Cowley sweeps 'Hounds

Fort Scott's Jodi Young brings the ball upcourt against Cowley's Breanna Bryant (2) during the first half of play at Arnold Arena Wednesday night. Young handed out 5 assists but Bryant's 17 points, 6 rebounds and 6 steals helped lead Cowley to a 58-42 victory. (FSCC photo)

Fort Scott Community College's basketball teams were swept by Cowley College Wednesday night at Arnold Arena.

Greyhound women faltered in the second half of a 58-42 loss to the Tigers. Cowley's men bombed the 'Hounds from 3-point range as they took a 69-44 victory.

Cowley's women came into their contest in second place in the Jayhawk Conference-Eastern Division while Fort Scott was two games behind Kansas City for the No. 4 East seed in the Region VI Tournament. That seed earns a home game against the No. 5 West seed in the first round.

For most of the first half, the Greyhounds (5-10 East, 8-19 overall) were the better team. They dictated the game to the Tigers (13-2, 20-7) and had them flustered, even with limited play from Jolee Sharp, who was nursing a rib injury.

Kendra Mattox's mid-range jumper with 12:10 left in the first half put Fort Scott ahead 11-5. Cowley rallied back as Breanna Bryant scored 6 straight during a run that saw the Tigers up 13-11 with 10:10 to go.

Staci Carter's layup with 6:51 left put the 'Hounds up 16-13. But Cowley closed the half on a 9-2 run and went into the locker room up 22-18.

"This game was ours," Fort Scott head coach Diana Couch said. "We led. We were dominant. We went into the locker room only down by 4. I don't know when the last time was that I was that close with Cowley."

But the Fort Scott team that came out of the locker room for the second half was not the same one that went in. Turnovers increased, shots decreased and the defense wasn't nearly as effective.

The 'Hounds never scored more than 3 points in a row in the second half. They turned the ball over 16 times while taking just 15 shots from the field. Cowley made 14 of 32 field-goal tries in the half, including 6 of 13 from 3-point range.

Fort Scott had been tied with Labette for the No. 5 position in the East but the Cardinals (6-9, 9-18) won at Allen County, 70-55. KCK lost to Coffeyville, so the 'Hounds are still two games behind the Blue Devils (8-7, 17-10) in seeding.

Fort Scott's game at Allen County (1-13, 3-22) Saturday night is a game the Greyhounds will need to win if they want to keep home-court advantage in site. Highland plays at Labette and Kansas City hosts Johnson County Saturday.

"It is a game we need to win," Couch says. "We're looking to tie with Labette. We need to win the games we're supposed to win and that's Allen, Highland, KCK."

Brittany Crow was Fort Scott's only double-figure scorer with 12 points. Bryant led Cowley with 17 points, 6 rebounds and 6 steals. Ariana Silva added 12 points for the Tigers.

Kerenza Singletary had 10 rebounds for the 'Hounds.

Cowley men 69, Fort Scott 44.

Menas Stephens (10) goes up against a Cowley defender during the first half play in the men's contest. Stephens had 8 points and 9 rebounds in a 69-44 loss to the Tigers. (FSCC photo)

In the first half, it was clear Cowley (11-4, 20-7) was going to let Tyrus McGee shoot as many 3-pointers as he wanted from wherever he wanted.

McGee nailed 8 triples on 14 shots in the first half, outscoring the Greyhounds (2-13, 3-23) by himself, 24-23.

McGee's third 3-pointer put the Tigers up 16-6 with 14:01 left in the first half. His last two made it 43-23 at halftime.

Cowley made 57 percent of its field-goal attempts in the first half on 16 of 28.

The Tigers decided to turn up the defense in the second half. They forced 12 turnovers and held the 'Hounds to 5-of-20 field-goal shooting.

Teance Walton was the only Greyhound in double figures with 18 points on 7-of-13 field-goal shooting. McGee finished with 26 for Cowley.

Julian Mills had to leave the game early in the first half with an injury and did not return. Sheldon Hayes suffered an injury in the second half.

Women

COWLEY: Bryant 6-15 2-4 17, Silva 5-9 0-0 12, Barto 1-5 2-6 4, Vieyra 0-1 0-0 0, Ramelb 3-8 1-1 9, Murray 2-7 2-2 6, T.Peetoom 0-0 0-0 0, D.Peetoom 1-4 0-0 3, Johnson 2-6 0-1 4, Lauer 0-1 0-0 0, Cannon 1-6 1-2 3. TOTALS: 21-62 8-16 58.

FORT SCOTT: Crow 3-8 4-4 12, Young 0-2 0-0 0, Sharp 1-4 2-4 4, Singletary 3-9 2-4 8, Mattox 3-7 0-0 8, Carter 1-4 3-6 5, Baker 1-7 1-2 3, Bonaparte 1-1 0-1 2. TOTALS: 13-38 12-21 42.

Halftime: Cowley, 22-18.

Three-point field goals: Cowley 8-22 (Bryant 3-8, Silva 2-5, Ramelb 2-6, D.Peetoom 1-2, Barto 0-1), Fort Scott 4 13 (Mattox 2-5, Crow 2-6, Sharp 0-1, Singletary 0-2).

Total fouls: Cowley 18, Fort Scott 11. Fouled out: None. Technical fouls: None.

Rebounds: Cowley 36 (Bryant 6), Fort Scott 41 (Singletary 10). Assists: Cowley 7 (Silva 3), Fort Scott 8 (Young 5). Turnovers: Cowley 16, Fort Scott 28. Steals: Cowley 19 (Bryant 6), Fort Scott 11 (Sharp 3). Blocked shots: Cowley 3 (Barto 2), Fort Scott 5 (Carter 2).

Men

COWLEY: Patton 0-1 2-2 2, Cornelius 3-6 0-0 8, Nelson 0-3 0-0 0, Watson 0-2 0-2 0, Hobbs 2-4 1-2 5, Jones 0-1 1-2 1, Wakefield 0-0 0-0 0, McGee 9-16 0-0 26, White 0-0 0-0 0, Belin 4-5 1-1 9, Marshall 3-4 1-2 7, Kemp 3-7 1-2 7, Brown 2-2 0-0 4. TOTALS: 26-51 7-13 69.

FORT SCOTT: Mason 1-9 2-4 4, King 0-3 0-0 0, Stephens 2-7 4-4 8, Mills 0-0 0-0 0, Carter 0-3 1-2 1, Barner 3-5 0-0 6, Trost 0-0 3-4 3, Hurtt 0-0 0-0 0, Hayes 1-1 0-0 2, Walton 7-13 3-3 18, Flowers 1-4 0-0 2. TOTALS: 15-45 13-17 44.

Halftime: Cowley, 43-23.

Three-point field goals: Cowley 10-21 (McGee 8-14, Cornelius 2-5, Hobbs 0-1, Marshall 0-1), Fort Scott 1-14 (Walton 1-3, Stephens 0-1, King 0-2, Barner 0-2, Flowers 0-2, Mason 0-4).

Total fouls: Cowley 14 Fort Scott 10. Fouled out: None. Technical fouls: None.

Rebounds: Cowley 28 (3 with 4 each), Fort Scott 31 (Stephens 9). Assists: Cowley 18 (Patton 6), Fort Scott 7 (Stephens 2). Turnovers: Cowley 12, Fort Scott 19. Steals: Cowley 11 (McGee 3), Fort Scott 4 (Mason 2). Blocked shots: Cowley 5 (Cornelius 2), Fort Scott none.