Finding joy in all things key for Silver Lake's state championship run
· Yahoo Sports
HUTCHINSON — Silver Lake girls basketball came to play in the state tournament. They left zero doubt, who the top team in Class 3A is this year. The Eagles capped an incredible year with a 60-44 win over Osage City on Saturday, March 14.
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Silver Lake (27-1) never trailed in the state title game. In their final game, the team played with poise and relentlessness. It’s what makes this team so special.
“I knew looking into the eyes of our team,” Silver Lake head coach Kyle Porter said. “In the fourth quarter, we were going to get their best shot. We were going to take it, we were going to respond and finish the game. I think that’s what happened.”
This was Silver Lake’s third straight trip to the state championship game. The Eagles won in 2024, were runners-up last year, and found the mountain top once again this year.
Silver Lake won the title this year by playing with joy.
It’s been their mantra all season long.
“Joy was a really big part of this season,” senior guard Kailyn Hanni said. “We had a toy figurine that would be on the bench with us for every single game. We would hand it to whoever had the most joy at the end of each game.”
The person who had the most joy in the state championship game, was none other than team manager Joel Heier.
“It builds each person up and it makes everybody happy at the end of the day,” Hanni said. “He’s a senior, he’s going out. He’s been great.”
Hanni scored a game-high 21 points on 5-for-9 shooting. She also grabbed nine rebounds and seven assists in the win.
Throughout the game, Hanni was smiling after her teammates made big baskets. As the clock ran down, the entire team jumped into each other's arms full of happiness.
“We needed to find joy again,” Porter said. “We need to have joy in the journey. Joy is approaching the next moment with a sense of optimism like something good is going to happen. Then having the attune that we are going to make it happen.”
Silver Lake had to find joy after suffering its lone loss to Rock Creek in late January. This was key for senior Paige Heiman.
For her, joy is easy when things are going well. Playing with joy when things aren’t going well, that’s what separates great from good teams.
“It’s about having joy when you’re doing bad,” Heiman said. “Still bringing that positive energy, even when you are not having your best game. Not everyone can play with joy and be confident in themselves. That’s what we focused on a lot this year.”
Silver Lake’s basketball fundamentals was the difference in many games this year. It’s how they stacked so many wins.
The difference in the state championship was not just the Eagles great basketball skills, but it was their love for one another. It was their commitment to positivity and to their core principles.
Thanks to joy, Silver Lake received state championship medals.. But, they were also able to receive a key value that will last them a lifetime.
Liam Keating covers high school sports for The Topeka Capital-Journal. Send stats or information to him at Lkeating@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Why finding joy helped Silver Lake girls basketball win a state title