CHERRY TWP — Stopping Zach Sloan was No. 1 on the Karns City to-do list.

The Gremlins failed.

Sloan, a 6-foot-3 senior center on the Moniteau boys basketball team, scored 26 points and grabbed 15 rebounds to lead the Warriors to a 55-32 home win Friday night.

Whether it was one, two or three Karns City players guarding Sloan, it didn't matter.

“Zach worked his butt off in the offseason,” said Moniteau boys basketball coach Randy Armagost. “We've been the smallest team on the floor in four of our six games, but he's been good every night. I told him, when we get back in our league, it's going to pay off.”

It did against Karns City (2-6, 1-3), which entered the KSAC game with the goal of keeping the ball away from Sloan.

But Sloan scored eight points in the first quarter as the Warriors (4-3, 2-1) roared out to a 20-7 lead and had 17 points by the half.

“We failed miserably in keeping the ball out of (Sloan's) hands,” said Karns City coach Chris Bellis. “That's why they beat us, really. They were more physical than us, they outhustled us, outworked us and they deserved to win.”

Sloan is averaging more than 17 points and 10 rebounds per game.

“My mentality when I get the ball is to score,” Sloan said. “Go to the hoop and don't let anyone stop me.

“I like a physical game,” Sloan added. “I like to get in there and bump a little bit. It doesn't bother me.”

While Sloan had little trouble scoring, Karns City struggled.

The Gremlins were 4-of-20 shooting from 3-point range in the first half and 5 of 30 in the game.

Moniteau extended its zone past the 3-point arc to make it even more difficult for the Karns City shooters. The Gremlins launched several shots from far beyond the arc.

“It's a whole lot easier to make a shot from 2 feet away than from 30,” Armagost said. “You saw that tonight.”

The one bright spot for the Gremlins was the play of freshman guard Tyler Kepple, who scored 14 points.

Kepple hit three of his four 3-pointers in the second quarter to keep Karns City in the game.

“I always say good players step up in big games, and this was a big game,” Bellis said. “He definitely stepped up and knocked down some shots and kept us hanging around.”

KARNS CITY 32Brad Fuhrer 1-12 2-5 5, Mike Sinkevich 0-0 0-0 0, Brandyn Bowser 1-6 1-2 3, Dylan Hipple 0-2 0-0 0, Jake Henry 1-4 0-0 2, Ethan Williams 0-0 2-2 2, Brady Ellenberger 0-1 0-0 0, Andrew Johnston 0-0 2-2 2, Tucker Preston 1-9 0-0 2, Josh Wallace 0-3 0-0 0, Kyle Barger 0-2 0-0 0, Tyler Kepple 5-13 0-0 14, Tom Stoughton 0-0 0-0 0, Zach Kepple 0-1 0-0 0, Anthony Easley 1-1 0-0 2.

Totals: 10-54 7-11 32.

MONITEAU 55Kyle Armagost 5-15 3-3 14, Zach Sloan 9-10 8-15 27, Andrew Armagost 2-11 2-2 6, Ethan Pry 0-1 0-2 0, Heath Lominski 2-4 1-1 5, Dalton Shuler 0-4 0-0 0, Jordan Smith 0-2 1-3 0, Mitch Hunter 0-3 1-2 1, Tyler Fleeger 0-1 1-2 1, Jarod Alchier 0-0 1-4 0, Joe Holifelder 0-0 0-0 0, Colton Cumberland 0-0 0-0 0, Jonathan Loos 0-0 0-0 0.

Totals: 18-51 18-34 55.

Karns City 7 12 4 9—32Moniteau 20 11 13 11—553-point goals: Karns City 5 (Fuhrer, Kepple 4); Moniteau 1 (K. Armagost).

JV Score: Karns City 50-40

Monday: West Forest at Moniteau; Redbank Valley at Karns City