BY BUDDY TABLER
Special to the Tribune
LARNED – A young Larned girls basketball team surprised the Pratt Greenbacks Friday with a well-played 42-38 victory in Friday’s season opener.
Coming off of a one-win season in 2019-20, the Larned girls served notice that this year would be different as four freshmen played significant minutes for the Indians. Every player that was suited up got into the action for Larned. With only one returning starter it is a new look for Larned and it paid dividends Friday in a game that was close throughout.
Larned’s Julie Tapia scored 11 points and freshmen Jaidyn Pinkston and Akiela Collins added 7 each. Kiana Meyer added 6. Larned converted 10 of 26 free throws and 15 of 50 from the field for 30%.
In the fourth quarter Larned was able to maintain a 2-4 point lead throughout the closing minutes but struggles at the free throw line kept the game close.
“We didn’t convert well from the free throw line,” said Larned coach Ashley Crosby. “We could have had a bigger winning margin by shooting better but, hey, I am so happy for these girls. They’ve worked hard, they are young but willing nd we’re going to get better.”
Pratt grabbed a 10-8 first quarter edge and was able to extend that to a 7-point, 21-14 advantage at halftime on the strength of several 3-point baskets. The Greenbacks converted 3 of 21 three-point attempts, allowing the Indians inside attack to crawl back into the game and grab a 31-30 third quarter edge. Pratt only made 12 of 55 field goal attempts.
“We did a good job of defending in the paint,” Crosby said. “Pratt took a lot of outside shots but didn’t make many.”
Pratt’s Lexi Walker scored with 13 points while Abby Gatlin had 9 and Corinne Donnenwerth added 8. The Greenbacks were 11 of 16 from the charity stripe and 12 of 55 from the field for 22%.
The Larned girls will play Wednesday and Thursday in the Keady Basketball Classic in Larned.
Pratt 10 11 9 8 – 38
Larned 8 6 17 11 – 42
PRATT (0-1)–Walker 4 3-3 13, Gatlin 2 4-4 9, Donnenworth 2 4-4 8, Helfrich 2 0-0 4, Rasmussen 1 0-0 2, Bates 1 0-1 2, Theis 0 0-4 0, Totals 12 11-16 38
LARNED (1-0)–Julie Tapia 3 5-12 11, Collins 3 1-2 7, Pinkston 3 0-4 7, Meyer 2 2-2 6, Krehbiel 1 0-0 3, Herrera 1 1-3 3, Upson 1 1-3 3, MacMahon 1 0-0 2, Totals 15 10-26 42
3-pointers–P 3 (Walker 2, Gatlin 1), L 2 (Krehbiel 1, Pinkston 1)
