Late rally pushes Scott City past Andale

Andale, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–For about 29 minutes, Scott City trailed on Wednesday night at Andale in the Class 4A Sub-State semi-final game. In the end, the Beavers would find a way in the late seconds, as Brooks Bailey’s runner on the left baseline with 2.4 seconds remaining would give Scott City a two-point lead, as the Beavers got of Andale with a 39-35 win in an intense and physical game.

Scott City led early on 2-0, only to see the Indians rally for seven straight to lead 7-2, just a little over two minutes in. The Beavers would rally to pull to within 9-8 late in the opening quarter, before an Andale 8-0 run gave them their largest lead at 17-8 with 6:14 left before halftime. Despite the scoring struggles, Scott City (11-10) never found themselves out of the game, as they clawed back with seven straight in a 60-second span, forcing four turnovers in a row, to get to within 17-15 with 3:40 left before the break. They didn’t score for the rest of the half, and the Indians would score only two points to lead 19-15 at the break.

To open the second half, the Beavers hit their first three-point shot of the game to get to within one at 19-18. Scott City was not able to get the lead back on a few occasions, and Andale (15-6) was able to put up six straight to lead 25-19 with 3:37 left in the third stanza. The Beavers ended a five-minute drought and scored the last three points of the period to pull to within 25-21. Early in the fourth period, the Indians put in a pair of free throws to go up six, only to see Scott City score 10 straight to lead 31-27 with 4:58 left. Andale rallied with six in a row to lead with 2:39 left 33-31. The Beavers hit two of their next four free throws with one minute left to tie the game at 33. 

After an Indian turnover, Scott City would get two free throws from Jackson Rumford to give them the lead back at 35-33 with 19.1 left. Andale drove down and Paxton Spexarth tied the game with 9.7 seconds on an and-one. However, he would miss the free throw. That’s when the Beavers would take the lead for good. They got the rebound and Jackson Rumford pushed the ball across the court, and found a cutting Brooks Bailey on the left baseline, as his floater went in with 2.4 seconds left to give Scott City a 37-35 lead. The Indians threw the ball out of bounds on the ensuing possession. The Beavers inbounded the ball, and sank a pair of free throws to put the game on ice with 1.3 seconds left, as they escaped with a 39-35 win.

Jackson Rumford scored nine of his game-high 17 points in the fourth quarter for Scott City, as they finished with 17 turnovers. The Beavers went 9-14 from the line, and were 7-10 in the final period. Andale got 11 points from Austin Baalman, as the Indians committed 17 turnovers and finished 8-11 from the charity line. Scott City held Andale to a season-low 35 points.

With the win, Scott City advances to their first sub-state final since 2017. It was their first win against an AVCTL team since defeating Wichita Collegiate in the 2015 Class 3A State Chamionship game. It was the first meeting all-time between Scott City and Andale.

Scott City 8 7 6 18–39
Andale   11 8 6 10–35

Scott City (11-10): Ruelas 1 0-0 3; Stoecklein 0 0-0 0; Noll 3 2-4 8; Vulgamore 1 0-0 2; Tarango 1 1-2 4; Rumford 6 5-6 17; Bailey 1 1-2 3; Vance 1 0-0 2; Team: 16 9-14 39
Andale (15-6): Baalman 4 2-2 11; Horsch 1 2-2 4; Molitor 0 0-0 0; Potucek 4 0-0 8; Braaten 0 0-0 0; Harp 1 0-0 2; Butts 1 2-4 4; Spexarth 2 2-3 6; Team: 13 8-11 35

Three-point goals: Scott City 2 (Ruelas 1, Tarango 1), Andale 1 (Baalman 1); Turnovers: Scott City 17, Andale, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–For about 29 minutes, Scott City trailed on Wednesday night at Andale in the Class 4A Sub-State semi-final game. In the end, the Beavers would find a way in the late seconds, as Brooks Bailey’s runner on the left baseline with 2.4 seconds remaining would give Scott City a two-point lead, as the Beavers got of Andale with a 39-35 win in an intense and physical game.
Scott City led early on 2-0, only to see the Indians rally for seven straight to lead 7-2, just a little over two minutes in. The Beavers would rally to pull to within 9-8 late in the opening quarter, before an Andale 8-0 run gave them their largest lead at 17-8 with 6:14 left before halftime. Despite the scoring struggles, Scott City (11-10) never found themselves out of the game, as they clawed back with seven straight in a 60-second span, forcing four turnovers in a row, to get to within 17-15 with 3:40 left before the break. They didn’t score for the rest of the half, and the Indians would score only two points to lead 19-15 at the break.
To open the second half, the Beavers hit their first three-point shot of the game to get to within one at 19-18. Scott City was not able to get the lead back on a few occasions, and Andale (15-6) was able to put up six straight to lead 25-19 with 3:37 left in the third stanza. The Beavers ended a five-minute drought and scored the last three points of the period to pull to within 25-21. Early in the fourth period, the Indians put in a pair of free throws to go up six, only to see Scott City score 10 straight to lead 31-27 with 4:58 left. Andale rallied with six in a row to lead with 2:39 left 33-31. The Beavers hit two of their next four free throws with one minute left to tie the game at 33. 
After an Indian turnover, Scott City would get two free throws from Jackson Rumford to give them the lead back at 35-33 with 19.1 left. Andale drove down and Paxton Spexarth tied the game with 9.7 seconds on an and-one. However, he would miss the free throw. That’s when the Beavers would take the lead for good. They got the rebound and Jackson Rumford pushed the ball across the court, and found a cutting Brooks Bailey on the left baseline, as his floater went in with 2.4 seconds left to give Scott City a 37-35 lead. The Indians threw the ball out of bounds on the ensuing possession. The Beavers inbounded the ball, and sank a pair of free throws to put the game on ice with 1.3 seconds left, as they escaped with a 39-35 win.
Jackson Rumford scored nine of his game-high 17 points in the fourth quarter for Scott City, as they finished with 17 turnovers. The Beavers went 9-14 from the line, and were 7-10 in the final period. Andale got 11 points from Austin Baalman, as the Indians committed 17 turnovers and finished 8-11 from the charity line. Scott City held Andale to a season-low 35 points.
With the win, Scott City advances to their first sub-state final since 2017. It was their first win against an AVCTL team since defeating Wichita Collegiate in the 2015 Class 3A State Chamionship game. It was the first meeting all-time between Scott City and Andale.
Scott City 8 7 6 18–39Andale   11 8 6 10–35
Scott City (11-10): Ruelas 1 0-0 3; Stoecklein 0 0-0 0; Noll 3 2-4 8; Vulgamore 1 0-0 2; Tarango 1 1-2 4; Rumford 6 5-6 17; Bailey 1 1-2 3; Vance 1 0-0 2; Team: 16 9-14 39Andale (15-6): Baalman 4 2-2 11; Horsch 1 2-2 4; Molitor 0 0-0 0; Potucek 4 0-0 8; Braaten 0 0-0 0; Harp 1 0-0 2; Butts 1 2-4 4; Spexarth 2 2-3 6; Team: 13 8-11 35
Three-point goals: Scott City 2 (Ruelas 1, Tarango 1), Andale 1 (Baalman 1); Turnovers: Scott City 17, Andale 17; Fouls: Scott City 18, Andale 16; Fouled Out: Andale (Butts).

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Scott City will head to Towanda to take on the Circle Thunderbirds Saturday evening at 5 pm. Circle is 19-2, after a 65-54 win over Ulysses on Wednesday night.