BY BUDDY TABLER

Special to the Tribune

ST. JOHN – Larned upset No. 3 seed Macksville 47-42 Tuesday at the St. John Midwinter Classic. The Indians (2-7) meet Nickerson (1-7) in Friday's semifinal game.

Larned heated up in the second half and finished the game 17 of 44 from the field for 43% and 9 of 14 from the charity stripe. Carson Shaver scored 19 points and Colglazier added 15.

Macksville went to full-court defensive pressure in the fourth quarter and Larned turned the ball over numerous times. The Mustangs grabbed a 2-point lead on several occasions. 

Three straight turnovers by Larned led to a 39-39 tie but going down the stretch Macksville missed several free throws and Larned capitalized. 

At the one-minute mark, Talon Reynolds made two free throws to put Larned ahead 45-42 and with 26 seconds remaining Andres Martinez made two more free throws and Larned had the win, 47-42.

The Indians frustrated Macksville’s leading scorer, Diego Esparza, by assigning 6-4 Cade Colglazier to guard him. Esparza scored 21 points, eight less than his season average but he converted 7 of 23 shots. Colglazier was a demon on the backboards as he gobbled up double-digit rebounds.

Larned coach Luke Steinlage was effusive with his praise for Colglazier’s defense on Esparza.

“Colglazier was our MVP tonight," Steinlage said. "He played the whole game and did a terrific defensive job. He got 15 points and at least that many rebounds. It was a big game which led to a win for us.”

Larned led 14-10 after the first quarter but Macksville used an 11-4 second quarter to grab a slim 21-18 lead on a banked-in 3-pointer by Esparza before halftime. Larned countered with a 14-5 run in the third quarter and took a 32-26 lead into the final quarter. 

Macksville (6-3) had Orion Guevara score eight and Hector Gomez seven.

Larned 14 4 14 15  – 47

Macksville 10 11 6 16 – 42

LARNED (2-7)–Shaver 6 4-4 19, Colglazier 7 1-1 15, Martinez 1 2-2 5, Reynolds 1 2-2 4, Smith 2 0-1 4, Crosby 0 0-4 0, Totals 17-44 9-14 47.

MACKSVILLE (6-3)–Esparza 7-23 5-7 23, Gomez 3-12 0-2 7, Grippin 0-9 1-2 1, Adams 0 1-2 1, Guevara 4-7 0-2 8, Clawson 2-4 0-2 4, Totals 16-55 7-17 42.

3-pointers–L 4 (Shaver 3, Martinez 1); M 3-17 (Esparza 2-6, Gomez 1-6, Grippin 0-5). Rebounds–M 25 (Clawson 9). Assists–M 11 (

NICKERSON 49, ST. JOHN 46 – Nickerson’s Alex King scored 15 points and Avery Brawner scored eight fourth-quarter points as the Panthers downed St. John 49-46 in the St. John Midwinter Classic. Brawner scored 12 points. Nickerson plays Larned in Friday’s semifinals.

St. John’s Quade Smith scored 13 points and Braxton Alpers added 12 points.

Nickerson 18 11 7 13 – 49

St. John 9 13 13 11 – 46

NICKERSON (1-7)—King 5 4-7 15, Brawner 6 0-0 12, Wakefield 2 2-4 8, Riley Linn 3 1-2 7, Walker 1 0-0 3, Crossman 0 2-2 2, Hearon 1 0-0 2, Totals 18 9-15 49.

ST. JOHN (5-4)—Smith 5 2-3 13, Alpers 5 1-3 12, Adame 3 2-6 11, Reyes 1 3-4 6, Vieux 1 0-0 2, Portillo 1 0-0 2, Totals 16 8-16 46.

3-pointers—N 4 (Wakefield 2, King 1, Walker 21); SJ 6 (Adame 3, Smith 1, Alpers 1, Reyes 1)

CENTRAL PLAINS 74, CHASE 13 — Central Plains' Aiden Hekele scored 22 points and Peyton Ryan added 16 points as the Oilers rolled past Chase 74-13 in the St. John Midwinter Classic. The Oilers will play Sunrise Christian or Cimarron in Friday's semifinals. 

Chase's Humberto Rincon scored 10 points.

“We had a couple players in double digits, and played four solid quarters of basketball," said Oiler coach Michael Ryan. "Our main goal was to keep up our intensity throughout the whole game.”

Chase 0 6 2 5 — 13

C. Plains 23 15 20 16 — 74

CHASE (0-9)—Humberto Rincon 3 2-2 10, Wood 1 0-0 3, Totals 4 2-2 13.

CENTRAL PLAINS (7-1)—Aiden Hekele 8 6-7 22, Peyton Ryan 6 2-2 16, Crites 4 0-0 9, Peyton Dody 3 0-0 7, Stiles 1 2-2 5,Siemsen 2 0-0 5, Klima 2 0-0 4, Hurley 1 0-1 2, Grubb 1 0-0 2,  Freis 1 0-0 2, Totals 29 10-12 74.

3-pointers—C 3 (H. Rincon 2, Wood 1), CP 6 (Ryan 2, Crites 1, Siemsen 1, Stiles 1).

ST. JOHN MIDWINTER BOYS

FIRST ROUND—Central Plains 74, Chase 13; Nickerson 49, St. John 46; Larned 47, Macksville 42; Wichita Sunrise 65, Cimarron 27

SECOND ROUND—Cimarron 75, Chase 3; Macksville 58, St. John 52

1-19—SEMIFINALS—Central Plains 7-1 vs. Sunrise 7-4 5, Nickerson 1-7 vs. Larned 2-7, 8 p.m.

1-20—1ST—7:30 p.m.; 3RD—4:30 p.m.; 5TH—Macksville 7-3 vs. Cimarron 3-7, 1:30 p.m.; 7TH—St. John 5-5 vs. Chase 0-10, 10:30 a.m.