The Sabetha Bluejays walked into a loud, physical Rossville gym on Friday, Feb. 6, and walked out with a hard-earned 66-63 road victory, using a dominant first half and steady composure late to survive a furious Bulldog comeback.

From the opening tip, Sabetha played connected basketball. Junior Micah Lang got things rolling at the free-throw line, then calmly kicked out to senior Charlie Lukert for a clean three-point swish. Senior Reid Mitchell followed by burying a triple from the top of the key as the Bluejays established early rhythm. Inside, junior Jack Frazee finished through traffic off an inbounds play, while junior Holden Edelman flashed smooth footwork on a strong post move. Sabetha led 14-8 after one.

The second quarter was where the Bluejays really separated themselves. Sabetha poured in an eye-popping 28 points in the period, turning ball movement and unselfish play into a scoring avalanche. Senior Cole Menold showcased his versatility with a smooth euro-step finish in transition, then knocked down a three as the recipient of crisp ball movement. Menold capped the half with an aggressive buzzer-beating take to the rim.

Frazee found his groove as well, converting an and-one, finishing off a no-look dime from Menold, and scoring again on the break. Lang continued to orchestrate, setting up Mitchell for another three before jumping a Rossville pass and finding Mitchell streaking ahead for an easy two. The Bluejays headed into halftime firmly in control, 42-25, against a quality Rossville squad.

Sabetha came out of the locker room ready to push the lead further, with Lang scoring in the trenches on an offensive put-back and following it up with a strong post move on the next possession. Rossville responded by ramping up the pressure and using its speed to slowly chip away, trimming the deficit to 10 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Bluejays answered again. Over the first five minutes of the final period, Lukert fired a laser pass inside to Frazee for a finish, then drilled a three after Mitchell dove on the floor for a steal. Lukert followed with another triple as Sabetha tried to put the game away.

Despite shooting well from the field, the free-throw line proved to be Sabetha’s kryptonite down the stretch. Rossville attacked the rim and capitalized at the stripe, while the Bluejays struggled to convert their own chances. Still, in a chaotic and emotional environment, Sabetha stayed poised just long enough to seal the win.

“We had to refocus and take care of the ball,” Lukert said. “We got a little loose and made too many turnovers, so Coach called a timeout to get us back on the same page.”

That poise has become a trademark of this group.

“We’re coached to just play basketball and not let emotions determine how we play,” Lukert said. “That standard pushes us to stay focused in those high-pressure moments.”

Five Bluejays finished in double figures, a testament to the team’s unselfish mindset and shared goal of winning. Frazee led the way with 15 points, while Lang posted 10 points, five rebounds and six assists. Lukert added 11 points and four assists, Menold chipped in 11 points and nine rebounds, and Mitchell finished with 10 points, six rebounds and three assists.

With the Bluejays playing their best basketball of the season, Sabetha continues to take a one-game-at-a-time approach while believing it can make a deep postseason run.

The Bluejays played host to the Jeff West Tigers on Tuesday, Feb. 10. These results were not available at The Herald’s press time. Sabetha will welcome the Perry-Lecompton Kaws to town on Friday, Feb. 13.