Scott City boys claim Orange & Black title, girls fall in fourth place game

Colby, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–It was a split result for the Scott City boys and girls basketball teams Saturday on the final day of the 29th Annual Paul Wintz/Tom Bowen Orange & Black Classic in Colby. For the Lady Beavers, a tough scoring second half would do them in in a 49-33 loss to McCook for fourth and sixth place, while the Beaver boys scored 27 first quarter points en route to their third Orange & Black championship in a 71-57 victory over Palmer Ridge.

In the girls game, Scott City never led, but were tied on three different occasions in the first half. They didn’t score for the first five minutes, yet tied the game at six late in the first quarter, before McCook scored the final five first quarter points to take an 11-6 lead after one. The second quarter saw the Lady Bison build their lead to 21-11 with 5:4o before halftime. Scott City would catch up, using a 13-3 run to tie the game at 24 with under a minute remaining before halftime, and would go into the locker room tied at 26. Unfortunately for the Lady Beavers, lack of second half scoring would hurt them again. McCook (8-9) outscored Scott City 15-4 in the third quarter, and took a 41-30 lead into the final eight minutes. The Lady Beavers were unable to get any closer than 11 in the final period, and only scored three points in the frame. A big story in the game was sophomore Tiara Schmidt for McCook, who came in averaging seven points a game. She would lead all scorers with 25 points, while Brenleigh Daum added 16. Scott City (2-8) was paced by Bailey Nickel’s 14 points. 

The boys championship game featured two teams that reached the finals in their last times in the Orange & Black. Scott City won the tournament in 2012, and Palmer Ridge finished second in 2013. It would be the Beavers who got off to a hot start, thanks in part to their solid three-point shooting. They would hit five three-point baskets in the first quarter alone, and build up a 27-14 lead after the first eight minutes of play, which was Scott City’s highest point total in the first quarter this year. In the opening period, the Beavers used a pair of 9-0 runs to build their lead to as big as 15. Scott City would continue their momentum in the second by starting off with an 8-0 run to give them a 35-14 lead through the first three minutes of the period. Palmer Ridge would eventually cut their deficit to 36-29 at the half. In the second half, the Beavers’ lead would fluctuate between 14-20 points, and never felt threatened by the Bears for the rest of the night, as they took their second straight championship at the Orange & Black in as many appearances, and also won their eighth straight tournament game in Colby, dating back to 2010. Scott City (9-1) finished with three players scoring double figures, and had two more score at least eight points. Trey O’Neil converted six three-pointers and finished with a game-high 26 points, while Brett Meyer added 12 and Brayden Strine had 11. Palmer Ridge (9-6) got 25 points from junior Matt Cameron and 11 from Tim Marty. 

On the final day of games Saturday on the girls side, Sunrise Christian defeated Burlington in the seventh place game 57-47, Hugoton got past Liberal in the third and fifth place game 63-53, and Palmer Ridge held off Colby in the championship 41-34.

Boys scores from Saturday included Hugoton pulling away from Burlington in the seventh place game 56-47, Liberal thumped Colby in the fourth and sixth place game 67-35, and Wichita West held off McCook in the third and fifth place game 58-55. 

All-Tournament Teams were announced. The girls team featured Bailey Nickel from Scott City, Amy Scott and Katy Heger from Hugoton, Jai Chapman from Liberal, Brenleigh Daum and Tiara Schmidt from McCook Brenley Terrell and Haileigh Shull from Colby, and Rhyley Lane and Ali Meyer from Palmer Ridge. Shull received the Sportsmanship award, Hugoton’s Melissa Fabela picked up the Off the Bench Award, McCook Coach Jeff Ellis won the Tom Bowen Coaches Award, and Ali Meyer won the MVP. 

The Boys All-Tournament team featured Trey O’Neil, Brett Meyer and Sloan Baker from Scott City, Matt Cameron, Edmund Cameron and Nick Vitwar from Palmer Ridge, Bryce Money from Wichita West, Mack Alspaugh from McCook and Luke Cox from Colby. Sloan Baker won the Sportsmanship Award, Matt Cameron from Palmer Ridge took the Off The Bench Award, Scott City Coach Glenn O’Neil won the Tom Bowen Coaches Award, and Trey O’Neil was the tournament MVP.

Also, the Scott City Cheer Squad won the Community Spirit Award.