It was a shaky start for the Park Hill boys basketball team, but they eventually overcame the hostile road environment to defeat Winnetonka 69-49 on Jan. 22.
It was a statement response for the Trojans after a recent losing skid, which ended on Jan. 20 with a 65-56 win against Lincoln Prep.
“Going on the three-game losing streak humbled us quite a bit,” Park Hill head coach Cooper Bayiha said. “We had to do some deep reflection from the coaching staff all the way to the players. We’re proud of the way we responded in player meetings.”
Park Hill had suffered defeats at home to Park Hill South and on the road against Pembroke Hill and North Kansas City. Bayiha said most, if not all, of the losing streak was self-inflicted, and hopes those reflections throughout the team will pay dividends not just on the court but off the court as well.
“Humility is everything,” Bayiha said. “Just because we go to Park Hill, and just because we have a pretty decent roster on paper, potential doesn’t win games.”
He was delighted with the way his team has pulled together since. He has seen his team show their character, work ethic and attitude.
“Tonight, they put together what they said they would do,” Bayiha said. “It always helps when the kids and coaches can look at themselves in the mirror to help fix things.”
Park Hill senior Donnovan Fonville had 28 points in the Trojans’ road win against Winnetonka.
Senior Donnovan Fonville led the way against Winnetonka, scoring 28 points with 9 rebounds. Fonville opened the game with his first of two 3-pointers of the night, but Winnetonka responded with an 8-0 run. Fonville got the Trojans’ offense going late in the quarter, scoring 8 more points as he drilled another triple late as Park Hill trailed 17-14 at the end of the first.
Winnetonka made it a two-possession game once more in the second quarter, but the Trojans supplied a big response. Fonville and Javon Washington got Park Hill within a point before Isaiah Caston drove to the hoop to give Park Hill a lead they would never let up.
Junior Rylan Ferrin delivered at the end of the first quarter, hitting his first 3-pointer of the night before grabbing an offensive rebound for another bucket to give the Trojans a 27-21 lead at halftime.
Park Hill added 21 more points in the third period as Caston stretched the Trojans’ lead to double digits early in the third. While Winnetonka got back within two scores, Park Hill stepped on the accelerator as Fonville, Caston and Max Tisdel chipped in points to put the Trojans ahead 48-34.
The Trojans only built upon their lead as they started the fourth quarter on an 11-0 run. Ferrin hit another from deep before Tisdel converted an old-fashioned 3-point play with the visitors ahead by 20, later followed by Fonville extending Park Hill’s lead out to 25 points.
Winnetonka finally stopped the bleeding, eventually closing the gap to 17 points late in the contest. Fonville finished off his 28 points with a free throw before Mekhi Robbins-Yearby scored late as the Trojans ran away with a 69-49 road win.
“Toughness was the only way we could have gotten out of here with a win,” Bayiha said. “This is a pretty good team. For us to get out of a hostile place like this, we had to come out and play with a lot more toughness and relentless in our effort.”
Fonville’s big performance was his fourth 20-point performance this season. He is seen as one of the most dynamic forwards in the city and a key piece for Park Hill to experience the success they hope to achieve.
“On most nights, we are hard to deal with,” Bayiha said. “It goes back to being together and doing things for each other. When we pour into the hole, there’s something that comes back to you tenfold.”
Park Hill hopes to show its growth again as it competes in the Nixa Invitational Jan. 29-31. They return to conference play on Feb. 3 when they visit Liberty before hosting Oak Park on Feb. 6.
“We’ve got to stay humbled, got to keep working,” Bayiha said. “We understand that it all comes down to character. How you are on and off the court go together.”