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Vikings' shooting fires past Larned
Brady Hope

Vikings’ shooting smokes Indians

BY BUDDY TABLER

Special to the Tribune

LINDSBORG – The tall and talented Smoky Valley Boys used a 16-5 second-quarter spurt to blow by the Larned Indians 71-46 for a Central Kansas League basketball victory.

Smoky Valley shot a blistering 29 of 44 from the field for 66%. They made their last eight shots to close out the game. This on a night that Larned struggled with their outside shooting and made only 15 of 41 shots for 36%. With a starting lineup that featured 6-5, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 and 6-0, the Vikings dominated the backboards which led to a number of easy baskets. 

Smoky Valley (4-4, 2-0 CKL) was paced by hot-shooting Karson Pihl with 25 points. Kade Blanchat scored 16 and Vincent Pickering added eight.

Larned (3-7, 1-1 CKL) was led by Brady Hope’s 15 points. Cade Colglazier muscled his way to nine points and Ty Smith came off the bench to add seven.

The two teams battled to a close, 20-15 first quarter,  but the Vikings used that 16-5 second quarter and a 23-15 third quarter to put the game away. Smoky Valley was keyed by the outside shooting of Karson Pihl who drained four straight 3-point baskets. Twice, in the second and third quarters, the Vikings made six consecutive baskets as their 1-3-1 full-court pressure turned Larned turnovers into points.

Larned coach Luke Steinlage said, “That is a very good basketball team. Tall and talented and they shot lights out tonight. We didn’t do a good job of finding the open man against their press.”

Larned 15 5 15 11 – 46

Smoky Valley 20 16 23 12 – 71

CENTRAL KANSAS BOYS

Haven 2-0 10-0

Hesston 2-0 8-1

Smoky Valley 2-0 4-4

Pratt 1-1 6-4

Hoisington 1-1 3-6

Larned 1-1 3-7

Nickerson 1-1 1-9

Lyons 0-2 4-5

Halstead 0-2 4-5

Hillsboro 0-2 3-6

1-12—Hoisington 49, Halstead 42 

1-13—Haven 63, Nickerson 25; Pratt 58, Hillsboro 49; Hesston 71, Lyons 28; Smoky Valley 71, Larned 46

HAVEN (2-0, 10-0)—W Hutchinson Trinity 58-40; W Kingman 69-51; W Sunrise 53-37; W Sterling 47-34; W Nickerson 59-28; W Larned 62-14; W Chaparral 53-41; W Pratt 57-39; W* Hoisington 49-25; W *Nickerson 63-25; 1-16-21—at Halstead Tournament; 1-31—*Hillsboro; 2-3—*at Lyons; 2-7—*at Pratt; 2-10—*Smoky Valley; 2-14—*at Hesston; 2-17—*Halstead; 2-21—*at Larned

HESSTON (2-0, 8-1)—L SE Saline 46-56; W Rose Hill 56-39; W Garden Plain 62-30; W Nickerson 50-18; W Smoky Valley 45-35; W Wichita Sunrise 54-39; W Cheney 55-37; W *Pratt 63-50; W *Lyons 71-28; 1-17-21—at Hillsboro (Republic County); 1-27—Buhler; 1-31—*Hoisington; 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 (2-0, 4-4)—L Abilene 52-73; L SE Saline 38-70; L Concordia 59-65; L Hesston 35-45; W Halstead 48-43;  W Hoisington 40-34; W *Hillsboro 57-53; W *Larned 71-46; 1-17-21—at Sterling Tournament; 1-24—Hutchinson Trinity; 1-27—at Clay Center; 1-31—*Lyons; 2-3—*at Nickerson; 2-7—*Hoisington; 2-10—*at Haven; 2-14—*Pratt; 2-17—*Hesston; 2-21—*at Halstead

