Garrison Pope

In high school basketball reaching the state tournament is excitement in and of itself, but breaking a long drought in the process makes the journey to state that much sweet.

That is exactly what the McLouth boys basketball team is feeling right now, after the Bulldogs captured the Class 2A Valley Heights Sub-State Championship on Saturday and earning a trip to state for the first time since 1960 breaking a 59-year drought.

A major reason for the success of the Bulldogs this season has come from their senior class with Garrison Pope leading the way last week.

Pope opened up the week with a 28 point outing in McLouth’s opening round sub-state victory over ACCHS on Monday including going over 1,000 points in his career on his 28th point scored.

He followed that up by scoring 18 points in the Bulldogs semifinal win over Oskaloosa and put an exclamation point on the week with 24 points in McLouth’s state clinching win over Republic County.

Pope has been outstanding all season long, averaging 17.5 points per game while shooting 50 percent from the floor and 35 percent from 3-point range.

He was named a second team All-Northeast Kansas League selection a year ago, and was an honorable mention selection in his sophomore season.

Pope and the Bulldogs head into the state tournament as the sixth seed at 18-5 and will open up tournament play taking on St. Marys-Colgan Wednesday with tip off at 4:45 pm and live coverage on KAIR 93.7 FM.