Tiger boys hand Grizzlies first league defeat

Fort Scott's Gary Floyd (23) goes for a layup in the first half as Labette County's Collin New (12) tries to defend. Floyd scored 21 points for the Tigers as they defeated the No. 6-ranked Grizzlies, 61-46. (Captured Images/Kenny Felt)

Fort Scott High's boys broke a two-game losing streak at the FSHS gymnasium Tuesday night when the Tigers defeated Labette County, 61-46, in Southeast Kansas League action.

The victory avenged a 57-43 loss at Altamont on Dec. 12 and also ends the Grizzlies' hopes of going through the 16-game SEK schedule undefeated.

"We had a tough week last week and we had a heart-to-heart before practice this week about some things," Fort Scott head coach Jeff DeLaTorre said. "We talked about our game plan and the kids went out and did a great job of executing it.

"We played hard. We just played hard and got after them. I just couldn't be happier with how we played. We did a good job tonight against a very good team. They are a quality team and to knock them off is a good accomplishment for us."

Labette County (8-1 SEK, 11-2 overall) came into the game ranked No. 6 in Class 4A in the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Poll and lived up to its billing early on as the Grizzlies took a 17-8 lead with 2:25 to go in the first quarter.

But Alex Barner -- who came off the bench in this game -- found Brandon Boyd for a layup that sparked a 12-0 run that would go into the second quarter and put the Tigers ahead 22-17.

Fort Scott (6-3, 7-6) mixed up its defenses and LCHS found itself struggling against zones.

"We did some things defensively, kind of mixed it up a little bit, trying to switch from zone to man and mix it up on them," DeLaTorre said. "Then we started getting some shots to fall."

Jarrett Pizzo broke a drought of over 7 1/2 minutes without a Grizzly field goal when he hit on a three-point shot with 2:54 left in the second. That enabled LCHS to keep things close as the Tigers went into the locker room with a 28-25 lead.

But the Tigers' defense kept the pressure on in the second quarter while the offense continued to widen the margin. By the end of the period, Fort Scott led 43-29.

"We had already played them and we know they're a great passing team and a team that moves well without the ball," DeLaTorre said. "We felt like it was in our best interests to pack things in a little bit and make them beat us from the outside. That's a great plan but if you're not active and aggressive, it's not going to work. Tonight, it did. In the first half, I think there was only a couple of times in the first half where they got an uncontested shot."

In the first quarter, LCHS made five of 11 shots from the field. Over the next two periods, the Grizzlies were just four of 14. In that same stretch, Fort Scott went 12 for 26.

Labette County scored 10 of the first 14 points of the final stanza. But they had fouled enough to put the Tigers in the one-and-one. Fort Scott kept LCHS at bay by making 10 of 14 charity tosses in the fourth.

Gary Floyd led the Tigers with 21 points as he went six of nine from the field and nine of 12 at the free-throw line. Barner added 16 points as he was eight of 11 from the floor. Barner also had eight rebounds.

The Tigers continue a busy stretch of five games in eight nights Thursday night when they host a make-up league game with Coffeyville.

JUNIOR VARSITY -- Labette County won the JV contest, 39-31. Jaret Thorpe scored 11 points for the Tigers.

LABETTE COUNTY: Turner 0-0 0- 00, New 1-3 1-1 3, Brown 1-1 0-0 3, Pizzo 2-2 0-0 6, Lambkins 3-11 4-6 12, Carter 4-6 6-8 14, Ma.Smith 1-8 0-0 2, Green 3-8 0-0 6, Nash 0-0 0-0 0, Lewis 0-0 0-0 0, Davis 0-0 0-0 0, Geren 0-1 0-0 0. TOTALS: 15-40 11-15 46.

FORT SCOTT: Quick 0-2 0-0 0, Boyd 2-3 0-0 4, Karleskint 0-2 0-0 0, Floyd 6-9 9-12 21, Clements 1-3 6-8 8, Knopp 0-2 2-2 2, Norris 3-7 0-2 6, Schenkel 2-2 0-0 4, Barner 8-11 0-0 16, Fancher 0-0 0-0 0, Hull 0-0 0-0 0, King 0-0 0-0 0, Thorpe 0-0 0-0 0, Harper 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 23-56 15-28 61.

Fort Scott........... 16 12 15 18 -- 61

Three-point field goals: Labette County 5-18 (Pizzo 2-2, Lambkins 2-8, Brown 1-1, Green 0-1, Geren 0-1, New 0-2, Ma.Smith 0-3), Fort Scott 0-8 (Quick 0-1, Karleskint 0-2, Clements 0-2, Floyd 0-3).

Total fouls: Labette County 18, Fort Scott 16. Fouled out: none. Technical fouls: none.

Rebounds: Labette County 27 (Lambkins, Green 7 each), Fort Scott 26 (Barner 8). Assists: Labette County 10 (Ma.Smith 5), Fort Scott 13 (Floyd 6). Turnovers: Labette County 24, Fort Scott 13. Steals: Labette County 7 (Carter 4), Fort Scott 14 (Floyd 4, Clements 4). Blocked shots: Labette County 1 (Lambkins), Fort Scott 2 (Norris, Barner).