Fort Scott boys get by Chanute, 68-55
FORT SCOTT -- Proving that there are no easy games in the Southeast Kansas League, Chanute, winners of just two games this season coming into Friday night's contest, gave Fort Scott High's boys a tough time before the Tigers finally found some cushion in the fourth quarter of a 68-55 victory.
The Blue Comets (0-3 SEK, 2-13 overall) hung around and were within four points, 31-27, at halftime. It took until midway through the fourth quarter before the Tigers (2-1, 11-4) got the kind of lead common to a game between teams with records this far apart. But Chanute was still playing hard enough that Fort Scott head coach Jeff DeLaTorre still felt that he needed to keep the starters in.
"I still felt like even though the lead was where it was, it never seemed like we could put the final nail in the coffin," DeLaTorre said.
Johnathan Stark and Cameron Woodring each scored 17 points to lead Fort Scott. Stark was perfect at the free-throw line (8 for 8), making all 6 that he attempted in the fourth quarter.
"(Shark) shot it well tonight and that's a good sign," DeLaTorre said. "And when he can finish strong on the free-throw line late in the game like that, it's great to see."
Woodring made 6 of 9 shots from the field while Kyle Altic was 4 for 4 from the floor as he added 11 points.
Altic gave fans a scare with about 3 1-2 minutes left in the game. He scored a layup and was intentionally fouled by Brock Gilmore, landing hard on his back. Altic has been trying to recover from an injury to his back but told DeLaTorre he was OK and made one of the two free throws he was awarded. The unconventional 3-point play put the Tigers up 64-45.
Tyler Adams added two more points moments later. Chanute scored 10 of the last 12 points in a futile effort to recover.
The Tigers shot 52 percent from the floor, making 22 of 42 field-goal attempts, while also going 19 for 26 at the free-throw line. Chanute shot 51 percent from the field, going 23 for 45. But the Comets only shot 9 free throws, making 7.
The win puts Fort Scott in position to go to Parsons and try to knock the Vikings out of their share of first place in the SEK Tuesday night. The Vikes (2-0, 13-1) needed a 3-point shot at the buzzer to beat Iola Friday night, 53-50.
"It's going to be a battle," DeLaTorre said. "We played them earlier in the year here and had a chance to win the game. With about three minutes left we had a chance. We've got a chance now, with us beating Coffeyville, to cement our place at the top of the league standings."
The Tigers jumped out to an 8-3 lead on the Comets. But Derek Sharp's 3-pointer with 25 seconds to go in the first brought Chanute within 12-10 going into the second. Seb Fairchild tied the score on a layup seconds into the second.
Fort Scott tried to pull away but Chanute tied the score again at 27-27 on another Fairchild layup with 1:56 left in the half. Stark drove for a layup to break the tie and Altic took a pass from Woodring to make it a 4-point margin at halftime.
The Tigers outscored Chanute 18-8 in the third period. Jash Pytlowany's 3-point shot made it 47-35 with 2:02 remaining. The Comets tried to work the clock for the last shot of the period but turned it over. Matt Wright's layup with two seconds to go made it a 14-point advantage going into the fourth.
Fort Scott scored 10 of the first 12 points of the final stanza. Woodring scored the last 6 to make it 59-37 with 5:44 to go. Chanute scored 8 of the next 10 before Altic's hoop-and-harm play.
Gilmore and Quintwon Schooley each scored 15 points for Chanute.
Adams collected 7 steals for Fort Scott while Woodring handed out 7 assists. Wright and Daniel Durbin picked up 5 rebounds each.
JUNIOR VARSITY -- Fort Scott defeated Chanute 57-46 as Weston Woodring scored 9 points.
CHANUTE: Sharp 3-4 0-0 8, Martin 0-0 0-0 0, Gilmore 7-9 1-2 15, Bell 0-4 2-2 2, Dietsch 3-6 1-2 7, Holmes 1-2 0-0 2, Fairchild 2-5 2-2 6, Schooley 7-15 1-1 15. TOTALS: 23-45 7-9 55.
FORT SCOTT: Stark 4-9 8-8 17, Denton 0-0 0-0 0, Sather 0-0 0-0 0, Adams 3-8 0-0 8, Wright 3-4 3-5 9, Fink 0-0 0-0 0, Woodring 6-9 4-7 17, Floyd 0-0 0-0 0, Pytlowany 1-5 1-2 4, Altic 4-4 3-4 11, Durbin 1-3 0-0 2, Olin 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 22-42 19-26 68.
Chanute.......... 10 17 8 20 -- 55
Fort Scott....... 12 19 18 19 -- 68
Three-point field goals: Chanute 2-5 (Sharp 2-3, Bell 0-1, Holmes 0-1), Fort Scott 5-12 (Adams 2-3, Woodring 1-2, Pytlowany 1-3, Stark 1-4).
Total fouls: Chanute 19, Fort Scott 15. Fouled out: Gilmore. Technical foul: Adams (hanging on the rim).
Rebounds: Chanute 24 (Schooley 7), Fort Scott 21 (Wright 5, Durbin 5). Assists: Chanute 9 (Bell 5), Fort Scott 14 (Woodring 7). Turnovers; Chanute 17, Fort Scott 11. Steals: Chanute 7 (Holmes 2, Fairchild 2). Blocked shots: Chanute 1 (Gilmore), Fort Scott 2 (Wright, Altic).