Fourth-quarter rally falls short

WEBB CITY, Mo. -- Fort Scott High's boys showed that they're never out of a game here Tuesday night. But a 25-point fourth-quarter performance was not enough to overcome a three-point second period in a 58-57 loss to Webb City.

Tony Karleskint scored stickback hoops to end the first period and start the second to give Fort Scott a 16-12 lead. But the Cardinals, 3-3, scored 12 unanswered points to take an eight-point lead with a minute to go in the half.

"Our shots weren't falling," Fort Scott head coach Jeff DeLaTorre said of a one-for-12 field-goal effort in the period. "But a lot of that had to do with Webb City's defense. They were pretty physical and they got out on us and pressured us. We couldn't find any openings."

Zach Quick, who was unable to score in the first half, scored the first two baskets of the second to bring the Tigers within 26-21. But Webb City was able to get that back up to 40-25 with two minutes to go.

Zach Smith hit a three-point shot seconds later to spark a 7-2 run that cut the deficit to 42-32 going into the fourth. Quick then scored the first four of the final stanza.

The Tigers, also 3-3, continued to battle back and Smith's triple from the right wing with 20 seconds to go cut the deficit to 57-54.

Fort Scott sent Colin Howard to the line. He was Webb City's leading scorer on the night with 21 points but he missed the front end of a one-and-one and Quick got the rebound.

The Tigers got upcourt but Quick missed a three from the left wing and Caleb Powell got the rebound. He made the first of two free throws with :09 to go.

The second freebie missed and the Tigers got it to Quick who hit a three with one second left. He tried to draw contact for a possible four-point play but no foul was called.

"It would have been easy for us to fold the tent and go home," DeLaTorre said. "We got our transition going. We weren't able to do that in the first half."

Quick finished with 20 points for the Tigers while Smith had 14.