The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

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February 26, 2013

Weather causes multiple changes in sub-state basketball schedules

By Mark Schremmer Globe Sports Writer

The weather has wreaked havoc on sub-state basketball schedules across Kansas.

Several teams, including Class 3A boys No. 1 seed Riverton, lost their first-round home game to the weather and will have to win three games in three days to advance to the state tournament.

“You hate to lose a home game,” Riverton coach Zach Martin said. “But you got to play them no matter where they’re at. Everybody’s in the same boat, so we can’t use weather or anything else as an excuse. We just have to control the things we can control.”

Riverton (15-5) was scheduled to be at home against No. 8 Erie (4-16) in the first round on Tuesday night. Since the game was postponed because of weather, it has been rescheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday at St. Mary’s-Colgan.

Three of the four first-round games for the sub-state will now be played at Colgan. Since there are four area sub-state tournaments — Fort Scott, Independence, Colgan and Northeast (Arma) — the abundance of postponements made it difficult to find enough officials for all of the sites. The KSHSAA opted to schedule many of the tournament games all at one location.

In the Colgan sub-state, No. 7 Neodesha (5-15) will be at the No. 2 Panthers (14-5) at 4:30 p.m. Thursday. The Riverton and Erie game will follow, and No. 6 Southeast (7-12) is scheduled to play No. 3 Galena (14-6) at 7:30 Thursday at Colgan. No. 4 Caney Valley (10-8) maintains its home game against No. 5 Cherryvale (9-11) at 7 p.m. Thursday.

The semifinals will be played on Friday, and the championship will be Saturday at Colgan.

On the positive side for teams like the Rams, playing the first-round game at Colgan will help the players get familiar with the gym.

“If we’re fortunate enough to make it out of the first round, it will give us an extra game in that gym,” Martin said. “We played Colgan at home this season, so it will be our first game in that gym.”

The other factor caused by the postponements is that the winner will need to play three games in three days. Riverton, which won the CNC League championship this year, hopes the experience of playing in the Frontenac Classic and its depth will help.

“Whoever wins this tournament will have to win three games in three days,” Martin said. “We have that experience from playing three games in three days at the Frontenac tournament.

“We’re going to use our bench. Hopefully, guys will be fresh. Hopefully, our depth will be an advantage.”

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