@ Andover Central

The Emporia High School boys basketball team saw its season come to an end in the sub-state semifinal against Andover Central on Tuesday night, 48-45.

The ninth-seeded Spartans trailed the eighth-seeded Jaguars by as much as 20 points in the third quarter. Emporia trailed 38-18 about halfway through before embarking on a 12-0 run to end the quarter and cut the deficit to eight points.

A basket from Cooper Rech to open the fourth quarter made it a six-point game. Andover Central then converted an and-one to make it 41-32. Each team added two more points before the Spartans went on a 9-0 run to the tie game at 43-43 on a 3-pointer from Rylan Crowell with 1:45 to play.

But the Jaguars were able to respond with a basket and a free throw to take a three-point lead. River Peters had a shot at a 3-pointer to tie the game, but it rimmed out before Andover Central was able to seal the game at the free throw line with 7.5 seconds to play.

The Jaguars were in control of the game for much of the first half, scoring the game’s first five points and leading 15-6 after the opening quarter. They then ended the second quarter with an 8-0 run to take a 32-13 lead into the half.

Sheldon Stewart led the Spartans with 17 points. Peters joined him in double-figures with 11.

The Spartans conclude their season with a 13-8 record. They graduate four seniors in Stewart, Rech, Calvin Seeley and Blake Spellman.