Ottawa eliminates Fort Scott

PAOLA, Kan. -- Top-seeded Ottawa ended the season for Fort Scott High's girls in dominant fashion here Friday night with a 46-31 victory in the semifinals of the Paola Class 4A Sub-State Tournament.

The Cyclones (18-3), ranked No. 8 by the Kansas State Basketball Coaches Association, were the more aggressive team and used that to build a 13-4 lead after one period of play as Jordan Baldwin scored 8 of her game-high 22 points.

The fifth-seeded Tigers (10-12) made only one field goal in the first period and again in the second. If they were in the game at all, it was on their free-throw shooting. Mallory Shelton scored from the field early in the second to bring Fort Scott within 13-6.

But the Tigers didn't score another field goal again until three minutes into the third period. They trailed 28-14 the half only because they converted 8 of 11 free throws in the second period.

Ottawa scored the first 6 points of the third quarter quickly, building its lead to 34-14. Katren Rienbolt finally broke the field-goal drought with a jumper that sparked a 7-2 run. Jocelyn Dean extended the Cyclones' lead back up to 38-21 going into the fourth.

Ottawa was content to waste time in the fourth quarter. The Tigers weren't fouling to stop the clock, which allowed the Cyclones to take more than a minute off with each possession.

No one other than Baldwin finished in double figures scoring. Dean and Alexis Rocker had 8 points each for Ottawa. Rienbolt, Shelton and Brianne Lawrence scored 7 points each for the Tigers, who had just 8 field goals all night -- Baldwin had that many by herself.

The Cyclones will play for the championship tonight at 6 p.m. against the winner of Friday's other semifinal game between No. 6 Louisburg and No. 7 Paola. Louisburg (10-10) upset Prairie View Tuesday, 52-45, while Paola (9-11) stunned Osawatomie, 51-44.

Ottawa will be seeking a berth in the Class 4A State Tournament for the second consecutive season.

(5) FORT SCOTT: H. Tourtillott 0 2-3 2, Harper 0 0-0 0, M.Tourtillott 1 3-4 5, Rienbolt 2 3-4 7, Shelton 2 3-6 7, K.Allen 1 1-3 3, Campbell 0 0-0 0, Karleskint 0 0-0 0, Lawrence 2 3-4 7 TOTALS: 8 15-24 31

(1) OTTAWA: Baldwin 8 4-4 22, Weidner 0 2-2 2, M.Boan 1 0-0 2, Deal 0 0-0 0, Armstrong 2 0-0 4, Rocker 4 0-0 8, Fisher 0 0-0 0, E.Boan 0 0-0 0, Dean 3 2-4 8, Lydie 0 0-0 0 . TOTALS: 18 8-10 46.

Ottawa.............. 13 15 10 8 -- 46

Three-point field goals: Fort Scott none, Ottawa 2 (Baldwin 2).

Total fouls: Fort Scott 14, Ottawa 17. Fouled out: None.