BY BUDDY TABLER

Special to the Tribune

LARNED – The inside play of Kierson Maydew helped the Pratt Greenbacks to a 42-39 season-opening basketball win Friday.

The 6-0 Maydew dominated the rebounding and posted 13 points to spark Pratt.

Pratt converted 12-20 free throws while Larned made two free throws. Larned converted two more field goals than Pratt.

“We’ve got to put more pressure on the defense, and attack the basket more,” said Larned coach Ashley Crosby said. “We should shoot more free throws. It was the difference in the game.”

Pratt’s Danielle Staats added nine points and Allisan McGowan eight. Larned’s Ivory Muldrow and Baylea Perez each scored 12 points and Katie Fischer added eight.

Pratt raced to a 19-9 first quarter lead, but Larned outscored the Greenbacks 12-6 for a 25-21 halftime score. Larned committed 14 first-half turnovers.

Pratt was able to push the advantage to 36-29 behind its height advantage and trips to the free throw line. Larned rallied behind Muldrow and outscored Pratt 10-6, but several shots at the end of regulation bounced away as the Greenbacks hung on for the victory.

Larned will play again Monday against Kiowa County in the 5:30 game at the Larned Keady Classic.

PRATT BOYS 42, LARNED 37 – The Indian defense kept them in the game, but it wasn’t quite enough as the Pratt outlasted Larned 42-37 in a tough offensive struggle.

Pratt was a little better from the free throw line and that was the difference.

“I was disappointed with our shooting," said Larned coach Jerrod Smith. "Anytime you shoot under 30 percent, it's going to be hard to win unless you are getting a lot of free throws. We didn’t shoot well there either. Early foul trouble contributed to our poor offensive play as we had to go deep into our bench.”

Pratt was 9-19 from the free throw line while Larned was 3-10. Pratt shot 14 of 33 from the field while Larned was 16 of 53 from the field.

Larned’s Chance Sanger scored 10 points and Brock Skelton added nine points. Pratt’s Nathan Kolm scored 11 points and Grant Bolen had nine points.

The two teams struggled offensively in the first quarter and battled to a 9-9 standoff. Pratt managed to get to the charity stripe often in the second quarter as Larned got into some foul trouble and were able to stake out a 22-19 halftime lead.

Neither team shot well but the game was featured by outstanding effort and some great defensive plays as they battled through the third quarter with Pratt clinging to a 29-27 margin.

Pratt’s Grant Bolen scored on two successive trips  at the baseline to give Pratt enough of an edge. On several occasions Larned was able to narrow the margin to a two-point deficit but Pratt countered with free throws.

Larned plays Kiowa County Monday in Larned’s Keady Classic.

Pratt 19 6 11 6 -- 42

Larned 9 12 8 10 -- 39

PRATT (1-0)--Maydew 4 5-6 13; Staats 3 3-5 9; McGowan 2 2-2 8; Rasmussen 3 0-0 6; Fincham 2 0-0 4; Hoover 0 0-2 0; Johnson 0 2-5; 2; Totals 14 12-20 42

LARNED (0-1)--Perez 5 0-0 12; Muldrow 6 0-1 12; Fischer 2 2-2 8; Butler 1 0-0 3; Nesby 1 0-1 2; Sanger 1 0-0 2; Myrick 0 0-1 0; Totals 16 2-5 39

Pratt 9 13 7 13 -- 42

Larned 9 10 8 10 -- 37

PRATT (1-0)--Kolm 2 7-11 11; Bolen 3 3-8 9; Wilson 2 0-0 6; Shanline 2 0-0 6; Winsor 2 0-1 4; Bates 2 0-0 4; Fernandez 1 0-2 2; Totals 14 10-22 42.

LARNED (0-1)--Sanger 4 1-4 10; Skelton 4 0-1 9; Thomas 3 0-0 6; Fletcher 2 2-4 6; Smith 1 0-1 2; Tucker 1 0-0 2; Rupp 1 0-0 2; Totals 16 3-10 37