Kansas

Kansas native freshmen Sides, Walker help 'Cats to top-four ranking

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MAHNATTAN, Kan. (KWCH) – Now up to 13 consecutive wins, a 19-1 record and a top four ranking in the country — it’s safe to say the Kansas State Wildcats are having some fun.

Two names playing key minutes on that all-successful team are names that basketball fans in central and western Kansas have grown accustomed to: Freshmen Zyanna Walker of Wichita Heights and Phillipsburg’s Tayrn Sides.

“I mean it’s great knowing we’re both from Kansas,” Walker said. “We’re both young. We’re just doing what we can to help the team. It’s crazy, I just feel like the sky is the limit for us.”

“I love playing with Zy,” Sides said. “She just brings that energy every day. She’s a competitor, she’s going to give her all.”

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Just how good have the two freshmen been for the ‘Cats? Sides leads not just the team, but the entire country in assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.50 as a true freshman.

For Walker, she’s been Kansas State’s number one scoring option off the bench, averaging over eight points per game, including some clutch play at the end of games such as in Saturday’s Sunflower Showdown.

“I’m really finding my part pretty early here,” Walker said. “It definitely pushes me and inspires me to keep going and keep putting in the work because it definitely pays off for sure.”

Now as fans across the nation are realizing just how good this K-State team is as the postseason approaches, the two Kansas high school graduates are happy to be living their dream in their home state.

“Here I found happiness,” Walker said. “At my last school I can’t say I was happy but here it’s been nothing but so much love and support and it really feels like I’m a part of a family.”

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“It’s kind of crazy when I sit back and think about it,” Sides said. “Like ‘Wow I used to dream of this and it’s for real now.’”



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