Dodge City fell to Maize 70-62 in the final game of the first round of the Tournament of Champions.
Free throw shooting kept Dodge City in the game to the very end. After making just 8-of-17 shots from the foul line in the first three quarters, the Red Demons made 11-of-12 free throws over the final eight minutes.
With 2:11 to play, a layup from Bryce Unruh cut the Eagles’ lead to 62-59 but that was as close as it would get.
A layup from senior Noah Williams gave Dodge City a 4-3 lead with six minutes to play in the first quarter. The Red Demons did not forfeit the lead until a layup from Maize’s Austin Ohnmeis put the Eagles up 42-40 with 32 seconds to play in the third quarter. The Eagles ended the third quarter on a 9-0 run.
Senior Dayton McGroarty led the Red Demons with 18 points. Fellow senior Eric Reid added 11 points and Unruh chipped in another 10.
Maize’s Grant Bugbee scored a game-high 27 points.
The Red Demons will play Leavenworth at 3:30 p.m. on Friday. Maize will play Wichita Heights on Friday at 8:30 p.m. The Eagles fell to the Falcons last Friday in Wichita.
By John Zetmeir, Dodge City Daily Globe
