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Macdonald sparks Nickerson past Larned girls
akielah collins
Larned Indian Akielah Collins (24) splits defense from Nickerson's Carlee Macdonald (23) and Destiny Ponds (24) in the Panthers' 45-39 Central Kansas League basketball victory. - photo by COURTESY PHOTO Janet Fleske

BY BUDDY TABLER

Special to the Tribune

LARNED — The Nickerson girls overcame a 22-13 halftime deficit to rally and down the Larned Lady Indians 45-39 here Tuesday evening in a Central Kansas League game.

It was a tale of two halves as Larned dominated the first half 22-13. Carlee MacDonald scored 12 points as Nickerson dominated the second half 32-17.

Larned grabbed a 10-5 first quarter lead and extended it to the 9-point halftime advantage before Nickerson rallied in the third quarter behind 10 third-quarter points by senior Carlee MacDonald who drilled three 3-pointers. Nickerson pulled even at 27-27 at the third quarter stop and then outscored Larned 18-12 in the fourth quarter for the win.

“We knew Nickerson would  make a run at us in the second half," Larned coach Jerrod Smith said,. "When they did we stopped running our offense and got away from what had been working. We also turned the ball over seven times in that critical third quarter.”

Larned closed the gap to two points with 2:13 remaining but Nickerson used free throws to hold off the Lady Indians and close out the win. The Lady Panthers outscored Larned 32-17 in the second half to rally and gain the win.

Nickerson shot a cold 4 of 19 in the first half but came back to make 11 of 21 in the second half. They ended the night 15 of 40 for 37% but, importantly, converted 12 of 15 free throw attempts..

Kalyse Abernathy led the Lady Panthers (5-9, 2-1 CKL) with 17 points and Carlee MacDonald posted 12 while Adaylee Morrell scored 6 and Ayla Ontjes 5.

Larned made 15-of-43 field goal attempts for 34% and got to the free throw line only five times, making four. Akielah Collins scored 14 points while Karley Lemuz added 11 while Kiana Meyer and Jadyn Pinkston added 5. Elizabeth Herrera scored 4. Larned’s loss left them with a 3-11 record for the season. They will host Halstead on Friday evening in a CKL contest.

Nickerson   5  8 14 18 – 45

Larned      10 12 5 12 – 39

NICKERSON (5-9, 2-1)—Abernathy 5 7-8 17, Macdonald 4 2-2 12, Morrell 2 2-2 6, Ontjes 2 0-0 5, Ponds 1 1-3 3, Perry 1 0-0 2, Totals 15 12-15 45

LARNED (3-11, 1-2)—Collins 6 1-1 14, Lemuz 4 3-4 11, Pinkston 2 0-0 5, Meyer 2 0-0 5, Herrera 2 0-0 4, Totals 16 4-5 39

3-pointers—N 3 (Macdonald 2, Ontjes 1); L 3 (Pinkston 1, Meyer 1, Collins 1)

CENTRAL KANSAS GIRLS

Hillsboro 3-0 11-3

Haven 2-1 11-3

Hesston 2-1 10-4

Smoky Valley 2-1 9-5

Halstead 2-1 8-6

Nickerson 2-1 5-9

Hoisington 1-2 8-6

Larned 1-2 3-11

Pratt 0-3 7-7

Lyons 0-3 5-9

1-31—Hillsboro 39, Haven 32; Nickerson 45, Larned 39; Hoisington 45, Hesston 39; Smoky Valley 57, Lyons 41; Halstead 46, Pratt 29

2-3—Haven at Lyons; Hesston at Hillsboro; Smoky Valley at Nickerson; Pratt at Hoisington; Halstead at Larned

HILLSBORO (3-0, 11-3)—W Sterling 44-18; W Inman 64-49; W Moundridge 45-19; W Lyons 51-27; L SE Saline 40-45; W Council Grove 52-13; W Hutchinson Trinity 51-20; W *Smoky Valley 51-49; W *Pratt 48-47 (2 OT); Hillsboro (W Republic 46-15; L Holcomb 46-49; L Eureka 43-37); W Minneapolis 48-34; W *Haven 39-32; 2-3—*Hesston; 2-7—*Larned; 2-10—*at Halstead; 2-14—*Nickerson; 2-17—*Lyons; 2-21—*at Hoisington

HAVEN (2-1, 11-3)—W Hutchinson Trinity 48-22; W Kingman 38-27; W Sunrise 49-38; W Great Bend 40-35; W Nickerson 49-32; W Larned 52-30; W Chaparral 54-41; W Pratt 51-44; W * Hoisington 37-32; W *Nickerson 56-52 (2 OT); Haven (W Rose Hill 52-23; L Garden Plain 26-36; L Andale 39-31); L *Hillsboro 32-39; 2-3—*at Lyons; 2-7—*at Pratt; 2-10—*Smoky Valley; 2-14—*at Hesston; 2-17—*Halstead; 2-21—*at Larned

