Scott City basketball falls in Sterling Invitational semis
Scott City, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–Thursday’s semi-finals featured a pair of games for Scott City that were rematches of last year’s Sterling Invitational Tournament chamionship games. The boys would face the Sterling Black Bears, while the girls faced off against Southeast of Saline. While the Beavers were the defending champions, they were unsuccessful in having the opportunity to repeat, as the boys fell to Sterling 69-34, while the girls lost 45-23.
Sterling Boys 69, Scott City 34
The Beavers were the last team to knock off the Black Bears. That was a year ago and 27 games later for Sterling. Scott City hung with the No. 1 team in Class 2A, until the final three minutes of the first quarter, when the Black Bears used an 8-2 run to open their lead to 16-6 after the first. Sterling (13-0) led 21-9 near the midway point of the second stanza, when they went on a 19-2 run before a late Beaver basket, and took a 40-13 halftime lead. A 19-7 third quarter run gave the Bears a 59-20 lead, forcing a running clock in the final quarter. Scott City (5-5) struggled offensively, but were about to get their offense going a little more in the fourth quarter, but it was too little too late in a 69-34 Sterling win.
Blake Smith led the way for the Black Bears with 17 poitns, while Boston Ekart added 16. Sterling shot 57% from the field, and were just 3-7 at the foul line and committed 13 turnovers. Scott City was led by Reid Felker’s career-high eight points. They shot just 28% from the field and committed 14 turnovers.
After Thursday, the series is tied at three games apiece. Sterling has now won 27 consecutive games.
Coach Brian Gentry Postgame
Box Score
Scott City 6 7 7 14–34
Sterling 16 24 19 10–69
Scott City (5-5): Tarango 0 0-0 0; Stoecklein 1 0-0 2; Radke 2 2-2 7; Metzger 0 1-2 1; Irvin 1 0-0 3; Meza 1 3-4 5; Culp 1 0-0 2; Wren 1 0-0 2; Felker 4 0-0 8; Berry 0 0-0 0; Cook 0 0-0 0; Team: 13 6-8 34
Sterling (13-0): Smith 7 0-0 17; Farney 2 1-1 5; Newberry 3 0-1 7; Wohler 2 0-1 5; Isaac 1 0-0 2; Thompson 0 0-0 0; Lewis 3 1-2 8; Smith 0 0-0 0; B. Ekert 7 101 16; Morris 3 0-1 6; E. Ekert 0 0-0 0; Myers 1 0-0 3; Team: 29 3-7 69
Three-Point Baskets: Scott City 2 (Radke 1, Irvin 1), Sterling 8 (Smith 3, Newberry 1, Wohler 1, Lewis 1, B. Ekert 1, Myers 1); Turnovers: Scott City 14, Sterling 13; Fouls: Scott City 18, Sterling 11; Fouled Out: Scott City (Stoecklein).
SE of Saline Girls 45, Scott City 23
In a rematch of last year’s Sterling Invitational championship game, Scott City led early on, but the offense would go dormant in the end. Scott City (4-6) took an 8-6 lead after the first quarter. They led 10-6 before a SE of Saline (10-3) run gave them a 20-13 lead. They would grow the lead to 32-17 heading to the fourth quarter, en route to the 45-23 win.
The Lady Trojans got 13 points from Abigail Pearson and 12 from Regan Duran. They were 9-14 from the foul line. Scott City was led by Peyton Gentry with 10 points, as the Lady Beavers shot 7-9 from the free throw line.
After two straight games in the series, the series is tied at one game apiece.
Box Score
Scott City 8 5 4 6–23
SE of Saline 6 14 12 13–45
Scott City (4-6): Gentry 3 4-4 10; Hineman 0 0-0 0; Fox 3 3-3 9; Campbell 1 0-0 2; Castillo 0 0-0 0; Irvin 0 0-0 0; Lightner 0 0-0 0; Felker 0 2-4 2; Team: 7 7-9 23
SE of Saline (10-3): Heinrich 1 4-4 6; Samuelson 4 3-4 12; Goetz 0 0-0 0; Lund 0 0-0 0; Douglas 2 1-2 5; Duran 3 0-0 8; Durfee 0 1-2 1; Smith 0 0-0 0; Pearson 5 2-2 13; Knopf 0 0-0 0; Thiel 0 0-0 0; Barnaby 0 0-0 0; Team: 15 9-14 45
Three-Point Baskets: Scott City 0, SE of Saline 4 (Duran 2, Samuelson 1, Pearson 1); Fouls: Scott City 15, SE of Saline: 10; Fouled Out: Scott City (Fox).
Thursday’s boys consolation games saw Lyons over Kingman 50-41 and Smoky Valley over SE of Saline 59-55. Hugoton defeated Hutch Trinity in the boys championship semis 60-21. Kingman will face SE of Saline in the 7th place boys game, Lyons and Smoky Valley will battle for fifth and Hugoton and Sterling will play in the championship game.
Thursday’s girls consolation games saw Smoky Valley over Hutch Trinity 48-17 and Kingman over Lyons 39-30. Hugoton took care of Sterling in the other girls championship semi 54-20. Hutch Trinity and Lyons face off in the 7th place game, Smoky Valley and Kingman will play for fifth place and Hugoton faces SE of Saline in the championship game.
Scott City’s girls will play Sterling for 3rd place at 1:30, followed by the boys against Hutchinson Trinity in the 3rd place game at 3 pm, at Sterling College.
