Hot start doesn't hold up

LOUISBURG -- Fort Scott High's boys jumped out to an 11-0 over Spring Hill in just under three minutes in a semifinal of the Louisburg Class 4A-Division I Sub-State here Friday night.

But after the five-minute mark, the third-seeded Broncos slowed the pace of the game considerably. And over the course of the remaining 29 minutes, Spring Hill fought back, taking the lead for the first time at the start of the fourth quarter and going on to a 51-46 victory.

Fort Scott's season ended with an 11-10 record. Spring Hill, with the same record, goes on to play top-seeded Paola (18-2) in tonight's final.

Josh Hudiburg started the game-opening run by taking an Austin Cook pass in for a layup. Then De'Vonte Robinson followed with a 3-pointer. Cook made a free throw and Kaleb DeLaTorre drove for a layup and nailed a 3-pointer of his own.

The Tigers still led 20-8 after Hudiburg scored again late in the period. But the Broncos scored the next 7 points to get within 5 early in the second.

Robinson's stickback made it 24-15 with 1:23 to go, keeping the Tigers in front even though they scored just 4 points in the second. But Jacob Hodge hit a 3-pointer for Spring Hill to close out the half and K.J. Powell hit two of them at the beginning of the second half to bring Spring Hill within 2 points, 26-24.

DeLaTorre hit a 3-pointer, then scored a layup to make it 33-26 with 2:15 to go. But Spring Hill scored 9 of the last 11 in the quarter. Powell made a three and scored a layup to close out the quarter with a 35-35 tie.

Trey Heinrich scored to start the fourth, giving Spring Hill the lead for the first time. That was part of a 9-0 quarter-opening run interrupted only by a DeLaTorre 3-pointer.

Robinson brought Fort Scott back within 44-41 with a score with 3:35 to go. The Tigers tried their press defense but Spring Hill wasn't as concerned about scoring as it was working the clock.

Hughes converted a 3-point play with about a minute to go to make it a three-possession game, 48-41. They were able to prevent the Tigers from getting closer than 6 until DeLaTorre's triple as time ran out created the final 5-point margin.

DeLaTorre scored 21 points to lead the Tigers while Robinson finished with 10. Hughes scored 15 for Spring Hill despite going just 4-of-13 at the free-throw line. Heinrich added 14 points and Powell had 12.

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(3) SPRING HILL: Heinrich 6 2-2 4, Ewing 2 0-2 4, Highes 5 4-13 15, Hodge 1 1-2 4, Powell 4 1-2 12, Feeback 1 0-0 2, LaPlante 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 19 8-21 51.

(2) FORT SCOTT: DeLaTorre 8 0-0 21, Hudiburg 4 0-0 8, Jones 0 0-0 0, Stepps 1 0-0 2, Robinson 4 1-2 10, Goldston 0 0-0 0, Cook 2 1-2 5. TOTALS: 119 2-4 46.

Spring Hill...................... 12 6 17 16 -- 51

Fort Scott........................ 20 4 11 11 -- 46

Three-point field goals: Spring Hill 5 (Powell 3, Highes, Hodge), Fort Scott 6 (DeLaTorre 5, Robinson).

Total fouls: Spring Hill 8, Fort Scott 19. Fouled out: Stepps.

LOUISBURG CLASS 4A-DIVISION I SUB-STATE TOURNAMENT

Girls

Thursday, March 3

(2) Spring Hill 60, (3) Fort Scott 50, OT

(1) Paola 67, (4) Louisburg 39

Saturday, March 5

Spring Hill (2: 12-9) vs. Paola (1: 19-2), 6 p.m.

Boys

Friday, March 4

(3) Spring Hill 51, (2) Fort Scott 46

(1) Paola 58, (4) Louisburg 34

Saturday, March 5

Spring Hill (3: 11-10) vs. Paola (1: 19-2), 7:30