HESSTON (2-1, 10-4)—L SE Saline 36-49; W Rose Hill 55-16; W Garden Plain 47-35; W Nickerson 58-39; W Smoky Valley 49-42; L Cheney 38-42; W *Pratt 47-14; W *Lyons 59-39; Hillsboro (W Remington 40-35; W Eureka 40-39; W Holcomb 40-29); W Buhler 54-43; L *Hoisington 43-51; 2-3—*at Hillsboro; 2-7—*at Halstead; 2-10—*Larned; 2-14—*Haven; 2-17—*at Smoky Valley; 2-21—*at Nickerson

SMOKY VALLEY (2-1, 9-5)—W Abilene 73-39; L SE Saline 46-48; W Concordia 47-27; L Hesston 42-49; L Halstead 33-37;  W Hoisington 43-39; L *Hillsboro 49-51; W *Larned 50-44; Sterling (L Hugoton 46-56; W Sterling 53-43; W Kingman 52-49); W Hutchinson Trinity 58-27; W Clay Center 44-43; W *Lyons 57-41; 2-3—*at Nickerson; 2-7—*Hoisington; 2-10—*at Haven; 2-14—*Pratt; 2-17—*Hesston; 2-21—*at Halstead

HALSTEAD (2-1, 8-6)—W Sedgwick 39-13; L Berean 45-55; L Independent 16-73; W Wichita Homeschool 69-51; W Remington 37-35; W Smoky Valley 37-33; L Clearwater 30-47; W Bluestem 32-31 (OT); L *Nickerson 45-50; W *Hoisington 39-22; Haven (L Andale 34-53; W Nickerson 51-30; L Circle); W *Pratt 46-29; 2-3—*at Larned; 2-7—*Hesston; 2-10—*Hillsboro; 2-14—*at Lyons; 2-17—*at Haven; 2-21—*Smoky Valley

NICKERSON (2-1, 5-9)—L Buhler 43-45; L Garden Plain 33-53; W Rose Hill 48-29; L Hesston 39-58; L Haven 32-49; L Pratt 25-47; L Andale 33-41; W Kingman 53-41; W *Halstead 50-45; L *Haven 52-56 (2 OT); Haven (L Cheney 9-48; L Halstead 31-50; W Rose Hill 60-30); W *Larned 45-39; 2-3—*Smoky Valley; 2-7—*Lyons; 2-10--*at Pratt; 2-14—*at Hillsboro; 2-17—*Hoisington; 2-21—*Hesston

HOISINGTON (1-2, 8-6)—L Scott City 22-40; W Kinsley 71-9; W Bucklin 57-43; W Ellis 44-41; W Sterling 45-22; L Smoky Valley 39-43; W Beloit 54-19; L *Haven 32-37;  *Halstead 22-39; Hoisington (W La Crosse 48-14; W Ellsworth 25-23; L Cimarron 21-33); L Phillipsburg 21-47; W *Hesston 51-43; 2-3--*Pratt; 2-7—*at Smoky Valley; 2-10--*Lyons; 2-14—*at Larned; 2-17--*at Nickerson; 2-21--*Hillsboro

LARNED (1-2, 3-11)—L Pratt 50-52; L Ellis 33-37; W Spearville 40-34; L Macksville 33-37; L Great Bend 34-45; L Haven 30-52; L Ellsworth 33-41; W Skyline 56-36; W *Lyons 42-32; L * Smoky Valley 44-50; St. John (L Central Plains 26-54; L St. John 32-54; L Macksville 34-39 (OT); L *Nickerson 39-45; 2-3—*Halstead; 2-7—*at Hillsboro; 2-10—*at Hesston; 2-14—*Hoisington; 2-17—*at Pratt; 2-21—*Haven

PRATT (0-3, 7-7)—W Larned 52-50; L Cheney 32-61;  L Wellington 22-53; W El Dorado 57-14; W Russell 60-17; W Nickerson 45-31; W Kingman 61-60; L Haven 44-51; L *Hesston 14-47; L *Hillsboro 47-48 (2 OT); Hoisington (W Ellinwood 59-37; L Cimarron 36-38; W Ellsworth 43-30); L *Halstead 29-46; 2-3—*at Hoisington; 2-7—*Haven; 2-10—*Nickerson; 2-14—*at Smoky Valley;  2-17—*Larned; 2-21—*at Lyons

LYONS (0-3, 5-9)—L Ellsworth 33-48; W Moundridge 57-40; W Inman 46-40; L Hillsboro 27-51; W Canton 35-30; W Skyline 47-24; L Sedgwick 36-51; L *Larned 32-42; L *Hesston 39-59; Sterling (W Hutchinson Trinity 53-42; L Scott City 38-50; L SE Saline 38-43); L Ellinwood 38-43; L *Smoky Valley 41-57; 2-3—*Haven; 2-7—*at Nickerson; 2-10—*at Hoisington; 2-14—*Halstead; 2-17—*at Hillsboro; 2-21—*Pratt