Special to the Tribune

HOISINGTON — The Hoisington Cardinals were down 13 points, but the hot-shooting Cardinals eventually rallied for a 73-62 Central Kansas League basketball victory over Larned. The Cardinals closed the game by making their last nine shots in a row.

Hoisington coach Kyle Haxton said extra effort on defense made the difference.

“We had to fight like crazy to get back in the game,” said Hoisington coach Kyle Haxton. “We stepped up defensively. The thing we kept harping was defensive rebounds. It was making stops and getting rebounds. We invested in that.”

Larned converted nine straight attempts to forge their 13-point lead. Larned led 19-15 after one quarter and 36-33 at halftime. Larned forged a 13-point lead but Hoisington battled back. Hot shooting Hoisington made four straight 3-point shots in the second quarter.

Drew Nicholson the Cardinals grabbed a 52-47 lead after three quarters as Hoisington’s bench players began to make a difference. Due to injuries and sickness Larned was limited to one player come off the bench.

“We got tired late in the third quarter and into the fourth," said Larned coach Jerrod Smith. "That’s not an excuse, just a fact. Hoisington played really well, shot it really well. They are an excellent, well-coached team.”

It was a game of runs as the Cardinals made 6 of 7 shots in the second quarter and then the big run at the end of the third quarter on into the end of the game when they made nine in a row. 

Hoisington (15-4, 6-2 CKL) made 24 of 39 field goal attempts for 61% and converted 14 of 18 free throws in the well played game. Drew Nicholson led the Cardinals with 26 points with a strong inside game. Mason Haxton had 15 points and Bralen Thompson scored eight points.

Larned made 22 of 46 field goal attempts for 47%, normally good enough to secure a win but not on this night. They converted 10 of 17 free throws. Chance Sanger led all scorers with 27 points while Layton Crosby added 12 and Brock Skelton 9. Larned drops to 13-5 on the season and will travel to Halstead on Tuesday for a Central Kansas League game.

Sanger led Larned (13-5, 4-4 CKL) with 27 points.  But Hoisington's Bralen Thompson, Holt Hanzlick, and Ryan Woydziak led the defense.

“We decided to shadow him,” Coach Haxton said. “He was hitting crazy shots. We were doing the same thing to (Brock) Skelton. Mason Haxton and Drew Nicholson did a good job in our help." 

Layton Crosby added 12 points for Larned, and the Skelton scored eight of his nine points in the first half. Haxton finished with eight points for Larned, and Thompson and Avery Brewer each had big fourth quarters for the Cardinals to finish with eight points.

Larned 19 15 11 15 — 62

Hoisington 15 18 19 21 — 73

LARNED (13-5, 4-4)—Sanger 27, Crosby 12, Skelton 9, Perez 7, Smith 4, Skelter 3; Totals 22-46 10-17 62.

HOISINGTON (15-4, 6-2)—Nicholson 26, Mason Haxton 15, Brewer 8, Thompson 8, Hanzlick 7, Woydziak 5, Mooney 2, Robinson 2; Totals 24-39 14-18 73.