It was a special night as long-time Holton Athletic Director Richard Bechard returned to be inducted into the KSHSAA Hall of Fame and the Wildcats basketball teams capped the evening with a pair of wins. 

GIRLS = Holton 38, Horton 34

With both teams not having played for a full week, it was a hot start for Holton that propelled the Wildcats to a 9-2 advantage and 17-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Holton lead was single digits the rest of the game and they never trailed. However, Horton tied the score 28-28 with about five minutes remaining. The Lady Cats responded with an 8-0 run as Lili Tanking and Hannah Watkins hit three-pointers and Olivia Doney knocked down a baseline jumper to put the game away. 

Tanking, who also had seven early points for Holton as they built a 12-point-margin, finished with a game-high 15 points, which was more than double anyone else on the team. Beka Lassey followed up her 20 point, 12 rebounds performance in the previous game by scoring 7 points while Stephanie Crawford added five. Holton won their second straight game and improved to 3-12 on the season. 

Horton fell to 9-5, losing their third game to a Big East League team this year. Kara Coversup led the Chargers with 10 points while Jojo Switch, Kirsten Smith, and Kansas Keo all had six. Keo, Horton's leading scorer, had an off-night (thanks in part to Crawford and the Holton defense) and didn't start the game and Horton had seven turnovers in the first seven minutes and they fell behind double-digits.

BOYS = Holton 54, Horton 35

The boys game was close for a half with several lead changes and Holton leading by two points after the first quarter and again 23-21 at halftime. However, the Wildcats turned it on with a 12-3 third period advantage and then had Kerrick DeDonder go on a 9-0 run knocking down three straight triples to pull away for the win in a battle of teams with just one victory this season. 

DeDonder finished with 19 points while Devon Terwilliger added 10, Grant Warner had 8 and Korben Fox finsihed with 7 points. Holton (2-12) has Big East road games at Royal Valley at St. Mary's next week while also having a 7th place game at the Valley Falls Tourney on Wednesday against Jeff West. 

Horton was led in scoring by Talon Hooper with 13 points before fouling out late and Cooper Strube had 9 points, but no other Charger had more than 4. The Horton boys are now 1-13 on the year. 

RICH BECHARD - Was the Holton Athletic Director from 1990 to to 2006 before he took over the Blue Valley District Athletic Director position. Bechard was numerous awards serving and leading the KIAAA and the NIAAA , earning both organizations highest honors and was elected into the NIAAA Hall of Fame in 2023.