Girard boys pull away, remain unbeaten

GIRARD -- Fort Scott High's boys scored the first 5 points of Friday night's game here.

Girard scored the next 13 and never trailed again as the Trojans (8-0), ranked No. 2 in Class 4A-Division II by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association, went on to a 60-50 victory.

Mason Knopp, making his first start since before the holiday break, scored the first basket. Then Jacob Bradbury hit a 3-point shot. That was with about 6 1/2 minutes left in the first quarter.

Drew Davied and Laike Damman combined for 11 points as the Trojans held a 13-8 lead at the end of the quarter.

Fort Scott was unable to make another field goal nearly 10 minutes until Benjamine Labbe scored on a fast break with 5:02 left in the second quarter. The Tigers (5-3) scored only 4 field goals in the first half.

Fort Scott was able to stay somewhat close because of the tight officiating, which carried over from the girls' game, in which 52 fouls were called and 63 free throws were awarded. The Tigers made 10 of 17 free throws in the quarter to keep themsevles in it.

Bradbury converted a 3-point play late in the half to bring the Tigers within 27-19 but Damman added a free throw a few seconds later to provide the halftime margin.

Fort Scott found its shooting touch in the third period, making 7 field goals in the quarter. A 3-pointer by Wyatt Reehl brought the Tigers within 35-32 with just under two minutes to go.

Eric Wilson's three put Girard up 40-32. Knopp scored a layup and Reehl hit a shot to close out the period and bring Fort Scott within 4.

A Labbe stickback brought the Tigers within 3 again, 43-40 early in the fourth. But then the free-throw parade began and Girard benefited more. The Trojans went 13 of 17 at the charity stripe in the fourth while Fort Scott went 7 of 10.

Girard outscored Fort Scott 14-4 in the final 4:05.

Labbe scored 12 points to lead the Tigers, who made 18 of 32 free throws in the game. Davied finished with 25 points as he went 11 of 13 at the line himself and Damman added 13 points.

There were 52 fouls and 58 free-throw attempts in this game.

The Tigers will play in the Frontenac Kansas Army National Guard Invitational next week. Frontenac officials stated earlier in the week that the brackets will be released Sunday.

FORT SCOTT: DeLaTorre 2 0-0 5, Smith 0 1-2 1, Brown 1 3-6 5, Hudiburg 0 0-0 0, Bradbury 2 3-3 8, Fink 2 0-2 5, Knopp 2 5-8 9, Reehl 2 0-1 5, Labbe 3 6-10 12. TOTALS: 14 18-32 50.

GIRARD: Davied 7 11-13 25, Damman 3 4-8 13, Wilson 3 0-0 8, Green 2 2-2 6, Bailey 1 0-1 2, J.Lindbloom 2 0-0 4, Hamblin 0 2-2 2, D.Lindbloom 0 0-0 0, Hobson 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 18 19-26 60.

Girard............ 13 15 12 20 -- 60

Three-point field goals: Fort Scott 4 (DeLaTorre, Bradbury, Fink, Reehl), Girard 4 (Damman 3, Wilson 2).

Total fouls: Fort Scott 22, Girard 30. Fouled out: Fink, Knopp, Wilson. Technical foul: Fort Scott bench.