By BUDDY TABLER
Special to the Tribune

LARNED — The Larned boys avenged an earlier loss to Nickerson by outlasting the Panthers here Tuesday evening, 46-42, in a game that didn’t seem that close — until the final minute.
With under 3 minutes left, that lead was still eight points but Larned turned the ball over twice and Nickerson’s Thomas Powell abd Trevor Frederick converted back-to-back 3-pointers. Meanwhile the Indians missed the front end of a couple of free throw opportunities.
Nickerson’s Trevor Frederick converted two free throws for a 42-40 score. Following one made free throw by Mason Perez with 13 seconds left. Hunter Jones’ two free throws made it 43-42. Larned’s Thomas Harmon converted three free throws over the final 10 seconds, securing the 46-42 nailbiter for Larned.
“I was really pleased with our energy tonight,” said Larned coach Jerrod Smith. “Except for a couple of minutes there at the end, we took good care of the ball and made good decisions. If we would have been better at the free throw line, it wouldn’t have been so close at the end.”
Larned (6-8, 2-3 CKL) converted 15 of 39 field goal attempts and 12 of 20 free throws. Mason Perez scored 15 points. Damontay Phillips grabbed 10 rebounds while Thomas Harmon added 12 points. The Indians will host Halstead Friday evening in a CKL game.
By employing a 1-2-2 zone defense from the tipoff, the Indians slowed down the offense of Nickerson, an offense that had run roughshod over the Indians just 10 days ago in a 47-29 win.
This time it was Larned who came out aggressive and quickly built a lead they would never relinquish but it did get nervous for Larned coaches and fans.
Taking advantage of 9 first-half turnovers by Nickerson, Larned built a 24-18 halftime advantage and pushed that out to 34-24 at the end of the third quarter.
Nickerson (3-11, 0-5 CKL) converted 13 of 38 shots and 9 of 11 free throws. Hunter Jones scored 15 points and Thomas Powell (8) and Cristian Peterson (7).
Nickerson 7 11 6 18 — 42
Larned 12 12 10 14 — 46
NICKERSON (3-10)—Hunter Jones 5 4-4 15, Powell 3 1-1 8, Peterson 3 1-2 7, Frederick 1 2-2 5, Gorges 2 1-2 5, Tate-Broomfield 1 0-0 2, Totals 15 9-11 42.
LARNED (6-8)—Perez 5 3-4 15, Harmon 3 6-8 12, Sanger 1 2-2 5, Skelton 2 1-4 6, Phillips 3 0-0 6, Smith 1 0-2 2, Totals 15 12-20 46.

CKL BOYS
Hillsboro. 4-0 12-2
Halstead. 4-0 12-2
Hesston. 4-1 11-3
SValley... 3-2 9-6
Kingman. 3-2 7-7
Haven..... 2-3 7-7
Larned.... 2-3 6-8
Pratt....... 1-3 5-9
Hoisington... 1-3 5-9
Lyons..... 1-3 2-12
Nickerson.... 0-5 3-10
TUESDAY
Halstead 64, Lyons 23
Hesston 72, Haven 62
Hillsboro 64, Council Grove 39
Kingman 41, Pratt 33
Larned 46, Nickerson 42
Smoky Valley 58, Hoisington 48

CKL BOYS
HILLSBORO (4-0, 12-2)—W Sterling 80-76; W Moundridge 52-51; W Lyons 73-52; 1ST—W Inman 61-51; L SE Saline 44-55; W Marion 53-41; W *Nickerson 66-44; W *Larned 71-49; W *Hoisington 81-55; W *Haven 63-53; Hillsboro (W Sunrisee 81-59; W Clay Center 54-48; L Holcomb 42-55); W Council Grove 64-39; 2-2—*Pratt; 2-6—*at Lyons; 2-9—*at Kingman; 2-13—*Halstead; 2-16—*Hesston; 2-20—*Smoky Valley

HALSTEAD (4-0, 12-2)—W Remington 51-29; W Bennington 56-39; W Solomon 49-33; 1ST—W Minneapolis 62-31; W Sedgwick 60-50; L Smoky Valley 48-49; W Mulvane 76-50; L *Smoky Valley 57-34; W *Pratt 48-30; W *Haven 50-42; Halstead (W Minneapolis 58-35; L Cheney 52-61; W Haven 46-41); W *Lyons 64-23; 2-2—*at Larned; 2-6—*at Kingman; 2-9—*Hoisington; 2-13—*at Hillsboro; 2-16—*at Nickerson; 2-20—*Haven

HESSTON (4-1, 11-3)—W Sacred Heart 71-51; W Chanute 59-38; L Rose Hill 52-53; 3RD—W Garden Plain 56-42; W Smoky Valley; W Kingman 41-13; W *Pratt 56-40; W *Lyons 59-18; W *Kingman 53-44; L *Halstead 42-50; Hillsboro (W Riley Co. 63-57; L Holcomb 41-71; W Sunrise 79-46); W *Haven 72-62; 2-2—*at Smoky Valley; 2-6—*Nickerson; 2-9—*Larned; 2-13—*at Hoisington; 2-16—*Hillsboro; 2-20—Sterling

