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Larned boys win on last-second shot
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Skelton’s game-winner rescues Indians

BY BUDDY TABLER

Special to the Tribune

LARNED — It was a game of runs and the Larned boys had the last run  Friday evening as Brock Skelton’s last-second layup beat the buzzer for a heart-stopping 51-50 win over Hillsboro.

Larned led 43-35, but Hillsboro’s 15-2 run had the Trojans up 50-45 lead with two minutes left. The Indians stole a victory with a game-ending 6-0 run, highlighted by a dramatic final two points by Brock Skelton.
Trailing 50-49, with only 13 ticks left, Larned fouled Dillon Boldt to stop the clock. Boldt a one-and-one free throw and Larned’s Chance Sanger grabbed the rebound. With 4.5 seconds remaining Larned coach Jerrod Smith called timeout.

Chance Sanger drove to the free throw line, but was double-teamed. Sanger spotted Skelton streaking to the basket and his layup beat the buzzer and the Indians’ fans erupted.

Larned (13-3, 4-2 CKL) plays at Hesston (15-1, 5-1 CKL) Tuesday.

“Oh my. We were fortunate to win that one,” said Larned coach Jerrod Smith. “Our guys executed that final play well, but it broke down and Sanger had to make a play. Fortunately he found Skelton under the basket. Hillsboro is young but excellent team. We needed this game to remain in the hunt for a league championship and for sub-state seedings.”
Larned led 19-16 after a well played first quarter but fell behind 29-27 at halftime on 60% shooting by the Trojans who buried 5 three-point baskets in the first half.
Hillsboro shot a hot 19 of 31 from the field for 60% and converted 4 of 8 free throws. They were led in scoring by freshman Brekyn Ratzlaff with 16 points. Boldt and Matthew Potucek added 12 apiece.
Larned made 19 of 44 from the field , including 6 three point baskets. The Indians converted 7 of 17 free throws. Sanger led the Indians with 23. Mason Perez added six and Andreus Tucker and Dillan Smith had five apiece.

Hillsboro 18 11 6 15 — 50

Larned 19 8 16 8 — 51

HILLSBORO (9-8, 3-3)—Ratzlaff 6 2-2 16, Boldt 4 0-1 12, Potucek 1-3 12, Harris 3 0-0 6, Diener 0 0-2 0, Kaufman 1 0-0 2, Duell 1 0-0 2, Totals 20 3-9 50.

LARNED (13-3, 4-2)—Sanger 8 2-2 23, Perez 2 2-4 6, Smith 2 1-3 5, Tucker 2 0-0 5, Stelter 1 2-3 4, Skelton 2 0-4 4, Crosby 2 0-1 4, Totals 19 7-17 50.

3-pointers--H 7 (Boldt 4, Ratzlaff 2, Potucek 1), L 6 (Sanger 5, Tucker 1).

CKL BOYS

Hesston 15-1 5-1

Hoisington 14-3 5-1

Lyons 14-3 5-1

Haven 15-2 4-2

Larned 13-3 4-2

Hillsboro 9-8 3-3

Nickerson  8-9 3-3

Smoky Valley 5-12 1-5

Halstead 3-14 0-6

Pratt 2-15 0-6

HESSTON (15-1, 5-1)—Salina Sacred Heart 53-48; Hesston  (W Nickerson 57-42; W Wichita Independent 72-29; W Emporia 63-55); W Smoky Valley 54-45; W St. John 46-26; W Clearwater 41-34; W *Smoky Valley 55-43; W *Halstead 53-25; L *Hoisington 53-56;  Hillsboro (W Clay Center 48-31; W Holcomb 61-50; W Riley Co. 63-46); W Buhler 66-51; W *Haven 42-36; W *Hillsboro 60-44; W *Lyons 60-55; 2-18—*Larned; 2-21—*Nickerson; 2-25—*at Pratt

HOISINGTON (14-3, 5-1)—W Central Plains 54-28; Larned  (W Bucklin 81-62; L. St. John 38-54; W Spearville 56-22); W Smoky Valley 61-55;  W *Nickerson 48-59;  W *Hesston, 56-53; Hoisington (W Otis 78-25; W Ellsworth 55-24; W LaCrosse 54-33); W Phillipsburg 74-38; W *Pratt 58-42; L St. John 29-37; W *Smoky Valley 51-33; L *Haven 47-71; W Plainville 76-56; W *Halstead 61-25; 2-18—*at Hillsboro; 2-21—*Larned; 2-25—*at Lyons

