Tigers pull away in fourth

CHANUTE -- Fort Scott High's defense held Chanute without a field goal in the fourth quarter of a Southeast Kansas League battle here Tuesday night and went on to a 52-37 victory in the first battle between the Tigers and Blue Comets in the new Chanute High School gymnasium.

"We feel pretty good coming here and getting a road win," Fort Scott head coach Jeff DeLaTorre told KOMB's Larry Gazaway at the end of the game. "Chanute played well and they'll be tough down the stretch."

The Tigers (3-1 SEK, 4-3 overall) tried to pull away several times during the game but Chanute (1-4, 1-5) would fight back each time.

After going out to an early 8-3 lead, the Tigers had to hold on to keep a 12-12 tie at the end of the first quarter after Chanute's Garrett Sharp scored consecutive field goals.

The Comets even held the lead a couple of times in the second quarter, the last ar 23-21 after Sharp made a pair of free throws.

But Gary Floyd scored Fort Scott's last four points of the half, including a buzzer-beating layup off his own steal that gave the Tigers a 25-23 lead and momentum going into the third quarter.

In the first 2 1/2 minutes of the second half, Fort Scott scored nine unanswered points to make it 34-23.

"That was a big play," DeLaTorre said of Floyd's steal and layup. "We were kind of struggling. It was good to see Gary step out in front of the passing lane and get the steal. It kind of took the wind out of their sails."

Sharp kept the Comets in the game by scoring seven straight Chanute points. The Blue Comets were back within 41-35 as the fourth quarter began.

But Floyd and Alex Barner combined to score the first six points of the final stanza and the Comets didn't even get on the board until Craig Gilmore made two free throws -- Chanute's only points of the quarter -- with 2:17 remaining.

Floyd led the Tigers with 17 points while Barner added 16. Sharp led Chanute with 17 points as he went seven of nine from the floor. But Fort Scott held him without a shot attempt in the fourth quarter.

Both teams shot 42 percent from the field but the Tigers had almost 20 more attempts (22 of 52) than the Comets (14 of 33).

FORT SCOTT: Boyd 3-6 1-1 7, Karleskint 0-2 0-0 0, Floyd 8-19 1-2 17, Clements 2-5 0-0 6, Knopp 0-2 4-4 4, Norris 0-2 0-0 0, Shankel 1-2 0-0 2, Barner 8-14 0-0 16. TOTALS: 22-52 6-7 52.

CHANUTE: Gilmore 2-7 3-4 7, Sharp 7-9 3-3 17, Haight 0-4 0-0 0, Williams 1-3 0-0 3, Eckles 1-4 1-2 3, Bollig 0-1 1-2 1, Cruz 3-5 0-0 6, Bolt 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 14-33 8-11 37.

Chanute.............. 12 11 12 2 -- 37

Three-point field goals: Fort Scott 2-10 (Clements 2-5, Boyd 0-1, Karleskint 0-1, Knopp 0-1, Floyd 0-2), Chanute 1-6 (Williams 1-2, Haight 0-2, Eckles 0-2).

Total fouls: Fort Scott 13, Chanute 13. Fouled out: Bnone. technical fouls: none.

Rebounds:Fort Scott 26 (Boyd, Barner 5 each), Chanute 24 (Eckles 6). Assists: Fort Scott 12 (Boyd, Clements, Knopp 3 each), Chanute 6 (Gilmore 2). Turnovers: Fort Scott 18, Chanute 26. Steals: Fort Scott 18 (Floyd 5), Chanute 8 (Gilmore 3). Blocked shots: Fort Scott 5 (Floyd 2), Chanute 1 (Gilmore).