Spring Hill holds off late Tiger comeback

SPRING HILL -- Early in the fourth quarter of a Spring Hill Class 4A-Division I Sub-State semifinal game here Friday night, Fort Scott's boys found themselves down by 18 points.

With less than 90 seconds remaining, they were down 15. But three straight 3-point goals gave the Tigers one last bit of hope before host Spring Hill held them off at the free-throw line to preserve a 68-63 victory.

The Tigers (9-12) made 14 3-pointers in the contest. Ones by Grant Goldston, Kaleb DeLaTorre and Wyatt Reehl cut the deficit to 64-58 with 32 seconds remaining in the contest.

The teams traded free throws, two by Spring Hill's Chris Bybee and two by Fort Scott's Jacob Bradbury. But with 17 seconds remaining, the Broncos (12-9) had time -- or lack thereof -- on their side.

DeLaTorre finished with a game-high 22 points as he made 5 3-pointers. Bradbury finished with 12 for the Tigers and Alex Fink added 10. Goldston and Reehl each knocked down 3 triples.

DeLaTorre also scored the first basket of the game, a 3-point shot, and Bradbury's three later in the quarter gave Fort Scott a 5-4 lead.

Spring Hill outscored the Tigers 11-2 the rest of the period in going out to a 16-8 lead.

DeLaTorre hit a 3-pointer to start the second quarter and Bradbury hit a jumper to bring the Tigers within 16-13. Spring Hill scored 8 of the next 10.

The Broncos extended the lead to 8 points, 32-24, before Bradbury knocked down a 3 just before halftime.

Drew Cygan and Bybee scored the first two baskets of the second half for Spring Hill. But Fink hit a 3-pointer, then took a turnover in for a dunk.

DeLaTorre brought the Tigers within 42-39 late in the period. But Nick Reynolds sparked a 10-0 run to end the quarter.

Spring Hill also scored the first 5 of the final stanza with Cygan making it 57-39.

Reynolds made two free throws with about 1:15 left to make it 64-49.

Cygan led Spring Hill with 17 points while Bybee added 13.

The Broncos advanced to the Sub-State championship at 7:30 p.m. tonight on their home floor. They will face the winner of Friday's late game between top-seeded Paola and Louisburg. The winner of that game goes on to the Class 4A-Division I State Tournament in Salina next week.

NOTES -- According to Tribune records, which go back to the 1954-55 season, this was the first-ever meeting between these schools in basketball....

(3) FORT SCOTT: DeLaTorre 7 3-5 22, Smith 0 0-0 0, Hudiburg 0 1-2 1, Bradbury 4 2-2 12, Goldston 3 0-0 9, Fink 3 3-4 10, Stepps 0 0-0 0, Martin 0 0-0 0, Reehl 3 0-0 9, Ashe 0 0-0 0, Cook 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 20 9-13 63.

(2) SPRING HILL: Hodge 2 0-1 5, Bybee 3 6-8 13, Cygan 7 3-6 17, Reynolds 3 3-4 9, Johnson 3 0-0 6, Cluck 4 0-1 8, Hollern 0 0-0 0, Ty.Henrich 4 0-0 8, Tr.Henrich 1 0-0 2. TOTALS: 27 12-20 68.

Spring Hill.............. 16 16 20 16 -- 68

Three-point field goals: Fort Scott 14 (DeLaTorre 5, Goldston 3, Reehl 3, Bradbury 2, Fink), Spring Hill 2 (Hodge, Bybee).

Total fouls: Fort Scott 18, Spring Hill 12. Fouled out: None.