LYONS (14-3, 5-1)—W Ellsworth 58-46; Moundridge (W Hillsboro 52-47; W Moundridge 54-49; L Inman 48-49); W Canton-Galva 65-33; W Skyline 58-31;  W *Larned 47-41; W *Nickerson 43-38;  Sterling (W Russell 61-20; L Sterling 36-50; W Hugoton 73-56); W Ellinwood 53-50; W Sedgwick 61-51; W *Halstead 46-31; W *Pratt 56-37; W *Smoky Valley 64-44; L *Hesston 55-60; 2-18—*at Haven; 2-21—*at Hillsboro; 2-25—*Hoisington

HAVEN (15-2, 4-2)—W Hutchinson Trinity 62-60; Kingman  (Kingman 55-49; Wichita Sunrise 60-24; Sterling 50-26);  W Nickerson 60-23; W Central Plains 48-24; W Sedgwick 44-38; W *Halstead 64-27; W *Hillsboro 59-41; Halstead (W Winfield 84-57; W Garden Plain 51-45; W Cheney 51-45); L *Hesston 36-42; W Pratt 46-33; W *Hoisington 71-47; L *Larned 55-61, OT; W * Nickerson 62-44;  2-18—*Lyons; 2-21—*at Pratt; 2-25—*at Smoky Valley

LARNED (13-3, 4-2)—W Pratt 59-27; Larned Tournament (W Macksville 54-31; W Spearville 60-31; W St. John 36-32); W Cimarron 49-27; W Nickerson 52-35; L Lakin; L Lyons 41-47; W *Pratt 76-36; St. John (W Central Plains 40-31; W Ness City 75-42; W Nickerson 64-50); L *Nickerson 44-56; W * Smoky Valley 69-53; W *Haven 61-55, OT; W *Hillsboro 51-50; 2-18—*at Hesston; 2-21—*at Hoisington; 2-25—*at Halstead; 2-28—SW Heights

HILLSBORO (9-8, 3-3)—L Belle Plaine 64-67, 2 OT; Moundridge (L Lyons 45-52; W Inman 64-49; W Moundridge 63-37); W Marion 75-31; W SE Saline 69-58; W *Pratt 66-36; L *Haven 41-53; Hillsboro (W Eureka 65-54; L Holcomb 40-45; L Riley Co. 44-50); W Halstead 57-35; L Sterling 42-47; W *Smoky Valley 64-57; L * Hesston 44-60; W *Halstead 53-50; L *Larned 50-51; 2-18—*at Hoisington; 2-21—*Lyons; 2-25—*at Nickerson; 

NICKERSON (8-9, 3-3)—W Sedgwick 48-37; Hesston  (L Hesston 42-57; L Emporia 44-76; W Wichita Independent 70-52); L Haven 23-60; W Pratt 57-39; L Larned 35-52;  W *Hoisington 48-59; :L *Lyons 38-43; St. John (W Macksville 42-33; W St. John 58-46; L Larned 50-64); L Andale 49-61; W *Larned 56-44; W *Halstead 51-40; W *Pratt 47-37; L *Haven 44-62; 2-18—*at Smoky Valley; 2-21—*at Hesston; 2-25—*Hillsboro.

SMOKY VALLEY (5-12, 1-5)—L Abilene 44-62; L SE Saline 58-65; W Concordia 44-23; L Hesston 45-54; W Halstead 40-27; L Hoisington 55-61; L *Hesston 43-55; Sterling (L Sterling 35-57; W Russell 70-43; L SE Saline 60-63); L Hutchinson Trinity 60-63; W Clay Center 61-26; L *Hillsboro 57-64; L *Hoisington 33-51; L *Larned 53-69; L *Lyons 44-64; W *Pratt 46-36; 2-18—*Nickerson; 2-21—*Halstead; 2-25—*Haven 

HALSTEAD (3-14, 0-6)—L Remington 34-41; Tri-County  (W Ell-Saline 66-23; W Bennington 51-25; L Minneapolis 42-76; L Sedgwick 57-25; L Smoky Valley 27-40; L Mulvane 38-57; L *Haven 27-64; L *Hesston 24-53;  Halstead (L Cheney 20-58; L Minneapolis 42-57; W Winfield 50-42); L Hillsboro 35-57; L *Lyons 31-46; L *Nickerson 40-51; L *Hillsboro 50-53; L *Hoisington 25-61; 2-18—*Pratt; 2-21—*Smoky Valley; 2-25—*Larned

PRATT (2-15, 0-6)—W Larned 27-59; Chaparral  (L Chaparral 46-66; L Wellington 41-54; L Hutchinson Trinity 21-71);  L Hays-TMP 34-70; L Nickerson 39-57; L Hays High 42-62;  L *Hillsboro 36-66; L *Larned 36-76; Hoisington (L LaCrosse 43-46; W Victoria 57-29; W Otis-Bison 68-50); L *Hoisington 42-58; L Haven 33-46; L *Lyons 37-56; L *Nickerson 37-47; L *Smoky Valley 36-46; 2-18—*at Halstead; 2-21—*Haven; 2-25—*Hesston