BY BUDDY TABLER
Special to the News
KISMET—The Larned boys stunned Hugoton with a 30-point fourth quarter in a big comeback victory to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and win the Southwestern Heights Sub-State championship.
The Indians punched their ticket to their first trip to the State Tournament in 25 years with a shocking 69-67 victory.
Larned triggered full-court fourth-quarter pressure and Hugoton began turning the ball over and the Indians capitalized.
With just over a minute to play Larned tied the game at 67-67 and on the ensuing possession forced a hurried shot by Hugoton and garnered the rebound.
Larned ran a back-door play that Mason Perez caught for an alley-oop basket from Brock Skelton and the lead 69-67. Hugoton missed a final 3-point attempt and the improbable comeback was a reality.
“We’ve been in a lot of close games this year and these guys have usually come through,” said Larned coach Jerrod Smith. “One thing I’ve learned about them is they never give up. They never quit fighting, no matter what the score is. Tonight that paid off.”
Larned trailed Hugoton 50-39 at the end of the third quarter, but outscored the Eagles 30-17 in the final stanza to grab the two-point victory.
Larned jumped out to a 19-11 first quarter lead but after Hugoton switched to a 3-2 zone the Indians went cold from the field and trailed Hugoton 35-29 at halftime.
Damian Lewis nailed 4 three-point baskets in the pivotal second quarter as the Eagles outscored Larned 24-10 to take control.
“We got in a little foul trouble and played some zone defense,” Smith said. “That took our momentum away. We scored 10 points in the second quarter and third quarters.”
Hugoton (16-7) converted 24 of 48 field goal attempts and 11 of 14 free throws. Lewis led the Eagles in scoring with 22 points, 6 three-point baskets. Michael Mirabal contributed 19 points and Carlos Montiel 14.
Larned made 25 of 59 field goal attempts and 10 of 12 free throws as they advanced to the 3A state tournament in Hutchinson for the first time since 1994.
Brayden Rupp and Mason Perez led the Indians with 17 points apiece. Rupp scored eight points in the third period. Brock Skelton added 15 and Chance Sanger 10, all in the first half.
Hugoton 11 24 15 17 – 67
Larned 19 10 10 30 – 69
HUGOTON (15-7)—Damian Lewis 22, Montiel 14, Harper 9, Mirabal 9, Hertel 5, Camacho 4, Luna 2, Valles 2
LARNED (17-6)—Rupp 17, Perez 17, Skelton 15, Sanger 10, Fletcher 7, Smith 3
