A dynamic dozen
KARNS CITY — Once Karns City found a run, it ran away.
The Gremlins used a 12-0 run midway through the fourth quarter to pull away from stubborn Union for a 67-56 KSAC boys basketball victory Saturday afternoon.
Before that stretch, neither team ever had a lead of more than six points. The score was tied six times — the last at 45-45 with 7:03 to play — and the lead had changed hands on 12 occasions.
“They were hanging around. We had to try something different,” Karns City coach Chris Bellis said. “We went to the pressure. Fortunately for us, it worked.”
The Gremlins (3-2) took the lead for good at 47-45 on a Chandler Turner layup with 6:07 left in the game. That play kick-started the 12-0 run.
Jimmy Thompson converted a three-point play, Jacob Friel hit a pair of free throws, Ian McElroy drained a trey and Turner canned a baseline jumper. The score was suddenly 57-45 with 3:44 remaining and the Golden Knights never got closer than nine the rest of the way.
Union (1-4) had 23 turnovers, 14 in the second half.
“We've been having trouble handling pressure,” Union coach Eric Mortimer said. “That's what got us today. It's something we've been working on and we'll continue to work on it.”
McElroy paced four Gremlins in double figures with 15 points. He hit three treys. Turner had 14 points, seven rebounds and three steals, Noah Kepple 13 points and three steals, Noah Pollock 10 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals.
“Noah Pollock is a senior point guard. He's our leader out there,” Bellis said. “He triggered a lot of things for us when we needed it.
“Union is a nearby school and this is a bit of a rivalry. We knew this would be a battle and it was.”
Lucas Bowser paced the Golden Knights with 15 points, 11 of those coming in the first quarter.
“Not to make excuses, but he was playing on a bad ankle,” Mortimer said. “I got him out of there in the second quarter. He said he felt good enough to play some in the second half, but it wasn't the same.”
Kolby Montgomery had 12 points, six rebounds and three assists for Union with Hunrter Johnston adding 12 points and four rebounds. Gavin Hawk had six assists.
“He's one of the best defenders in the league,” Mortimer said of Hawk.
Karns City had a 35-30 edge in rebounding. The Gremlims trailed 30-25 at the half.
“We came out and played a strong third quarter and we hit some clutch free throws in the fourth. That was good to see,” Bellis said.
The Gremlins sank 11 of 13 free throws in the fourth quarter after making just five of 12 in the first three periods.
UNION 56Kolby Montgomery 5-20 1-3 12, Ryan Moore 0-0 0-0 0, Trey Miles 0-0 0-0 0, Gavin Hawk 1-4 3-4 5, Reice Saylor 0-1 2-2 2, Nolan Cumberland 1-1 0-0 3, Hunter Johnston 3-6 4-5 12, Lucas Bowser 6-12 0-0 15, Dana Logue 1-3 4-7 6, Coleman Buchanan 0-0 1-2 1. Totals: 17-47 15-23 56.KARNS CITY 67Noah Pollock 3-9 3-4 10, Noah Kepple 3-6 6-6 13, Ian McElroy 6-9 0-0 15, Nolan Riley 0-0 0-0 0, Jacob Friel 0-1 4-7 4, Eric Dodd 1-11 0-0 2, Jimmy Thompson 4-4 1-1 9, Chandler Turner 6-12 2-7 14. Totals: 23-51 16-25 67.Union 13 17 10 16 — 56Karns City9 16 18 24 — 673-point goals: Montgomery, Cumberland, Johnston 2, Bowser 3; Pollock, Kepple, McElroy 3JV: Karns City, 51-42 (U: Luke Bowser 15; KC: Noah Kepple 9, Caiden Corbett 9, Hunter Rowe 9, Nolan Riley 9)Tuesday: A-C Valley at Union, Moniteau at Karns City
