Lawrence’s OT buzzer-beater gives Tiger boys 70-69 win

Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Fort Scott’s Jessie Lawrence (2) drives downcourt against a Parsons player during the first half of play at the Harold C. Johnson Gymnasium in Parsons Tuesday night. Lawrence finished with 12 points, which included the game-winning shot as the horn went off in overtime, in the Tigers’ 70-69 victory.
Sean Frye/Parsons Sun

PARSONS — Jessie Lawrence’s jumper from the left side of the court, about 16 feet from the basket, swished through the net in the Harold C. Johnson Gymnasium here Tuesday night to give Fort Scott High’s boys a 70-69 overtime victory over former Southeast Kansas League co-leader Parsons.

Fort Scott High’s girls’ knocked off a state-ranked team for the second consecutive outing, beating Parsons, 47-42, in SEK play. It was the Tigers’ third straight win overall.

The boys’ game went to overtime tied at 64-64 after Joel Schibi missed a desperation shot as regulation ended. The teams matched scores early in the extra session, seeing the score tied 66-66 with about a minute to go.

Matt Campbell banked in a shot with under a minute to go to give the Tigers (3-3 SEK, 7-7 overall) a 2-point lead. Dariq Williams made one of two free throws for Parsons, then Davonte Yates hit a basket with seven seconds to go. He was also fouled on the play but missed the free throw, leaving it at 69-68.

Yates also missed two free throws with about two seconds left. Fort Scott got the rebound and called time out with 1.1 seconds to go. Campbell found Lawrence with a long pass. After hauling it, Lawrence turned and heaved the winning shot.

Jesse Jones made six 3-pointers for the Tigers and led Fort Scott with 20 points. Jordan Hall added 13, Lawrence finished with 12 and Campbell chipped in with 11.

Johnson led Parsons (4-2, 10-4) with 20 points. Yates added 15, Zeke Lyons 13 and Williams 10. Pittsburg and Labette County both won their games and moved above Parsons into a tie for first place.

Fort Scott’s girls (4-2 SEK, 7-7 overall), who beat Girard, ranked No. 8 in Class 4A-Division II at the time, Friday night, followed up with a win over the No. 9 team in that class.

Madison Cook led the Tigers with 20 points and moved into a tie with Kary Stewart (1993-96) for sixth place on Fort Scott High’s all-time scoring list with 815 points. Next in line is fifth-place Krista Goltra, who had 846 points from 2002-06.

The Tigers claimed the lead for good when Kelsie Nelson’s only basket of the night made it 39-38 with more than five minutes remaining in the contest. Skyelar Brown followed up moments later with a 3-pointer.

Aryanna Correll made a 3-pointer for Parsons (3-3, 8-6) to bring then within a 42-41 but that was the Vikings’ last field goal. The Tigers made 5 of 7 free throws in the final four minutes.


Girls

FORT SCOTT: Beth 0 0-1 0, J.Allen 1 1-2 3, Brown 4 0-0 9, Denton 1 2-2 4, Stumfoll 1 0-0 2, Dwyer 1 1-1 4, Humble 1 0-0 2, Cook 6 7-9 20, Nelson 1 1-2 3. TOTALS: 16 12-18 47.

PARSONS: Hicks 0 0-0 0, Krull 4 0-0 8, Taylor 6 7-11 19, Correll 4 0-0 10, McGlory 2 1-2 5, Bedore 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 16 8-13 42.

Fort Scott 14 12 6 15 — 47

Parsons.. 9 12 14 7 — 42

Three-point field goals: Fort Scott 3 (Brown, Dwyer, Cook), Parsons 2 (Correll 2).

Total fouls: Fort Scott 13, Parsons 17. Fouled out: None.

———

Boys

FORT SCOTT: J.Lawrence 5 2-2 12, Jones 7 0-0 20, N.Lawrence 1 0-0 2, Michaud 3 0-0 7, Campbell 5 1-1 11, Horton 2 0-0 5, Goldston 0 0-0 0, Hall 5 3-4 13. TOTALS: 28 6-7 70.

PARSONS: Schibi 0 1-2 1, Williams 4 1-3 10, Johnson 9 2-2 20, Loadholtz 5 0-0 10, Lyons 4 2-2 13, Thomas 0 0-0 0, Strathe 0 0-0 0, Yates 5 5-9 15. TOTALS: 27 11-18 69.

Fort Scott.. 14 14 24 9 9 — 70

Parsons..... 17 16 17 11 8 — 69

Three-point field goals: Fort Scott 8 (Jones 6, Michaud, Horton), Parsons 4 (Lyons 3, Williams).

Total fouls: Fort Scott 18, Parsons 10. Fouled out: None.