HOISINGTON (1-1, 3-6)—L Scott City 40-50; W Kinsley 59-34; L Macksville 34-55; W Ellis 60-33; L Sterling 44-60; L Smoky Valley 34-40; L Beloit 30-62; L *Haven 25-49; W Halstead 49-42; 1-17-21—at Hoisington Tournament; 1-24—Phillipsburg; 1-31—*at Hesston; 2-3--*Pratt; 2-7—*at Smoky Valley; 2-10--*Lyons; 2-14—*at Larned; 2-17--*at Nickerson; 2-21--*Hillsboro

LARNED (1-1, 3-7)—L Pratt 19-65; L Ellis 44-53; W St. John 52-38; L Bucklin L 36-60; L Great Bend 33-60; L Haven 14-62; L Ellsworth 22-60; W Skyline 76-51; W *Lyons 61-52; L *Smoky Valley 46-71; 1-17-21—at St. John Tournament; 1-31—*Nickerson; 2-3—*Halstead; 2-7—*at Hillsboro; 2-10—*at Hesston; 2-14—*Hoisington; 2-17—*at Pratt; 2-21—*Haven

NICKERSON (1-1, 1-9)—L Buhler 27-57; L Garden Plain 24-53; L Rose Hill 28-60; L Hesston 18-50; L Haven 28-59; L Pratt 41-65; L Andale 31-57; L Kingman 46-75; W *Halstead 61-52; 1-13—*at Haven 25-63; 1-17-21—at St. John Tournament; 1-31—*at Larned; 2-3—*Smoky Valley; 2-7—*Lyons; 2-10--*at Pratt; 2-14—*at Hillsboro; 2-17—*Hoisington; 2-21—*Hesston

PRATT (1-1, 6-4)—W Larned 65-19;  L Cheney 58-61;  W Wellington 47-45; L El Dorado 54-56; W Russell 61-47; W Nickerson 65-41; W Kingman 49-44; L Haven 39-57; L *Hesston 50-63; W *Hillsboro 58-49; 1-17-21—at Hoisington Tournament; 1-31—*Halstead; 2-3—*at Hoisington; 2-7—*Haven; 2-10—*Nickerson; 2-14—*at Smoky Valley;  2-17—*Larned; 2-21—*at Lyons

LYONS (0-2, 4-5)—W Ellsworth 52-46; L Moundridge 35-71; L Inman 31-67; L Hillsboro 56-74; W Canton 69-61; W Skyline 70-50; W Sedgwick 47-43; L *Larned 52-61; L *Hesston 28-71; 1-17-21—at Sterling Tournament; 1-31—*at Smoky Valley; 2-3—*Haven; 2-7—*at Nickerson; 2-10—*at Hoisington; 2-14—*Halstead; 2-17—*at Hillsboro; 2-21—*Pratt

HALSTEAD (0-2, 4-6)—W Sedgwick 46-44; L Berean 51-62; L Independent 50-73; W Marion 54-51; L Remington 47-64; L Smoky Valley 43-48; W Clearwater 52-30; L Bluestem 62-26; L *Nickerson 52-61; L *Hoisington 42-49; 1-17-21—at Halstead Tournament; 1-31—*at Pratt; 2-3—*at Larned; 2-7—*Hesston; 2-10—*Hillsboro; 2-14—*at Lyons; 2-17—*at Haven; 2-21—*Smoky Valley

HILLSBORO (0-2, 3-6)—L Sterling 60-66; L Inman 21-54; W Moundridge 52-49; W Lyons 74-56; L SE Saline 37-56; L Council Grove 51-52; W Hutchinson Trinity 56-49; L *Smoky Valley 53-57; L *Pratt 49-58; 1-17-21—at Hillsboro Tournament; 1-27—at Minneapolis; 1-31—*at Haven;  2-3—*Hesston; 2-7—*Larned; 2-10—*at Halstead; 2-14—*Nickerson; 2-17—*Lyons; 2-21—*at Hoisington