Highland sweeps; 'Hound men drop 13th in row

HIGHLAND -- Highland's women broke a five-game losing streak in the opener of a Jayhawk Conference-Eastern Div-ision basketball doubleheader here Wednesday night while Fort Scott Community College's men dropped their 13th consecutive match in the nightcap.

Fort Scott's women got off to another slow start -- Highland jumped out to a 19-4 lead -- and went on to fall to the Scotties, 85-73.

Greyhound men played one of their most competitive matches of the conference schedule but a second-half surge propelled Highland to a 73-65 victory

Highland women 85, Fort Scott 73.

With three minutes remaining in the first half, Highland led 43-19. The Greyhounds (1-6 East, 9-10 overall) began to hit some 3-pointers late in the half but still trailed 50-33 at the half.

That was the most points allowed by Fort Scott in the first half this season. Coffeyville had 48 at halftime of a Dec. 5 meeting the Red Ravens went on to win 85-42.

A 9-0 run capped by a Shadara Hampton 3-pointer brought Fort Scott within 57-43 early in the second half. However, Highland (3-6, 12-8) managed to keep the lead in double figures the rest of the way.

Brittany Demery and Valencia Kelly each had 14 points for Fort Scott while Tashanda Jackson added 10 points tying her career high.

Kelly did not make a 3-point shot, the third consecutive outing she has not had one.

Karli Abbey led Highland with 24 points. Jordan Ewigmann followed with 14, Amy Green 13 and Tracie Weege 11 for the Scotties, who had been ranked in the NJCAA Division II poll until this week.

Highland shot 57 percent from the field in the first half, making 21 field goals in 37 attempts. The Scotties finished at 48 percent overall on 32 of 67 and made 10 of 22 three-point tries.

Fort Scott shot 35 percent for the night on 26 of 74, going 8 of 25 from 3-point range. The Greyhounds outrebounded Highland, 48-38.

Highland men 73, Fort Scott 65.

The Greyhounds (0-8, 3-17) held a 60-54 lead with about 7 1/2 minutes remaining in the game. But they scored only 5 points the rest of the way.

Jamar Gulley gave the Scotties (3-6, 8-12) the lead by converting a 3-point play to make it 64-63 with about 2 1/2 minutes to go. That was part of a 14-2 run for Highland to end the game.

Fort Scott used a 15-2 run to go up 27-17 midway through the first half. Highland answered with a 12-2 run to go back in front 30-29.

The 'Hounds held a 39-37 halftime lead after Jacob Gougler made two free throws.

Ramell Taylor scored a career-best 31 points to lead the 'Hounds. It was the first 30-point night for a Fort Scott player since Kurklin Bohannon scored 34 last February against Neosho County. Gougler added 11 for the 'Hounds while Alex Barner finished with 10.

Jarvis Benard led Highland with 22 points. Rashano McRae finished with 18 and Gulley had 17.

Both teams shot 49 percent from the field. Fort Scott went 25 of 51 while Highland was 29 of 59.

Both Greyhound teams return home to finish the first time through the conference schedule Saturday against Kansas City Kansas. The women's game tips off at 2 p.m. followed by the men at 4.

Kansas City's women (2-6, 11-8) lost to Cowley, 57-33, Wednesday night. KCK men (3-5, 15-5) lost to Cowley, 81-71, continuing the struggle they've had since entering conference play unbeaten.

CORRECTION -- Due to poor editing, the Tribune reported in Tuesday's summary that the women had lost five straight games. This was not the case, as the Greyhounds had won a game since beating Garden City at the Jayhawk Shootout in Coffeyville on Jan. 8. The Tribune regrets the error...

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WOMEN

FORT SCOTT: Stambaugh 0-0 0-0 0, Bloodworth 12 0-0 6, Teich 3 0-0 9, Hampton 2 0-0 8, Mattox 2 1-2 6, Demery 4 6-6 14, Kelly 5 4-4 14, Hathaway 1 0-0 2, Okoronkwo 2 0-0 4, Jackson 5 0-0 10. TOTALS: 26-74 13-16 73.

HIGHLAND: Henry-De Leon 2 0-0 5, Weege 3 2-5 11, Abbey 10 4-4 24, Prenger 2 3-4 7, Pettway 0 0-1 0, Danielson 1 0-0 3, Stepherson 0 0-0 0, Green 6 1-3 13, Lester 0 0-0 0, Ewigmann 5 0-0 14, Hollander 2 1-2 6, Tittel 0 0-0 0, Kuker 0 0-0 0, Chance 1 0-0 2. TOTALS: 32-67 11-19 85.

Halftime: Highland, 50-33.

Three-point field goals: Fort Scott 8-25 (Teich 3, Bloodoworth 2, Hampton 2, Mattox), Highland 10-22 (Ewigmann 4, Weege 3, Henry-De Leon 1, Hollander 1.

Total fouls: Fort Scott 19, Highland 11. Fouled out: None. Technical fouls: None.

Rebounds: Fort Scott 48, Highland 38. Assists: n/a. Turnovers: Fort Scott 14, Highland 10. Steals: Fort Scott 6, Highland 10. Blocked shots: n/a.

MEN

FORT SCOTT: Mason 1 0-0 2, Hatcher 2 2-2 7, Brown 1 0-0 2, Taylor 13 2-3 31. Barner 3 4-7 10, McCoy 1 0-1 2, Buck 0 0-0 0, Gougler 4 3-3 11. TOTALS: 25-51 11-16 65.

HIGHLAND: White 0 0-0 0, Donahoe 2 0-0 5, Gulley 6 3-3 17, Benard 9 2-2 22, Jones 0 0-0 0, Patterson 0 0-0 0, Davis 1 0-0 2, Shibeshi 0 0-0 0, McRae 7 4-6 18, Bailey 1 0-0 2, Durley 3 1-1 7. TOTALS: 29-59 10-12 73.

Halftime: Fort Scott, 39-37.

Three-point field goals: Fort Scott 4-20 (Taylor 3, Hatcher), Highland 5-13 (Gulley 2, Benard 2, Donahoe).

Total fouls: Fort Scott 16, Highland 18. Fouled out: None. Technical fouls: None.

Rebounds: Fort Scott 29, Hiighland 30. Assists: n/a. Turnovers: Fort Scott 10, Highland 9. Steals: Fort Scott 8, Highland 7. Blocked shots: Fort Scott 7, Highland 1.