Four Quarters
Truman senior Lane Titus has the reputation of a sharpshooter. A left-handed perimeter player, Titus is the Patriots’ top three-point threat. But to stop there would be diminishing his skill set. Titus has the ability to drive the lane and score or get to the free-throw line with regularity. On the defensive end, he routinely guards opposing teams’ best scorers. Titus has helped Truman to an 8-5 record and into today’s championship game of the North Kansas City Invitational for the fifth straight year.
Q. Why has Truman avoided the dreaded rebuilding year?
A. “We work hard in practice. We really get after it on defense. That’s what we focus on — being tough on defense (and) getting steals. That’s helped our offense a lot.”
Q. Does it bother you that teams are defending your left side and forcing you to go right?
A. “They can force me left, but I think I can use both hands pretty well.”
Q. Have you enjoyed playing with your brother, freshman Reid Titus?
A. “Definitely. We grew up playing one-on-one and playing against each other some. We played together on teams, too. We’ve always played good together. There’s a good chemistry with us. Not a lot of people get the chance to play high school basketball with their brother. It’s pretty cool.”
Q. When it’s all said and done, who ends up with the better career at Truman?
A. “That’s hard to say. I don’t know. He’s a pretty good player, and he’s only a freshman. He’s big, and he’ll probably be bigger than I am. And he can shoot. But I don’t know. We’ll find out.”
| Sam McDowell, smcdowell@kcstar.com
By the Numbers
6 Number of players averaging at least 6.6 points per game for Lansing, which as a team averages fewer than 60 points. The Lions, 9-1, are tied for first place in the Kaw Valley League with Piper and Mill Valley, with juniors Joe Schneider (12.0 points per game) and Zach Johnson (10.3) leading the way.
25.6 Average margin of victory for undefeated Shawnee Mission South in eight games this season. The Raiders, however, should get a big-time test Saturday if the seeds hold at Dodge City’s Tournament of Champions. Coach Brett McFall’s boys are on a collision course with fellow unbeaten Wichita North, which is led by Kansas-bound scoring machine Conner Frankamp. He’s averaging 35 points per game this season.
50 Total points for Staley’s Marissa Preston in a pair of five-point wins over William Chrisman and Liberty last week. Preston, the team’s lone senior, scored 29 points in the victory against William Chrisman and followed it up with 21 against a Liberty team that is 9-3. Staley has won three of its past four games to improve to 8-5 on the year.
123 Career three-pointers from Blue Springs South’s Remy Davenport. Only a junior, Davenport broke the school record for triples last Friday night in a loss to Westminster Christian Academy. The previous mark, held by Jessica Grey, was 118.
The Star’s Tod Palmer and Sam McDowell contributed to this report..
Sam McDowell, <a href="mailto:smcdowell@kcstar.com">smcdowell@kcstar.com</a>
