BY BUDDY TABLER
Special to the Tribune
ST. JOHN – Larned’s Lady Indians raced to a 29-16 halftime lead en route to a 52-27 fifth-place victory over Nickerson at the St. John Midwinter Classic.
Leading only 8-3 after the first quarter, Larned turned up the defensive heat that led to 20 first-half turnovers by Nickerson and the Lady Indians were on cruise control for the rest of the game. Larned’s defense was responsible for 34 total turnovers by Nickerson which led to a number of easy baskets. Larned outscored Nickerson 16-3 in the third quarter to lead 45-19 at the end of the third quarter.
Neither team shot well in the game as Nickerson made only 7 of 24 field goal attempts for 29% and Larned more than doubled the Panthers’ number of shot attempts, 21 of 56 for 37%. Both teams struggled from the charity stripe. Nickerson made 9 of 23 and Larned just 4 of 16 but it was not a factor in the outcome of the game.
Larned coach Jerrod Smith is pleased with the defensive progress.
“Our defense is getting better," Smith said. "The girls are understanding what we are trying to accomplish with our press. We're not a great shooting team. We have to get points off our defense and we did that today.”
Nickerson (2-8) played without standout Destiny Ponds who had an injured toe. Kalyse Abernathy scored nine points, Centhiyah Bankston six and Skylar Lamas five.
Larned (5-6) was paced by Jadyn Crosby’s 17 points. Akielah Collins scored 14 points and Abby Holt added eight. Larned’s Kenzie Reinert was selected for the Girls’ Hustle Award for the tournament.
Nickerson 3 13 3 8 – 27
Larned 8 21 16 7 – 52
NICKERSON (2-8)–Abernathy 2 1-2 9, Bankston 1 4-6 6, Lamas 2 1-3 5, Ontjes 1 1-2 3, Morrell 1 0-0 2, Hambrick 0 1-4 1, Totals 7 8-17 27.
LARNED (5-6)–Crosby 7 0-0 17, Collins 6 2-8 14, Holt 3 0-0 8, Reinert 2 0-0 5, Hemken 1 1-2 3, Wachs 1 0-0 2, Hagerman 1 0-0 2, Pinkston 0 1-2 1, Totals 21 4-16 52.
3-pointers–N 2 (Abernathy 2), L 6 (Crosby 3, Holt 2, Reinert 1).
CIMARRON 77, CHASE 9 (7TH) – Cimarron's Morgan Eskam and Taegan Eskam each scored 14 points for the Bluejays, who converted nine 3-pointers. Chase's Jersey Meyeres scored six points.
Cimarron 30 18 14 10 – 77
Chase 4 0 0 5 – 9
CIMARRON (2-9)–Morgan Eskam 7 0-3 14, Taegan Eskam 5 0-0 14, Wilson 6 0-0 12, Madilyn Burkhart 4 0-0 9, Torres 3 0-0 8, Fugitt 3 0-0 7, Brandie Burkhart 1 2-2 5, Jantz 2 0-0 4, Buehler 2 0-0 4, Totals 33 2-5 77.
CHASE (0-11)–Meyeres 3 0-0 6, Aurelia Bowen 1 0-2 3, Totals 4 0-2 9.
3-pointers–Cimarron 9 (T. Eskam 4, Torres 2, Fugitt 1, B. Burkhart 1, M. Burkhart 1), Chase 1 (A. Bowen 1).
ST. JOHN MIDWINTER GIRLS
FINALS—1ST—St. John 63, Wichita Sunrise 59; 3RD—Central Plains 41, Macksville 30; 5TH—Larned 52, Nickerson 27; 7TH—Cimarron 77, Chase 9
SECOND ROUND—St. John 43, Central Plains 23; Wichita Sunrise 56, Macksville 41; Larned 73, Chase 13, Nickerson 58, Cimarron 52
FIRST ROUND—St. John 79, Chase 6; Central Plains 31, Larned 29; Wichita Sunrise 71, Cimarron 35; Macksville 52, Nickerson 20
