Web posted
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Three-pointers do in Ark City boys
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Photo by David Wolman
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By DAVID WOLMAN
Traveler Sports Editor
sports@arkcity.net
WICHITA -- Coming into Friday night's Class 5A sub-state championship game, Arkansas City coach Ben Proctor was well aware of Emporia's ability to shoot from behind the arc.
Only three days ago, Emporia connected on 12 three-pointers in recording a 33-point win over Wichita West.
Emporia was at it again Friday night.
Caydrick Bloomquist and Taylor Euler combined for seven of Emporia's nine three-pointers and the Spartans turned a close game into a rout by the third quarter, sending the Bulldogs to a season-ending 70-39 loss at Bishop Carroll.
Euler finished with a game-high 24 points, including four three-pointers. Bloomquist added 17, while Brandon Childs had 11.
"Their guards can hit their shots, whether they're guarded or not," Ark City coach Ben Proctor said.
Emporia, 12-9, advances to next week's 5A state tournament in Topeka. Ark City finished the season 10-12.
Arkansas City, coming off a thrilling 63-62 win over Valley Center in the first round of the playoffs on Wednesday, had an extra jump in its step at the onset.
Ryan Rohrs made a three-pointer for an 8-2 Ark City lead just over two minutes into the game. The senior made a living from behind the arc in the first half, recording three three-pointers en route to a team-high 12 points.
Rohrs made four of Ark City's seven three-pointers on the night. The problem was that Emporia finished with two more makes from behind the arc than the Bulldogs. And every time Ark City made a run, Emporia seemed to take, at least temporarily, the life out of the Bulldogs after hitting a three-pointer. Each time, that allowed Emporia to gain a little more separation.
After Rohrs hit his second three-pointer with exactly three minutes left in the first quarter, Bloomquist responded with one of his own just eight seconds later to give Emporia the lead for good.
Ark City had chances to stay within a couple of possessions during the second quarter, but turnovers and missed shots on wide-open looks cost the Bulldogs to get closer.
Tayler Rock missed an open layup two minutes into the second. Darrell Freeman and John Miller then had passes slip off their hands, both resulting in turnovers. Ark City finished with 22 turnovers, compared to just nine for Emporia.
"When you don't focus and get good shots off, it's going to hurt you against a team like Emporia," Proctor said.
To make things worse, Ark City was presented with a chance to take the final shot of the first half. But Bloomquist recorded a steal and converted a layup as the buzzer sounded for a 33-20 Emporia lead at halftime.
"That felt pretty bad," Proctor said. "It was about a bad as a feeling going into the locker room, whenever you have the basketball and a chance to get it under double digits. That shot hurt us."
Kestian Harris found his stroke behind the arc late in the third quarter, hitting back-to-back three-pointers to cut Emporia's lead to 41-30. He finished with eight points.
But Emporia proceeded to deliver the final blow to Ark City's season. Again, it was a couple of three-pointers. This time, it sealed the fate on the Bulldogs' season.
Bloomquist and Jacob Torres sandwiched two three-pointers around a Miler basket and a three-pointer play by Childs to give Emporia a 50-32 lead after three quarters.
Euler opened the fourth quarter with another three-pointers, and the rout was on.
"They're just really, really good," Proctor said. "We, at times made a run, but they hit big shots. That's what good teams do."
Ark City 13 7 12 7 -- 39
Emporia 17 16 17 20 -- 70
Ark City -- Rohrs 12, Harris 8, Freeman 6, Rock 6, Miller 4, Fields 3. Totals 8 (7) 2-6 39.
Emporia -- Euler 24, Bloomquist 17, Childs 11, Torres 7, Canales 6, Pierce 2. Totals 17 (9) 7-10 70.
Above: Arkansas City senior Jordan Fields, left, reacts after fouling out in the fourth quarter of Friday night's Class 5A sub-state championship at Bishop Carroll High School in Wichita, while coach Ben Proctor tries to console Fields. Fields finished with three points in his final career game.
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