Foxes use scoring run to conquer Longhorns

LOGAN - A highly touted Fort Sumner-House boys basketball team didn't have its best shooting night. But a scoring run in the third quarter was all it needed to secure a 70-56 district victory Saturday over Logan.

The No. 2-ranked Foxes led 36-31 at halftime and embarked on a 16-7 run in the third quarter. That gave Fort Sumner a 52-38 lead, and it maintained a double-digit advantage the rest of the game.

Clay Norman led the Foxes with 18 points, and 6-foot-7 center Cash Burney added 16. Fort Sumner (19-2) won their 11th straight and took a two-game lead in the District 6 standings with a 4-0 mark.

For Logan, Kaeden Stoner led his team with 14 points. The Longhorns, ranked fifth in Class 1A, fell to 15-7, 2-2.

"We did a lot of good things," Logan coach Kyle Griffiths said. "But there in the second half, we didn't make a lot of shots. They hurt us on the glass, especially in the third quarter. We gave them too many second, third and fourth opportunities. We have to do a better job rebounding against them if we're going to beat them."

The Longhorns' shooting dry spell occurred after they briefly held a lead in the first quarter and kept it close during the second quarter.

Though the Foxes made 10 3-point shots, coach Brad Holland admitted his team didn't play its best.

"We were sloppy," he said. "We were stagnant offensively a little. But give (Logan) credit; they shot the ball well. When they shoot the ball like that, they're going to give people problems.

"We got a couple of defensive stops (in the second half) and crashed the boards when we needed them."

Saturday's game was a rematch of the title game of the EPAC Tournament in early January. The Foxes, seemingly not missing a shot, essentially ended the game early by racing to a 49-22 lead at halftime en route to an 81-54 victory over the Longhorns.

"Compared to the last time we played them, we came a long way," Griffiths said. "I told the boys to come out, play with confidence, have fun and see what happens. I think they did that in the first half; they played loose especially in the first quarter when we were hitting shots.

"But Fort Sumner's tough. They can beat you in a lot of different ways. Once they start hitting shots, you have to match them scoring-wise. We just weren't able to do that in the second half."

Logan 66, Grady 59

The Longhorns overcame a rough shooting night Thursday to earn a 66-59 district victory over visiting Grady.

Brock Burns led the Longhorns with 18 points, while Mason Wallin added 14.

Griffiths said his team "did a good job crashing the boards and got some easy putbacks. Our post men also did a good job scoring underneath."

Grady fell to 5-10 overall and 0-3 in district play.