'Hounds pull away for I-70 win

Sweet Springs' Andrew Kueker stuffs on the Chiefs. [Click to enlarge]

ALMA -- One thing can be said in favor of the exceptionally young Santa Fe boys' basketball team: it comes to play.

Just ask Sweet Springs, which was given a tussle by the scrappy Chiefs for three quarters before taking control for a 54-42 I-70 Conference victory Friday at Alma. Ultimately, the Greyhounds' relative experience -- and presence of the best player on the court -- served them well.

It was in the third period that the game turned irrevocably. After trailing by five points in the first half, Sweet Springs took a four-point lead into the break. However, that only set the stage for a furious frame.

It began in Santa Fe's favor. Freshman Taylor Wesley got inside for a pair of buckets, sophomore Kenzie Thorp hit a pair of three-pointers and freshman Lucas Brandt connected from outside to cap a 13-3 run which put the Chiefs in front, 36-30, with 2:56 left in the quarter.

During this stretch, junior Andrew Kueker -- the 'Hounds' 6-foot-7 all-state forward -- didn't get a touch. That changed in a hurry as Sweet Springs scored the period's last 11 points.

The spree began with a conventional three-point play by sophomore Travis Hinck. Kueker followed with a stick-back, trey and lay-up.

If Santa Fe had been able to regroup to begin the fourth quarter, that wouldn't have been a problem, but it couldn't. Hinck put back a miss and was fouled, making the free throw, and then went the distance on Kueker's outlet pass following a defensive board.

Two Kueker freebies, a steal and fast break by junior Levi Bernard and a Kueker spin move in the low blocks extended the run to 20 straight points for the 'Hounds, giving them a 50-36 cushion with 3:01 remaining. The Chiefs had gone over eight minutes without a point.

Thorp had 16 points and nine rebounds to lead Santa Fe (1-11, 0-2 I-70), which has lost its last eight games -- but is still showing improvement, more critical than wins at this stage for a squad with three freshman starters.

Kueker's 26 points and 17 boards topped Sweet Springs (7-6, 2-0), which now finds itself tied with Concordia atop the league standings.