2024 Class 4A Boys Quarterfinals
Mar. 10—McPherson leads by nine at half over Fort Scott
The number one seed McPherson Bullpups used a pressure defense and took advantage of
baskets at the rim. McPherson scored 22 first half points in the paint, while the defense
converted turnovers into eight points in the first 16 minutes. The Bullpups advanced to the
semifinals with a 61-48 victory over the eighth seed Fort Scott.
Both teams battled back and forth with McPherson maintaining a five-to-10-point lead
throughout most of the second half. Fort Scott's Spencer Goldston nailed an NBA three and
Roco Loffredo put in a second chance basket under the rim to pull with five points at 2:30
remaining in the game.
Free throws by Kayden Thompson and Gabe Pyle propelled McPherson to an 11-point lead with
just over a minute left in the game.
Thompson led all scorers with 20 points with Owen Pyle added 11 for the Bullpups and Cory
Muehler finished with 10. Fort Scott was led by Dierks Kegler with 13 points. McPherson shot
51% from the floor in the game and converted 42 points in the paint.
McPherson 61, Fort Scott 48
Fort Scott 12 8 15 13
McPherson 16 13 13 19
Fort Scott — Dierks Kegler 13, Spencer Goldston 8, Rocco Loffredo 10, Michael Chipman 6,
Kanlin Brown 11. Totals: 14 (7) 13-18.
McPherson — Owen Pyle 11, Cory Muehler 10, Kayden Thompson 20, Gabe Pyle 8, Gavin
Wedel 6, Ian Razak 6. Totals: 24 (3)10-13.
Baldwin jumps out to early lead on Circle
The Baldwin Bulldogs jumped out to a quick seven to zero lead very early against fourth seed
Towanda Circle in the Class 4A Boys quarterfinals Thursday afternoon. Circle came back but
through four lead changes Baldwin took a 32-25 halftime lead. Baldwin converted nine Circle
turnover into 11 points in the first half. Baldwin advances 14, to play McPherson in Friday's
semifinals.
Circle, who's only two losses on the season were to McPherson, struggled shooting from the arc
today going seven of 28. The Thunderbirds did own the paint as they scored 28 points in the
lane.
Cooper Carr led all scorers with 25 points for Baldwin. Joseph Ziemicki had 14 points and Leo
Schoenberger shot in 11. Landon Boldra led Circle with 15 points while Camden Beahm had 14
and Ethan Koehn shot in 11 points.
Baldwin 63, Towanda-Circle 53
Baldwin 14 18 14 17
Circle 13 12 9 19
Baldwin — Joseph Ziembicki 14, Talan Torrez 6, Cooper Carr 25, Leo Schoenberger 11, Colton
Collum 2, Ethan Smasal 3, Garret McLaughlin 2. Totals: 18 (7) 20-29.
Circle — Ethan Koehn 11, Camden Beam 14, Landon Boldra 15, Keaton Koenigsman 4, Conner
Chadwell 6, Gavin Kildow 3. Totals: 21 (7) 4-8.
Atchison breaks out 10-point half-time lead to beat Rock Creek
Atchison breaks out to a 10-point lead at halftime after scoring 14 second chance points and
dominating the offensive glass against the seventh seed Rock Creek Mustangs. Rock Creek
junior Colby Burgess scored 17points in the first half.
The second half saw Atchison use pressure defense and quick transitional baskets to pull away
and shut the door on the Mustangs. Rock Creek 18% from three-point range while trying to
close the gap and during that time Atchison was able to work inside on their offensive glass for
second chance points.
Atchison big man Eric Smith III led the victors with 19 points. Jeter Purdy added 12 and Trey
Carter had 11. Rock Creek's Colby Burgess was held to four second-half points after his
dominating first half performance. Burgess finished with a game high of 21 point. The Mustangs'
only other double digit scorer was Brady Schneider with 12 points.
Atchison 68, Rock Creek 54
Rock Creek 9 15 10 20
Atchison 14 20 12 22
Rock Creek — Trevor Christensen 4, Colby Burgess 21, Daegen Vinduska 4, Ryker Zoeller 4,
Brady Schneider 12, Gavin Rosa 2, Elijah Bell 5, David Wilkinson 2. Totals: 21 (3) 9-13.
Atchison — Xiomer Hernandez 8, Jeter Purdy 12, Trey Carter 11, Jeizeiah Kelley 7, Eric Smith III
19, Jace Richards 9, Yogi Purdy 2. Totals: 26 (7) 9-12.
Defending champion Hugoton ends Cowboys season
The defending Class 4A champions Hugton used a series of three-point baskets in the finals
minutes to pull away from the Abilene Cowboys for a 53-41 win Thursday night in
Salina.Hugoton got 16 points from guard Dasean lewis and center Izeyah Harris in their first win
of the tournament.
Abilene clawed back a double-digit deficit to within one point late in the game before Hugoton
went on a run to close out the game.
Abilene senior Brax Fisher scored 13 points in his final game in orange for the Cowboys. Fisher
played the second half in foul trouble. Abilene shot four of 26 from three for 18% but were in the
game until the very end.
Other Abilene seniors are Zach Miller, Stocton Timbrook and Keaton Hargrave.
Hugoton 53, Abilene 41
Abilene 14 6 9 12
Hugoton 15 11 8 19
Abilene — Brax Fisher 13, Zach Miller 3, Stocton Timbrook 9, Tyler Holloway 2, Weston Rock 4,
Taygen Funston 4, Ian Crump 6. Totals: 17( 4) 3-6.
Hugoton — Dasean Lewis 16, Jay Acosta 12, Isaac Martin3, Emmett Gaskill 6, Izeyah Harris 16.
Totals: 18 (4) 12-13