SMOKY VALLEY (3-2, 9-6)—L Abilene 67-85; W SE Saline 58-52; W Concordia 58-52; L Hesston; W Halstead 49-48; W *Haven 50-40; L *Halstead 34-57; W *Nickerson 65-60; L *Kingman 61-67; Sterling (L SE Saline 51-55; W Lyons 65-51; W Hugoton 59-57); L Hutchinson Trinity 56-66; W Clay Center 66-37; W *Hoisington 58-48; 2-2—*Hesston; 2-9—*at Pratt; 2-13—*at Lyons; 2-16—*Larned; 2-20—*at Hillsboro

KINGMAN (3-2, 7-7)—L Clearwater 44-45; L Sterling 55-60; L Valley Center 23-37; 5TH—W Conway Springs 61-54; W Pratt 40-38; L Hesston 13-41; W *Hoisington 47-45; L *Hesston 44-53; *Smoky Valley 67-61; Chaparral (W Cjhaparral 66-50; L Belle Plaine 53-54; W Clearwater 50-47); L *Larned 35-45; W *Pratt 41-33; 2-2—*at Lyons; 2-6—*Halstead; 2-9—*Hillsboro; 2-13—*at Haven; 2-16—at Sterling; 2-21—*at Nickerson

HAVEN (2-3, 7-7)—W Hutchinson Trinity 67-57; W Conway Springs 60-29; L—Wichita Sunrise 64-67; 1ST—L—Sterling 49-65; W Lyons 53-38; W *Smoky Valley 40-50; W *Nickerson 44-38; W *Larned 71-59; L *Hillsboro 53-63; Halstead (W Rose Hill 57-43; L Andale 28-55; L Halstead 41-46); W Sedgwick 72-57; L *Hesston 62-72; 2-2—Ellinwood; 2-6—*at Pratt; 2-9—*Lyons; 2-13—*Kingman; 2-16—*Hoisington; 2-20—*at Halstead

LARNED (2-3, 6-8)—W Pratt 60-49; W Ellinwood 66-27; L Macksville 39-47; 3RD—W Hoisington 63-47; W Lyons 56-46; L Central Plains 43-61; L *Hillsboro 49-71; L *Haven 59-71; W *Pratt 42-49; St. John (L St. John 34-56, L Ness City 58-71, L Nickerson 29-47); W *Kingman 45-35; W *Nickerson 46-42; 2-2—*Halstead; 2-6—*at Hoisington; 2-9—*at Hesston; 2-13—Lakin; 2-16—*at Smoky Valley; 2-20—*Lyons

HOISINGTON (1-3, 5-9)—L Central Plains 24-68; W Kinsley 61-41; L St. John 32-49; 3RD—L Larned 46-63; L Pratt 37-42; W *Lyons 46-29; L *Kingman 45-47; L *Hillsboro 55-80; Hoisington (W Russell 54-46; W Otis-Bison 58-46; W Pratt 47-41); L Phillipsburg 39-60; L Chapman 50-54; L *Smoky Valley 48-58; 2-2—*Nickerson; 2-6—*Larned; 2-9—*at Halstead; 2-13—*Hesston; 2-16—*at Haven; 2-20—*at Pratt

LYONS (1-3, 2-12)—L Ellsworth 42-63; L Inman 36-52; L Hillsboro 52-73; L Moundridge 44-59; L Larned 46-56; L Haven 38-53; L *Hoisington 29-46; L *Hesston 18-59; W *Nickerson 34-32; Sterling (L Sterling 51-73; L Smoky Valley 51-65; L Remington 33-34); W Ellinwood 50-25; L *Halstead 23-64; 2-2—*Kingman; 2-6—*Hillsboro; 2-9—*at Haven; 2-13—*Smoky Valley; 2-16—*at Pratt; 2-20—*at Larned

PRATT (1-4, 5-10)—L Larned 49-60; L Hays 55-94; L Andale 33-51; L Kingman 38-40; W Hoisington 42-37; L *Hesston 40-56; L Labette Co. 31-56; L *Halstead 30-48; W *Larned 49-42; Hoisington (W LaCrosse 51-47; W Ellsworth 52-50; L Hoisington 41-47); W Macksville 59-48; L *Kingman 33-41; 2-2—*at Hillsboro; 2-6—*Haven; 2-9—*Smoky Valley; 2-13—*at Nickerson; 2-16—*Lyons; 2-20—*Hoisington

NICKERSON (0-5, 3-10)—L Sedgwick 39-53; W Ellsworth 58-57; L Central Plains 31-65; 3RD—W Plainville 66-48; L Sterling 57-61 OT; L Hillsboro 44-66; L Haven 38-44; L Smoky Valley 60-65; L Lyons 32-34; St. John (L Central Plains 40-64, L KC Christian 56-60, W Larned 47-29); L * Larned 42-46; 2-2—at Hoisington; 2-6—at Hesston; 2-9—at Dodge City; 2-13—Pratt; 2-16—Halstead; 2-20—at Kingman; 2-22—at Cheney