Defending champion routs Mustangs
BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
DODGE CITY – When Macksville's 6-foot-6 center Ryan Kuckelman was sidelined with two first-half fouls, the Olpe Eagles took full advantage. After a 14-14 tie, Olpe outscored the Mustangs 18-3. The Eagles scored 13 fast-break points and six second-chance points to lead 32-17 at halftime.
The underdog Mustangs from the Central Prairie League never recovered.
Defending 1A Division 1 state champion Olpe rolled past the Mustangs 68-38 in Friday’s 1A state basketball semifinals. Olpe (23-1) scored 29 fast-break points keyed by a flawless transition game. Olpe converted 23 Macksville turnovers into 30 points, Olpe added 12 second-chance points.
Olpe standout Truman Bailey converted a trio of 3-pointers and scored 19 points. Derek Hoelting (15) and Blake Redeker (11) scored in double figures. The Eagles mixed together an effective transition game with a crisp offensive halfcourt game. Hoelting scored nine first-half points and Damon Redeker scored six points.
Macksville converted 11 of 39 field goals against stifling Olpe man-to-man defense. The Eagles did an excellent job denying Kuckelman the basketball inside and shut down the Mustangs inside/outside offensive style.
The Mustang perimeter players pieced together some impressive moments. Macksville’s Rogelio Ibarra scored nine points and Alexis Barron added eight points. Diego Esparza and Lance Lickiss each scored seven points. Lickiss grabbed 11 rebounds. Kuckelman dished out three assists.
Macksville (21-3) will challenge for the Central Prairie League title and will have a postseason run next season with everyone but guard Alex Mendez returning.
Macksville 9 8 6 15 – 38
Olpe 12 20 6 30 – 68
MACKSVILLE (21-3)—Rogelio Ibarra 3-10 2-4 9, Barron 3-5 1-2 8, Esparza 2-5 2-2 7, Lickiss 3-6 1-2 7, Gomez 0-7 6-8 6, Mendez 0-1 0-0 0, Cleveland 0-1 0-0 0, Kuckelman 0-1 1-3 1, Triana 0-1 0-0 0, Alvaro Ibarra 0-1 0-0 0, Totals 11-39 13-21 38.
OLPE (23-1)—Bailey 8-15 0-1 19, Blake Redeker 5-8 1-2 11, Derek Hoelting 4-12 7-9 15, Damon Redeker 4-12 0-0 8, Blake Slalsky 3-5 0-1 6, Ted Skalsky 2-3 0-0 4, Dexter Hoelting 1-1 0-0 3, Foraker 1-5 0-1 2, Heins 0-1 0-2 0, Temeyer 0-1 0-0 0, Totals 28-63 8-16 68.
3-pointers—M 3-9 (Barron 1-2, Esparza 1-1, R. Ibarra 1-4, Lickiss 0-1, Gomez 0-1); Olpe 4-13 (Bailey 3-7, Dexter Hoelting 1-1, Derek Hoelting 0-1, B. Redeker 0-1, Foraker 0-1, D. Redeker 0-2). Rebounds—M (Lickiss 11), Olpe 37 (Hoelting 14). Assists—M (Kuckelman 3), Olpe 20 (D. Redeker 9). Steals—M (Mendez 1, Triana 1, Kuckelman 1), Olpe 14 (B. Redeker 4, D. Redeker 4).
PRETTY PRAIRIE GIRLS 37, HODGEMAN COUNTY 32 — Bailey Young led a balanced Pretty Prairie offense with eight points as the Bulldogs edged previously unbeaten Jetmore Hodgeman County 37-32 in Friday's semifinals. Grace Shiew led Hodgeman County with 13 points.
Pretty Prairie 15 11 7 4 — 37
Hodgeman Co.5 7 14 6 — 32
PRETTY PRAIRIE (23-1)—Bailey Young 3-5 2-7 8, Aubrey Young 2-7 1-2 7, Vogl 2-5 2-4 6, Jorah Harbaugh 2-7 1-3 6, White 1-2 3-4 6, Joley Harbaugh 1-2 1-2 4, Webster 0-1 0-0 0, Kruse 0-2 0-0 0, Totals 11-31 10-22 37.
HODGEMAN COUNTY (23-1)—Shiew 5-7 3-6 13, Morgan Ruff 4-12 0-0 10, Beil 0-10 5-6 5, Burke 1-3 0-0 2, Schaffer 0-1 0-0 0, Jessie Ruff 0-2 2-4 2, James 0-6 0-0 0, Totals 10-41 10-16 32.
3-pointers—PP 5-15 (A. Young 2-5, White 1-1, Joley Harbaugh 1-2, Jorah Harbaugh 1-5, B. Young 0-1, Vogl 0-1), HC 2-10 (M. Ruff 2-6, Shiew 0-1, Beil 0-3). Rebounds—PP 35 (B. Young 8, Vogl 8), HC 26 (J. Ruff 6). Assists—PP 10 (Jorah Harbaugh 5), HC 8 (Beil 6). Steals—PP 7 (7 with 1), HC 9 (Shiew 3, James 3).
