The Hickman boys basketball team won’t be bringing a trophy home from the Neosho Holiday classic this year.
Poor free-throw shooting and a bad second quarter led to a Hickman (5-5) loss to No. 4 seed Kansas City Ruskin 63-48 Thursday.
The best that the No. 5 seed Kewpies (5-5) can finish in the 16-team tournament is fifth.
Hickman led early 16-14, but was outscored 19-7 in the second quarter. The Kewpies would never regain the lead.
Ruskin shot 81 percent from the free-throw line, making 13-of-16. Hickman was 6-for-13 from the line. The Kewpies made only 7-of-18 Wednesday.
The Kewpies’ 6-foot-4 senior Byron Bundy led Hickman with 13 points. Senior forward Ben Dierkes added 10 points.
Ruskin Junior guard Milton Garner and 6-foot-6 senior Michael Craion combined for 38 points against the Kewpies.
Hickman 6-foot-6 junior Tyler Stevens did not play after suffering a right ankle sprain during Wednesday’s first-round game. He is not expected to play in the Kewpies’ next game against No. 8 Springdale at 12 p.m. today.
— Caleb Riggs