ROELAND PARK -- Only one player 6-foot-3 and the rest 6-0 or shorter.

Faced with a tall order in the Class 4A Division-I sub-state basketball tournament title game at Bishop Miege, Bonner Springs had no other alternative but to try running as many fast breaks as it could.

"Neon" Keyon Thomas was able to get out on the break early, the 5-11 junior guard taking it to the hole for a pair of acrobatic layups out of a man-to-man defense.

"He's a good player," Miege head coach Rick Zych said after his team drubbed the Braves, 78-48.  "They have got good players. They can get up and down the floor.

 "It was a game of streaks, but it seemed like we put them together longer."

When you're facing a powerhouse like Miege (19-3), the two-time defending state champions create many mismatches most teams can't overcome. 

Such was the case Saturday night.

The Jeremiahs were too much, along with the Stags featuring a balanced scoring attack and some timely free throws.

Jeremiah Grant, a 5-11 point guard, scored a career- and game-high 22 points, and post player Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, a 6-9 junior, added 20 points.

"We got the ball inside, and they couldn't stop Jeremiah Robinson," Zych said. "They couldn't cover him." 

The Stags kept the Braves out of arm's reach for most of the game night, with shooting guard Ezekiel Lopes adding 13 points and Josh Early scoring 10.

Spencer Jones had eight points for Miege, which seized a 27-11 lead after the opening period. 

"We have a lot of good players,"  and we all contribute in our own way," Garrett said. "We just flow well."

It forced Bonner to try to catch up in vain the rest of the way.

"It's nice to have depth because instead of it all being stressed on one player, you can have several threats on the floor," Robinson-Earl said. "It's hard to guard our team, in general."

"I feel like I have been more confident in shooting, and I have tried to be more comfortable driving and taking jump shots instead of giving the ball to the guards and just go."

Holding a commanding 39-22 halftime edge, the Stags and Braves traded baskets for much of the third quarter. 

Miege then outscored the Braves 20-19 in the period, and ended the game with a 20-8 run over the final seven minutes.

Miege converted a torrid 20 of 23 at the free-throw line, led by Garrett making 8 of 10, Robinson-Earl 5-for-6, Lopes 5-for-5 and Jones 2-for-2.

"We shoot them at the end of practice, when we're tired," Garrett said.

So now it's time to go for a state crown a third straight year, a possible collision course with McPherson in the title game once again. 

But Miege must win its first two games to be thinking about that again.

The Stags open quarterfinal action on Thursday at the state tournament.

BISHOP MIEGE

   Stone Jefferies 1 0-0 3, Jeremiah Garrett 8 8-10 22, Ezekiel Lopes 4 5-5 13, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl 8 5-6 20, Josh Early 5 0-0 10, Jason Nick 1 0-0 2. Totals 26 20-23 78.

BONNER SPRINGS

   A.J. Watson 3 0-0 9, Coleton Oakes 5 0-0 14, Damian Streit 1 0-0 3, Caden Henley 0 0-0 0, Jackson Poe 1 0-0 3, Alonzo Hokes 0 0-1 0, Joshua Williams 2 0-0 4, Keyon Thomas 7 1-2 15. Totals 19 1-2 48.

   Three-point goals -- Bonner Springs 9 (Oakes 4, Watson 3, Streit, Poe); Miege 2 (Garrett, Jeffries). Total fouls -- Bonner 18, Miege 10. Fouled out -- Bonner, Watson.