WICHITA, Kan. (Catch it Kansas) - Derby girls basketball was the second seed in the 2022 6A State Tournament as they battled Topeka- Washburn Rural in the title game. Rural beat Derby 40-23 to win the state title.

The Panthers had a short lead in the first quarter but it wouldn’t last long. They only scored ten points in the first half, hitting only thirty percent of their shots. By the end of the game, the Panthers had only made nine of their 42 field goal attempts, and one of eleven three-pointers.

Addyson Brown led the team with eleven points, she was the only Derby player to score double digits. An off shooting night for the Panthers coming off of a double overtime semifinal game the night before which left the Panthers less fresh.

Derby head girls coach Dan Harrison said, “I had asked the referees a couple times if they were sure the cellophane was taken off the rims. We got shots. We got the shots with the people that needed to take the shots, a couple of them obviously weren’t in the places at the times we needed. I was pleased the first half defensively. We held them to 15 points, that’s a great job against a really, really good team. They don’t beat themselves.”

The Panthers end the season as 6A State Runners-up and with a 23-2 record.

Washburn Rural upsets Derby in 6A Girls State Championship game