Tiger boys fall to Louisburg in Sub-State semifinals
GARNETT, Kan. -- Third-seeded Louisburg was a perfect eight-of-eight at the free-throw line in the final two minutes of play here Friday night and used that to defeat Fort Scott High's boys, 65-59, in a semifinal of the Anderson County Class 4A Sub-State Tournament.
The loss ends the Tigers' season with a record of 14-7.
Fort Scott had just completed a 6-0 run that gave it a 58-55 lead with 2:18 to go when Alex Barner cut into the lane, drew the defense to him and found Tony Karleskint for a layup.
But then Louisburg's Jeff Woods drove for a layup that gave the Wildcats (14-8) the lead for good. Moments later, Louisburg started their run from the free-throw line, the end of a 16-for-18 night from the charity stripe.
Fort Scott was led by the senior tandem of Karleskint and Matt Wheeler, who each scored 17 points in their final games in red and white. For Wheeler, who hit five three-point goals, it was a career-high total.
Junior Alex Barner followed with 11 points for the Tigers even though Louisburg did as well at denying him the ball as anyone has this season.
Jordan Embers led Louisburg with 23 points and Woods added 19 as he went nine of 11 from the floor.
The game started out at a high tempo with the Tigers running the floor as well as anyone else around. The lead swung back and forth a few times until Wheeler's three-pointer from the left wing put Fort Scott ahead, 15-12, with 2:51 left in the first period. A Karleskint basket and a Jeff Johnson free throw increased the lead to six with a minute to go before Embers sank two free throws for the Wildcats.
Louisburg came out for the second quarter on fire, sinking each of its first six shots from the field. The first three field goals were scored consecutlvely by Jared Drew, Kyle Nauman and George Bazin to put the 'Cats ahead 20-18 early in the period.
But the Tigers were able to keep pace and reclaimed the lead, 27-25, with 3:30 to go on another Wheeler triple, this from the right side.
Embers hit a three-pointer for Louisburg to reclaim the lead. Karleskint converted the hoop-and-harm version of the three-point play to put the Tigers back in front, 30-28, with 2:03 to go. Nauman made two free throws with 1:01 left to tie the score at 30-30, which is how it would be at halftime.
Louisburg threatened to pull away in the third period, going up 47-42 on Woods' basket with 2:38 left in the quarter. But Wheeler struck once again from three-point land and Barner followed with a stickback of a teammate's miss to tie the score with 1:08 to go.
Woods struck from three as the quarter ended for the Wildcats. Embers scored the first basket of the final stanza to make it 52-47.
Barner converted a three-point play with 5:39 to go to bring the Tigers within 53-52. Embers answered with a basket for Louisburg just before Fort Scott began that six-point run.
The Tigers shot 49 percent from the field on the night, making 24 of 49 field-goal tries. Louisburg shot 47 percent on 22 of 47.
Louisburg outrebounded Fort Scott, 28-25. Barner had nine boards for the Tigers.
John Leek dished five assists for the redclads and Wheeler and Gary Floyd each picked up two steals.
Fort Scott's girls will play here tonight at 6 p.m. against top-seeded Louisburg for the Sub-State championship. The winner goes to next week's Kansas Class 4A State Tournament at Salina, Kan.
(3) LOUISBURG: Spradling 1-6 4-4 6, Embers 6-15 8-8 23, Kueser 0-1 1-2 1, Woods 8-11 1-1 19, Drew 2-3 0-0 4, Bacchus 1-3 0-1 2, Nauman 3-6 2-2 8, Bazin 1-2 0-0 2. TOTALS: 22-47 16-18 65.
(2) FORT SCOTT: Leek 0-3 0-0 0, M.Karleskint 1-3 0-0 3, Clements 0-0 0-0 0, T.Karleskint 8-13 1-1 17, Wheeler 6-9 0-0 17, Floyd 2-6 0-0 5, Messer 0-0 0-0 0, Johnson 0-4 0-0 1, Barner 7-11 2-3 16. TOTALS: 24-49 4-9 59.
Louisburg........ 14 16 20 15 -- 65
Fort Scott........ 18 12 17 12 -- 59
Three-point field goals: Louisburg 5-14 (Embers 3-8, Woods 2-3, Spradling 0-3), Fort Scott 7-17 (Wheeler 5-6, Floyd 1-2, M.Karleskint 1-3, Johnson 0-1, Barner 0-2, Leek 0-3).
Total fouls: Louisburg 14, Fort Scott 19. Fouled out: none. Technical fouls: none.
Rebounds: Louisburg 28 (Embers 7, Nauman 7), Fort Scott 25 (Barner 9). Assists: Louisburg 7 (Embers 3), Fort Scott 15 (Leek 5). Turnovers: Louisburg 11, Fort Scott 13. Steals: Louisburg 7 (Spradling 3), Fort Scott 6 (Wheeler 2, Floyd 2). Blocked shots: Louisburg 2 (Woods, Bazin), Fort Scott 2 (T.Karleskint, Barner).