By Staff

            GOESSEL – Ranked number seven in Class 1A Division I, the Little River boys basketball team powered their way past Burrton 68-33 on Monday in the first game of the Goessel Bluebird Classic.

            With the win, Little River will now face Elyria Christian on Friday for their second game of the tournament.

            Little River and Burrton matched scores in each of the first two quarters of play with Little River hitting for 21 points in each while holding Burrton to just six, giving the Redskins a comfortable 30-point, 42-12 lead going into the halftime break.

            After putting up 25 more points in the third quarter, Little River let up on the offensive accelerator in the fourth as they cruised in for the final 35-point, 68-33 victory.

            Little River connected on 56% of their shots from the field in the game while making 10-of-17 at the free throw stripe as well.

            Individually, Braxton Lafferty led the team in scoring with 19 while Logan Renken chipped in with 14 and both Treyton Olander and Rylan Konen just missed double digits with nine points each.

            Dalton Mantz directed the Little River offense and dished out eight assists joining Lafferty in leading the team in rebounds with five. Mantz, Lafferty, and Kayston Cox all make three steals each as the team swiped 20 from the visitors.

LITTLE RIVER REDSKINS vs. Burrton at Goessel Bluebird Classic

SCORING: LITTLE RIVER 21-21-25-1=68; Burrton 6-6-13-8=33.

LITTLE RIVER TEAM STATS: FGs – 27/48; 3-PTs – 4/14; FTs – 10/17; ASTs – 16; RBs – 20; FLs – 9; TO – 10; STLs – 20; BLKs – 4.

LITTLE RIVER INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS:

Scoring: Braxton Lafferty – 19; Logan Renken – 14; Treyton Olander – 9; Rylan Konen – 9; Kayston Cox – 7; Andrew Smith – 6; Dalton Mantz – 4.

Assists: Mantz – 8; Lafferty, Cox, Smith – 2.

Rebounds: Lafferty, Mantz – 5; Renken, Judzen Mazur – 3, Olander – 2.

Steals: Lafferty, Cox, Mantz – 3; Renken, Olander, Smith – 2.

Blocked Shots: Olander – 2.

(The Staff covering McPherson County Activities can be reached by email at crossdovewriter@gmail.com)

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