BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
LARNED — The Larned Indians are accustomed to wild, last-second basketball wins and losses.
The Indians have played four 1-point games, three overtimes and nine games that were decided in the final minute.
It was no surprise when Larned coach Jerrod Smith guessed right that Hugoton would try to run a man-to-man defense rather than its preferred zone defense.
The Hugoton Eagles learned you can’t outsmart coach Smith.
Brock Skelton flipped a perfect lob pass to Mason Perez for the game-winning field goal in a 69-67 substate championship victory over Hugoton. The Indians executed the identical lob pass for a game-tying field goal against Smoky Valley.
Indian Chance Sanger drew attention by racing to a corner. Brayden Rupp set a perfect screen. Perez fooled the defense when he performed a pirouette that left him free for the game-winner. Sanger assured the victory by contesting Hugoton’s last-second shot.
The 17-6 Indians are a year ahead of schedule keyed by four veterans who will return next season. The Indians feature a fast-paced defensive style keyed by fullcourt pressure with several 3-point shooters.
“They’ve exceeded my expectations, but it hasn’t been a surprise,” Smith said. “It’s a great group of hard-working young men. We’re athletic and determined. We’ve been involved in a lot of close games, We’ve played several games similar to the substate game.”
It’s the Indians’ 12th state tournament trip, but first in 25 years when Larned made back-to-back state trips.
Defensive standout Perez (9 ppg, 6 rpg) leads the Indians in assists (3.2) and steals (2.2). Chance Sanger (15 ppg), Brock Skelton (11 ppg), Brayden Rupp (10 ppg), Trent Fletcher (6 ppg) and Jaylen Thomas (4 ppg) spark a balanced offense. Fletcher has drawn a team leading 21 offensive charges as the team’s second-best defender.
“It’s great to see the maturity this team has developed,” Smith said. “We’ve gone from a 4-win team to a 17-win team.”
Perry-Lecompton (20-2) has swept 18 consecutive basketball games after a 2-2 start. The Kaws feature 6-6 Connor Anderson (10 ppg, 3 apg), 6-6 Blake Farmer (13 ppg) and 6-4 Colton Mallonee (14 ppg, 8 rpg). Farmer scored 11 points and Conner Morgison and Mallonee each scored 10 points in a 47-46 victory over Silver Lake. Morgison hit a late-game 3-pointer and Farmer converted the game-winner.
“They play through those big guys,” Smith said. “It’ll be a challenge to defend their inside presence. But it perform like we’ve played, well be fine. The kids are excited. They want to win that first state tournament game.”
3A BOYS—HUTCHINSON, THURSDAY
3 p.m.— Beloit 22-1 vs. Eureka 17-6
4:45 p.m.— Perry Lecompton 20-2 vs. Larned 17-6
6:30 p.m.—Maur Hill 22-0 vs. Hays-TMP 13-11
8:15 p.m.—Girard 19-3 vs. Kingman 17-5
LARNED BOYS HISTORY (8-11)
12 STATE TRIPS (1-2 FINALS)
2019—Larned (17-6) vs. Perry-Lecompton (19-4)
1994—4A—Larned 54, Louisburg 42; Atchison County 57, Larned 52; THIRD PLACE—Valley Center 70, Larned 39
1993—4A—Gardner-Edgerton 53, Larned 47
1976—3A—Bonner Springs 55, Larned 48
1968—A—Larned 60, Valley Center 51; Larned 38, Colby 36 (OT); CHAMPIONSHIP—Wamego 60, Larned 55
1965—A—Larned 49, Mulvane 44; Larned 46, Goodland 44 (OT); CHAMPIONSHIP—Chapman 55, Larned 52
1955—A—Augusta 68, Larned 64
1950—A—Larned 44, Norton 31; Larned 57, Beloit 44; Larned 52, Cherryvale 40; CHAMPIONSHIP—Larned 48, Olathe 40; Coach Tom Bulkley
1920—Cherokee County 20, Larned 6
1918—McPherson 20, Larned 10
1917—Lecompton 10, Larned 9
1916—Larned 22, Oread 13; Winfield 24, Larned 9
