman (24-0) dominated the paint and it was on the backs of Madeline Gragg and Kinley Wilhelm. The two seniors were able to attack and get to the rim. Then, when they went to the line, they made Andover pay. They hit their first 11 free throws of the game.

When Seaman came out in the second half, they pushed on the gas like teams do when they feel a team is starting to fall behind. Gragg scored an and-one and then slipping by a defender for an easy lay up. Andover wouldn’t get their first bucket until the 4:56 mark of the third quarter from Asia’H Sullivan. By then, the damage had been done and the Trojans trailed by 17, one of their largest deficits this season.

“That’s why they’re defending champions and they brought pretty much everybody back,” Bennett said. “They’re really good at what they do.”

Brodie Christensen’s three at the end of the third pulled Andover within 12 to start the come back. A pair of free throws from Katie Evans and then Bella Bouddhara had back-to-back buckets and Andover had climbed to within six with over three minutes to go. Another bucket from Green made it a 3-point deficit and all bets were off at that point as Andover was down 49-46 with 1:37 remaining.

Andover had a few looks to either tie or get within one but the shots rimmed out and the Lady Trojans were forced to foul.

Andover may have Green as a senior leading this team but they’re full of underclassmen. Sullivan who finished with nine, and Bouddhara finishing with eight, are both sophomores. Grier Hand, another starter, is also a sophomore. This team is loaded already heading into 2026.

“This is a great group and a great team,” Bennett said. “We got some young kids that are going to carry this program for the next couple of years. They play bigger than sophomores and way beyond their age.”

Andover will get a chance to do what only a few teams get to do and that’s end the season with a win.

“We get an opportunity tomorrow to go out and finish the season on a win on a high note,” Bennett said. “They know that and they’ll come ready to play tomorrow.”

CLASS 5A GIRLS STATE TOURNAMENT
WL WHITE AUDITORIUM — EMPORIA, Kansas

Andover (22-2) 49: Bouddhara 3-9 1-5 1-2 – 8; Sullivan 4-11 0-2 1-2 – 9; 1-2 1-2 2-2 – 5; Green 7-19 1-1 5-16 – 20; Hand 1-6 0-2 0-0 – 2; Siegrist 0-4 0-4 0-0 – 0; Christensen 2-2 1-1 0-0 – 5. TOTALS 18-53 4-17 9-22 – 49.

Seaman (24-0) 55: Stallbaumer 1-4 0-1 3-6 – 5; Becker 3-10 0-3 6-8 – 12; Wilhelm 6-9 0-1 6-7 – 18; Gragg 4-11 1-2 2-2 – 11; Esser 1-2 0-0 0-0 – 2; Miller 2-3 0-1 1-1 – 5; Beaton 1-1 0-0 0-0 – 2. TOTALS 18-40 1-8 18-24 – 55.